MLB Draft 2020: Scouting Reports and Breakdown of Notable Day 2 Picks

Most of the top names in the 2020 MLB draft class went off the board within the first 37 picks on Day 1, led by Arizona State slugger Spencer Torkelson, who went No. 1 overall to the Detroit Tigers.

That said, plenty of potential impact talents were available heading into Day 2 and the final 123 selections.

Among the top names still waiting to be selected were Texas prep right-hander Jared Kelley, Ohio State catcher Dillon Dingler and Mississippi State right-hander and 2018 first-round pick J.T. Ginn.

Those three and several other notable prospects were among those chosen Thursday night. Ahead, we've provided scouting reports and analysis on several of the top prospects chosen in Rounds 2-5 of the 2020 MLB draft.

Dingler split his time between catcher and center field as a freshman before taking over as the starting backstop, and he brings rare athleticism to the position.

He has a good throwing arm and solid receiving skills behind the plate, as well as the intangibles to be a leader at the position. A strong start to his junior season pushed him into the first-round conversation. He hit .340/.404/.760 with five home runs and 14 RBI in 13 games.

A big 6'6", 225-pound southpaw with a terrific curveball and a quality fastball that could tick up into the mid-90s with further projection, Fulton was shaping up to be one of the most coveted prep arms in the 2020 class before he underwent Tommy John surgery in September.

It will take an above-slot deal to sign him away from a commitment to Oklahoma, where he has a chance to establish himself as one of the top arms in the 2023 draft class.

CJ Van Eyk's stuff is a tick below some of the other top college starters in this class, but he still missed plenty of bats last season with 129 strikeouts in 99.1 innings. He had a 1.31 ERA with 25 strikeouts in 20.2 innings this spring.

The 6'1" right-hander has an advanced three-pitch mix with a fastball that sits in the low 90s and touches 95 mph, and he does a good job changing speeds and keeping hitters off-balance. He's a safer bet than most pitchers in this class to remain a starter, even if his ceiling is toward the back of an MLB rotation.

A staple on the showcase circuit, Jones has been a two-way standout as a hard-throwing right-hander and a power-hitting outfielder. With that said, his future is on the mound.

He has a quick arm and consistently sits in the 96-97 mph range with his fastball, backing it with a hard slider that he can add and subtract from and a changeup that shows potential. He's more a thrower than a pitcher at this point and doesn't offer much remaining projection in his 6'1", 180-pound frame, but there's enough present stuff to buy his long-term potential.

A standout on the collegiate national team last summer after an up-and-down sophomore campaign, McMahon was dominant in four early-season starts this spring, posting a 1.05 ERA with 38 strikeouts and just five walks in 25.2 innings.

His fastball tops out at 98 mph, and his curveball and changeup both have a chance to be plus secondary offerings. His combination of size (6'2", 205 lbs), stuff and pitchability gives him one of the safer profiles among college pitchers in this class.

The term "projectable" gets attached to high school pitchers a lot and essentially means teams are dreaming of what that player could become once he fills out physically. 

With a developed 6'3", 215-pound frame, Kelley doesn't need any projection. He has smooth mechanics, a fastball that touches 98 mph, a polished changeup and an improving slider. That should allow him to move as quickly through the minors as any pitcher in this class.

MLB.com wrote: "The Texas recruit pounds the strike zone and has the look of a front-line starter who could reach the big leagues before he turns 21."

The Dodgers failed to sign Ginn as the No. 30 overall pick in the 2018 draft, and he went on to win National Freshman of the Year honors, posting a 3.13 ERA and 1.05 WHIP with 105 strikeouts in 86.1 innings at Mississippi State.

His 2020 debut lasted just three innings before he exited with arm soreness and then underwent Tommy John surgery. When healthy, he has front-line stuff with a mid-90s fastball, wipeout slider and plus changeup. He has leverage as a draft-eligible sophomore and could again be a tough sign with a chance to pitch his way toward the top of the 2021 draft with a clean bill of health.

A legitimate two-way prospect, Winn has 50-grade power and the defensive ability to handle shortstop, as well as an electric three-pitch arsenal on the mound with a fastball that touches 96 mph, a quality changeup and a developing curveball.

Baseball America wrote: "Pound for pound, Winn could be the most purely talented player in the 2020 class. ... Teams are mixed on whether his upside is better as a pitcher or a hitter."

The Cardinals drafted him as a shortstop, so it remains to be seen if he'll get a chance to play both ways. Whether he starts his pro career or honors his commitment to Arkansas, he'll be a fun one to watch develop.

Henry was a projectable prospect coming out of high school, and two years later, he's one of the most intriguing draft-eligible sophomore arms in the 2020 class. He's already added strength to his 6'4" frame, and there's room for more, giving him more upside than most college pitchers. 

His fastball has been up to 96 mph, and he backs it with a plus curveball and a playable changeup. The issue has been consistency, both in his stuff and his mechanics, and he also carries some health risk after missing a month with a sore elbow in 2019. Will he be signable?

Nicolas owns one of the best fastballs in this draft class, and there were plenty of eyes on him in the Cape Cod League last summer when he struck out 31 batters in 24.1 innings. He also walked 21 batters at a 7.8 BB/9 clip and scuffled to a 6.29 ERA, which has been the story of his collegiate career. 

His slider flashes plus, and he has the requisite 6'4", 225-pound frame to handle a starter's workload, but mechanical issues, a high walk rate and the lack of a third pitch could ultimately push him to the bullpen. With all of that said, there's no teaching triple-digit velocity.

Cabrera checked in as the No. 82 prospect in the 2017 draft, according to Baseball America, but he slipped to the 26th round due to a firm commitment to LSU.

A steady performer throughout his college career, he had an .875 OPS with 12 doubles, 12 home runs and 50 RBI as a sophomore before hitting .287/.369/.400 with eight extra-base hits and 10 steals in 33 games in the Cape Cod League. He fits best in left field, which puts pressure on his bat, but he's one of the safer college hitters with average tools across the board.

Beeter underwent Tommy John surgery and arthroscopic surgery on his elbow before finally making his collegiate debut out of the Texas Tech bullpen in 2019, tallying eight saves with 40 strikeouts in 20.2 innings.

He moved into a starting role this spring and turned in four dominant starts before the season was canceled, posting a 2.14 ERA with nearly twice as many strikeouts (33) as baserunners allowed (17) in 21 innings. His injury history carries obvious risk, but with a fastball that touches 98 mph and a wicked curveball-slider combination, he has huge upside.

Used primarily as a reliever during his first two seasons at NC State, Swiney moved into the Friday starter role this spring and sent his stock soaring when he posted a 1.29 ERA and a terrific 42-to-6 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 28 innings.

After he walked batters at a 5.0 BB/9 clip over his first two seasons, his improved command was a welcome sign. Teams did not get a chance to see whether he could maintain it over a full season, making him something of a wild card, but he has the requisite three-pitch mix and strong frame to stick as a starter. Otherwise, he offers a high floor as a swing-and-miss lefty reliever.

Greene has drawn comparisons to Garrett Anderson and Michael Brantley thanks to his smooth left-handed swing and a plus hit tool that could make him a perennial .300 hitter. With a relatively flat swing, it remains to be seen if he'll hit for power, but he doesn't need to in order to make an impact.

His plus speed serves him well in center field, where he should have no problem sticking as a pro, and it also makes him a threat on the bases. A pop-up prospect last summer, his overall game is still lacking polish, but he offers an appealing mix of floor and ceiling in a thin high school class.

A rare New York prep prospect, Santos did not make his 2020 debut before the season was canceled, though scouts saw plenty of him over the summer.

He has already added bulk to a still-projectable 6'3", 185-pound frame and has shown an improved feel for a changeup to complement his mid-90s fastball and plus slider. As is the case with many cold-weather prep prospects, he's a bit more raw than some of his warn-weather counterparts, but his present stuff and future upside put him squarely in the second tier of high school arms.

Wilcox ranked as the No. 37 prospect in the 2018 draft class, according to Baseball America, but a strong commitment to Georgia caused him to slip to the 37th round. He has some of the best pure stuff in the class with a fastball that touches 100 mph and a solid changeup-slider mix.

That said, there is also some reliever risk here. He doesn't have the cleanest mechanics, and he has work to do to improve his overall command. He has a ton of upside thanks to his power stuff and sturdy 6'5", 232-pound frame, but there's a lot of room between his ceiling and floor.

In terms of raw tools, Martin might be the most impressive college player in the 2020 class, offering top-of-the-scale speed and enough power to be a 20-homer threat at the next level. He may also be the biggest boom-or-bust prospect in the group.

After hitting .345/.418/.556 with 13 home runs as a freshman, he batted .286 with a 24.5 percent strikeout rate as a sophomore, and he was off to a slow start this spring. He has also been inconsistent defensively, making both highlight-reel plays and silly mistakes. 

If he can slow the game down, he could be a star.

One of the best prep hitters in an admittedly thin class, Parada was a standout on the showcase circuit last summer, and he was moving up draft boards this spring before the season was canceled.

He makes loud contact with the potential for a plus hit tool and 20-homer power, though the jury is still out on whether he can stick behind the plate. He's athletic enough to handle a move to the outfield, and that's a transition he could make sooner than later for the sake of developing his high-ceiling offensive game. If he does stay behind the plate, he'll be an offensive-minded option.

He's committed to Georgia Tech.

Montgomery has premium stuff with a mid-90s fastball and a power slider that both generate plenty of swings and misses. He has also shown some feel for a changeup.

With that said, he still has to rein in his power stuff, and he doesn't offer as much remaining physical projection as some of the other top prep arms in this class. That could be part of the reason he wasn't among the 160 players selected.

He'll now head to Florida State, where he could immediately make an impact in the starting rotation.

All stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, unless otherwise noted.