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Zac Veen Vs. Garrett Mitchell: 2020 MLB Draft Prospect Showdown, Outfield Rankings

Leading up to the 2020 draft on June 10, we’ll preview each position group by comparing and contrasting two of the top players in the mix. Today is outfielders, led by Zac Veen and Garrett Mitchell


Hitting:

Mitchell’s pure bat-to-ball skills are superior to Veen’s, but Veen’s swing is looser and more fluid than Mitchell’s has ever been. While Veen might have more swing-and-miss in his game, his hitting upside is a tick higher. EDGE: VEEN.

Power: Both Mitchell and Veen have similar raw power, though Veen comes with a still projectable 6-foot-5, 200-pound frame that should add more weight in the future. The bigger separator is that Veen’s swing has plenty of leverage to tap into his power in games right now, while Mitchell has a long track record of struggling to get to his during games, dating back to his time in high school. EDGE: VEEN.

Speed: This category isn’t close. Mitchell is one of the best runners in the entire draft class. He’s a legitimate 80-grade runner now and he was a legitimate 80-grade runner in high school, with terrific ability to get out of the lefthanded batter’s box, steal bases and track down balls in the outfield. Veen is more of an average runner who could slow down as he fills out. EDGE: MITCHELL.

Fielding: Because of Mitchell’s speed, he’s a good bet to stick in center field, where he has plus defensive potential at a premium position and can track fly balls down in the gaps. Veen is an average defender who will move to a corner in pro ball. EDGE: MITCHELL.

Arm: While Veen has a solid arm that has above-average potential, Mitchell’s is a tick better and could allow him to handle right field if necessary. Mitchell’s arm is consistently graded as plus and gives him another weapon to go with his collection of plus raw tools. EDGE: MITCHELL

X Factor: While each player’s tool set is considerably different, their health is also a factor. Mitchell is a Type I diabetic, and while teams don’t seem to have a quantifiable way to measure the exact risk that adds to his profile, every scout knows it will be a factor in his future projection and durability. Mitchell missed only one game in the last two years at UCLA. EDGE: VEEN.

Scout’s take on Veen: “I see no reason he shouldn’t hit a lot. And no reason he shouldn’t drive the ball a lot as he continues to add strength … Pretty swing, really good leverage, natural loft in the stroke. And you just look at the body and think, ‘Geez, he’s not there yet.'”

Scout’s take on Mitchell: “Might be the best player I’ve ever scouted. Take away the diabetic aspect and he could be (drafted) 1-1. Stays in center field, plus defender, plus arm, 80 run times on turns … zero effort.” 

SPOTLIGHT: Top 2020 Outfielders

Strength: 5 stars

From Austin Martin’s outstanding hitting ability to the plus or better power offered by Zac Veen, Austin Hendrick, Heston Kjerstad and Dylan Crews, this year’s crop of outfielders is as deep as we have seen in recent drafts.

See full scouting reports in the BA 500 here

First-Round Talents
No. BA 500 Rank Player Pos School State HIT POW RUN FLD ARM
1 2 Austin Martin CF Vanderbilt TN 70 55 55 55 45
2 6 Garrett Mitchell CF UCLA CA 55 55 80 60 60
3 7 Zac Veen CF HS—Port Orange FL 60 60 45 50 55
4 9 Austin Hendrick CF HS—Imperial PA 60 70 45 50 60
5 15 Heston Kjerstad RF Arkansas AR 60 60 45 45 55
6 16 Robert Hassell CF HS—Thompson’s Sta. TN 60 55 55 55 55
7 17 Pete Crow-Armstrong CF HS—Studio City CA 55 40 60 70 60
Second-Round Talents
No. BA 500 Rank Player Pos School State HIT POW RUN FLD ARM
8 41 Daniel Cabrera RF Louisiana State LA 60 55 45 50 45
9 49 Isaiah Greene CF HS—Corona CA 60 50 60 55 40
10 54 Dylan Crews CF HS—Lake Mary FL 55 60 50 55 60

 

 

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