MLB mock drafts 2020: Experts agree on Tigers' pick at No. 1, other top prospects to start first round

Joe Rivera

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MLB mock drafts 2020: Experts agree on Tigers' pick at No. 1, other top prospects to start first round image

With the 2020 MLB Draft shortened to just five rounds in 2020, teams are going to have to get it right with those limited amount of picks — and the deep free agent pool that follows. But with just five official picks on the board for a lot of teams — some have been penalized and some have been forfeited due to free-agent signings — there's an urgency to make sure these players are the right ones.

It's always tough to sift through prospective MLB talent, but in 2020, there's a pretty clear top three: Arizona State's Spencer Torkelson is pretty much deemed a unanimous No. 1 overall pick, ticketed for Detroit, while Austin Martin and Asa Lacy are both expected to go within the top five.

Here are what some of the experts are saying about this year's first round, which features 29 picks:

MORE: What to know about the 2020 MLB Draft

MLB mock drafts 2020

Keith Law, The Athletic

Law's latest mock draft was released on June 10. Visit The Athletic for Law's full analysis and more.

Number	Team	Player	Position	College/High School
1	Tigers	Spencer Torkelson	1B	Arizona State
2	Orioles	Austin Martin	IF	Vanderbilt
3	Marlins	Asa Lacy	LHP	Texas A&M
4	Royals	Zac Veen	OF	Spruce Creek High School (Florida)
5	Blue Jays	Max Meyer	RHP	Minnesota
6	Mariners	Emerson Hancock	RHP	Georgia
7	Pirates	Nick Gonzales	IF	New Mexico State
8	Padres	Reid Detmers	LHP	Louisville
9	Rockies	Tyler Soderstrom	C/3B	Turlock High School (California)
10	Angels	Pete Crow-Armstrong	OF	Harvard-Westlake School (California)
11	White Sox	Garrett Crochet	LHP	Tennessee
12	Reds	Robert Hassell III	OF	Independence High School (Tennessee)
13	Giants	Heston Kjerstad	OF	Arkansas
14	Rangers	Aran Sabato	1B	UNC
15	Phillies	Ed Howard	SS	Mount Carmel High School (Illinois)
16	Cubs	Justin Foscue	2B	Mississippi State
17	Red Sox	Patrick Bailey	C	NC State
18	Diamondbacks	Bryce Jarvis	RHP	Duke
19	Mets	Austin Hendrick	1B/OF	West Allegheny High School (Pennsylvania)
20	Brewers	Cade Cavalli	RHP	Oklahoma
21	Cardinals	Garrett Mitchell	OF	UCLA
22	Nationals	Cole Wilcox	RHP	Georgia
23	Indians	Mick Abel	RHP	Jesuit High School (Oregon)
24	Rays	Jordan Westburg	3B	Mississippi State
25	Braves	Nick Swiney	LHP	NC State
26	Athletics	Austin Wells	C	Arizona
27	Twins	Casey Martin	SS	Arkansas
28	Yankees	Bobby Miller	RHP	Louisville
29	Dodgers	Jordan Walker	3B	Decatur High School (Georgia)

Jim Callis, MLB.com

The latest mock draft by Callis was released on June 9.

Number	Team	Player	Position	College/High School
1	Tigers	Spencer Torkelson	1B	Arizona State
2	Orioles	Austin Martin	IF	Vanderbilt
3	Marlins	Asa Lacy	LHP	Texas A&M
4	Royals	Zac ZVeen	OF	Spruce Creek High School (Florida)
5	Blue Jays	Max Meyer	RHP	Minnesota
6	Mariners	Emerson Hancock	RHP	Georgia
7	Pirates	Nick Gonzales	SS/2B	New Mexico State
8	Padres	Heston Kjerstad	OF	Arkansas
9	Rockies	Reid Detmers	LHP	Louisville
10	Angels	Robert Hassell III	OF	Independence High School (Tennessee)
11	White Sox	Gerrett Crochet	LHP	Tennessee
12	Reds	Cade Cavalli	RHP	Oklahoma
13	Giants	Tyler Soderstrom	C	Turlock High School (California)
14	Rangers	Patrick Bailey	C	NC State
15	Phillies	Austin Hendrick	OF	West Allegheny High School (Pennsylvania)
16	Cubs	Garrett Mitchell	OF	UCLA
17	Red Sox	Mick Abel	RHP	Jesuit High School (Oregon)
18	Diamondbacks	Bryce Jarvis	RHP	Duke
19	Mets	Cole Wilcox	RHP	Georgia
20	Brewers	Pete Crow-Armstrong	OF	Harvard-Westlake School (California)
21	Cardinals	Nick Bitsko	RHP	Central Bucks High School East (Pennsylvania)
22	Nationals	Bobby Miller	RHP	Louisville
23	Indians	Dillon Dingler	C	Ohio State
24	Rays	Ed Howard	SS	Mount Carmel High School (Illinois)
25	Braves	Jarred Kelley	RHP	Refugio High School (Texas)
26	Athletics	Justin Foscue	2B	Mississippi State
27	Twins	Nick Loftin	SS	Baylor
28	Yankees	Austin Wells	C	Arizona
29	Dodgers	Slade Cecconi	RHP	Miami

Mike Axisa, CBS Sports

Mike Axisa's latest mock draft was released on June 10.

Number	Team	Player	Position	College/High School
1	Tigers	Spencer Torkelson	1B	Arizona State
2	Orioles	Austin Martin	IF	Vanderbilt
3	Marlins	Asa Lacy	LHP	Texas A&M
4	Royals	Zac Veen	OF	Spruce Creek High School (Florida)
5	Blue Jays	Emerson Hancock	RHP	Georgia
6	Mariners	Max Meyer	RHP	Minnesota
7	Pirates	Nick Gonzales	2B	New Mexico State
8	Padres	Robert Hassell III	OF	Independence High School (Tennessee)
9	Rockies	Heston Kjerstad	OF	Arkansas
10	Angels	Reid Detmers	LHP	Louisville
11	White Sox	Patrick Bailey	C	NC State
12	Reds	Austin Hendrick	OF	West Allegheny High School (Pennsylvania)
13	Giants	Tyler Soderstrom	C	Turlock High School (California)
14	Rangers	Garrett Crochet	LHP	Tennessee
15	Phillies	Cade Cavalli	RHP	Oklahoma
16	Cubs	Garrett Mitchell	OF	UCLA
17	Red Sox	Mick Abel	RHP	Jesuit High School (Oregon)
18	Diamondbacks	Pete Crow-Armstrong	OF	Harvard-Westlake High School (California)
19	Mets	Ed Howard	SS	Mount Carmel High School (Illinois)
20	Brewers	Tanner Burns	RHP	Auburn
21	Cardinals	Cole Wilcox	RHP	Georgia
22	Nationals	J.T. Ginn	RHP	Mississippi State
23	Indians	Nick Bitsko	RHP	Central Bucks East High School (Pennsylvania)
24	Rays	Jordan Westburg	SS	Mississippi State
25	Braves	Bryce Jarvis	RHP	Duke
26	Athletics	Nick Loftin	SS	Baylor
27	Twins	Clayton Beeter	RHP	Texas Tech
28	Yankees	Carson Tucker	SS	Mountain Pointe High School (Arizona)
29	Dodgers	Chris McMahon	RHP	Miami

Joe Rivera

Joe Rivera is in his seventh year with The Sporting News, handling NFL, MLB and some things pro wrestling. A proud-ish Rutgers University graduate, Rivera combines a new-school flair with an old-school soul. He loves dingers, wrestling, comic books, movies, music and really bad puns. He is also a card-carrying BBWAA member and teaches Multimedia Sports Reporting at his alma mater.

You can find him and tweet him @JoeRiveraSN, if you're into that sort of thing.