With the 2019 MLB Draft now less than two weeks out, we thought it was time to start looking at each position and the top players who will be available there in this class. We have started at first base, are continuing today with second base, and will continue with the rest of the infield, including catchers, before moving to the outfield, then left and right handed pitchers in separate pieces.
Note that these pieces will not all be equal, as there are just so many more guys at certain positions that deserve to be talked about(outfield, right handed pitchers), while you have other spots where the depth is not very strong behind the top guys(first base, second base).
It’s also worth noting that if a player you are expecting to see is not listed at a particular position, they could be listed at another position. One example of this is at first base, where Michael Busch will be found- rather than the outfield.
This second base crop is extremely weak as a whole, and really lacks depth. That’s because there are a whole bunch of guys listed elsewhere that could end up slotting in at second base in the future.
Top Five Guys:
1.Chase Strumpf, UCLA
Chase Strumpf is the man when it comes to the second base class- at least the guys expected to be second basemen. There’s no one that I am listing as a second baseman that I consider particularly close to Strumpf, the best prospect at the keystone spot from UCLA since Chase Utley. While Strumpf is no Utley, he is a very solid offense oriented second baseman.
Strumpf broke out in a big way last year with 23 doubles, 12 homers and a slash line of .363/.475/.633. He hasn’t been quite that level of good this year, but has still put together a .289/.431/.469 slash line with 12 doubles and seven homers. What those numbers don’t tell you is that he started this spring very slowly, but has turned it on since that start.
It shouldn’t be a surprise that Strumpf is a guy with a borderline plus hit tool thanks to his contact ability and on base skills. He doesn’t have a ton of home run power, but does have some along with plenty of gap power to rack up extra base hits. Strumpf is a guy that probably settles in as a below average runner at maturity, and even at present isn’t much of a threat on the bases.
Strumpf is a guy that should be an adequate defender at second base, something that could grade as average thanks to his past history as a shortstop in high school. There are some teams who would be interested in giving him a shot in the outfield, so he could have some versatility.
Strumpf is a guy who fills a role as a likely second round pick that has a chance to be a #2 hitter in a big league lineup. That is because of his contact ability and the ability to draw walks- 45 last year and 42 so far this year.
2.Gabe Holt, Texas Tech
A native of Bonaire, Georgia, Gabe Holt is a sophomore eligible prospect this year. The second baseman, who some teams would consider for the outfield due to his athleticism and below average defense at second, is considered a player with a solid hit tool and plus plus speed. Holt offers minimal power- but as a guy who profiles as a traditional leadoff type of hitter, that’s not why you are drafting him.
As a freshman last year Holt hit .348/.440/.485 with 13 doubles, three triples, six homers, 29 steals in 30 attempts, and 38 walks to 35 strikeouts. He went to the Cape Cod League and had a solid showing, though didn’t show much of any power with a double being his only extra base hit over 54 at bats- but he did hit .315 with a .383 OPS. This spring he has had a solid year, but slightly down from his spectacular 2018 debut. His 2019 line is .324/.409/.434 with 14 doubles, two triples, two homers, 25 steals in 28 attempts, and 30 walks to 23 strikeouts.
I’m higher on Holt than some others are. It’s not hard to see why he isn’t the guy for everyone, as the power is limited and the defense and future home is a question mark...but it’s hard for me to overlook his carrying tools. That speed is going to be a weapon, and when you mix that with his ability to make contact and get on base, there is value in a player like Holt that translates to the next level. I also tend to think his contact ability together with the MLB baseball could make him a 10-15 homer guy regularly.
3.Cameron Cannon, Arizona
Arizona infielder Cameron Cannon is enjoying a breakout season for the Wildcats, hitting .390/.479/.638 with 29 doubles, two triples, seven homers, and 34 walks to 28 strikeouts. For a guy who last year posted an OPS of .976 with 21 doubles and eight homers, this breakout just moved an already solid prospect up the draft board a little more.
Cannon is a guy with some versatility defensively. Some question if he ends up here at second, or if his best future home would be third base. I think with his average arm he likely plays second, but could get time at third, and maybe even short- a position he has played for Arizona. Even the outfield wouldn’t be out of the question for Cannon, who could potentially be an interesting piece for teams.
Cannon’s value lies in the bat just as much as his potential versatility, if not more. He projects to be a plus hitter who could have average game power, plus the ability to put almost any pitch into the gap for a double.
4.Michael Massey, Illinois
Michael Massey is similar to Gabe Holt in the fact that he’s a productive college second baseman without a large frame, but a guy known for his hit tool and having limited power. The two second basemen aren’t the same player though, as Massey is actually a very good defender, while he lacks the plus plus speed of Holt. Massey also lacks the same strike zone discipline that is an asset for Holt. Basically Holt is the more tooled up version of Massey.
Massey’s numbers can’t be overlooked. This is a guy who has hit between .326 and .330 in every one of his three years at Illinois, with consistent production that has a career .863 OPS. This year Massey has 14 doubles and five homers, while striking out 30 times to his 20 walks. Those numbers are right along his career averages, except that the walk total is a large increase from his previous career high of 12 in a season. He even put together a solid performance in the Cape Cod League, right in line with what you’d expect from Massey.
Massey is just a solid player. He’s a guy who will hit, play strong defense, and use his instincts to help his tools play up. He’s not going to hit for more than 10-15 homers, and he’s not going to be a burner- though his instincts have helped him go a perfect eight for eight in stolen bases across his entire career,
5.Ethan Paul, Vanderbilt
Ethan Paul may not be the fifth second baseman off the board, mostly due to the fact he’s a senior sign that will likely be drafted much earlier than where he went last year- the 26th round to the Pirates. The former Washington state prep star passed up the draft out of high school to attend Vanderbilt, and after a strong freshman year, he really struggled in his next two years.
Paul has bounced back in a big way this year, seeing his triple slash go from .237/.358/.430 to .323/.388/.518, and his 12 doubles with 10 homers in 2018 have become 18 doubles and eight homers so far this year. Paul has also seen his strikeout rate drop, as he struck out 64 times a year ago, while he’s at just 53 now in only two fewer at bats. The only area Paul has failed to improve upon last year is the steals category, where he’s seven for nine on the year, after stealing 18 bases in 19 attempts a year ago.
Paul isn’t a perfect prospect, but he’s a senior sign with a ton of high level playing experience, the ability to make contact, hit for some power, and runs well. This profile should help him come off the boards early on Day 2 as someone gives him an underslot bonus and hopes he can keep the strikeouts down while hitting like he did as a freshman and senior at Vandy.
Other Names to Watch:
Corey Joyce, North Carolina Central
Isaac Collins, Creighton
LJ Talley, Georgia
Blaze Glenn, Youngstown State
Cory Wood, Coastal Carolina
Loading comments...