On Wednesday night, the Detroit Tigers made a no-brainer pick by selecting 3B Spencer Torkelson with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft.
The draft resumes on Thursday at 5 p.m. EST and when it does, the Tigers will be on the clock with the first pick of Round 2.
Here are three players the Tigers should strongly consider for their second-round pick.
Dillon Dingler, Catcher, Ohio State
Dingler teamed with Ball State right-hander Kyle Nicolas, another early-round prospect for the 2020 Draft, to win Ohio state Division I baseball and basketball titles when both were Jackson High seniors in 2016-17. He spent most of his freshman season in center field and broke the hamate bone in his left hand during the season opener as a sophomore, costing him a month and limiting him after he returned. He performed well this spring, giving him a chance to become the third first-round pick in Ohio State history, following Nick Swisher (2002) and Alex Wimmers (2010).
Dingler reminds area scouts of former Wright State catcher Sean Murphy, a 2016 Athletics third-rounder who has blossomed into one of baseball’s top catching prospects. He doesn’t quite have Murphy’s plus-plus cannon but he does possess well above-average arm strength and his accuracy continues to get better as he gains experience. His receiving also continues to improve and he shows more athleticism and mobility than most backstops.
While Dingler batted just .267/.362/.396 in his first two college seasons, he controls the strike zone well and has plus raw power, so he should be able to hold his own as a right-handed hitter. He ran a sub-6.6-second 60-yard dash during the Buckeyes’ scout day this fall, though he probably won’t maintain plus speed as he stays behind the plate. In addition to his physical tools, he also offers strong makeup and was voted an Ohio State captain as a sophomore.
Jared Kelley, RHP, Refugio HS (Texas)
Refugio (Texas) High never has produced a drafted player, though that’s about to change in a big way in 2020. Kelley entered the year rated as the nation’s top high school prospect and is regarded as Texas’ best prep pitcher since Jameson Taillon went No. 2 overall in 2010. He repeatedly dominated on the showcase circuit last summer, including an Area Code Games performance that some scouts said was the best in the long history of the event.
Few pitchers can create as much velocity with as little effort as Kelley, who can pump 93-96 mph fastballs and reach 98 with some running action. He already owns an advanced changeup with fade and sink, and he’s willing to throw it in any count. His third-best pitch at the moment is a hard slurve in the low 80s that lacks consistency but should develop into at least a solid offering.
Kelley combines his now stuff with feel for pitching. The Texas recruit pounds the strike zone and has the look of a frontline starter who could reach the big leagues before he turns 21. His strong, physically mature frame and the ease of his delivery should allow him to log plenty of innings.
Casey Martin, SS, Arkansas
Scouts rated Martin as the best high school prospect in Arkansas in 2017, though his bat was considered too raw for pro ball and he went undrafted. He made an immediate impact with the Razorbacks, hitting 13 homers as a freshman to help them reach the College World Series, then slammed 15 as a sophomore to bring them back to Omaha. He’s one of the best athletes in the 2020 college crop and is Arkansas’ toolsiest prospect since Andrew Benintendi went seventh overall in the 2015 Draft, but a poor start to the shortened 2020 season could drop him out of the first round.
An explosive athlete, Martin offers an exciting combination of power and speed. He records run times that grade from 70-80 on the 20-80 scouting scale, though he’s still learning how to translate that quickness into stolen bases. He has the potential to be a 25-25 player but gets overly homer-conscious and his right-handed swing gets too uphill, leading to strikeouts.
If Martin can slow the game down a bit offensively and defensively, he can be a star. His quickness and solid arm strength give him the tools to play a number of positions and perhaps stay at shortstop if he becomes more consistent. He played a fine third base as a freshman and definitely would fit in center field, though he should be able to stay on the dirt.
MY SELECTION: Dillon Dingler (Catcher)
The Tigers hoped Jake Rogers would be their catcher of the future and though that still could happen, he has struggled to convince me that he is a top of the line MLB catcher. In his first MLB stint, Rogers batted just .125 in 128 plate appearances and he struggles as a receiver behind the plate.
Dillinger has a solid throwing arm and though he has plenty of work to do with the bat, he has more upside than Rogers at this point.
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