clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Elephant Rumblings: 2020 MLB draft completes 1st round

MLB news roundup

If you buy something from an SB Nation link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.

NCAA BASEBALL: JUN 01 Div 1 Championship Baton Rouge Regional - Arizona State v Stony Brook
No. 1 overall pick Spencer Torkelson, a Petaluma native
Photo by John Korduner/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Good morning, Athletics Nation!

We finally got something resembling baseball news on Wednesday, with the 1st round of the MLB draft. Of course, even the draft is different from usual this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, lasting just five rounds instead of the normal 40, so Day 1 featured only one pick by most teams instead of a few apiece. But that’s still better than nothing.

The Oakland A’s held the No. 26 overall pick, and they used it on high school catcher Tyler Soderstrom — click here for our full coverage of the pick. Soderstrom is a bat-first prospect who draws raves for his current polish and future potential, though on defense he might not stay behind the plate long-term. He’s also a local product, coming from Turlock, and his father pitched in MLB for the Giants in the ‘90s.

The general consensus is that Soderstrom profiled as a Top 20 pick in this draft, so the A’s did well to get him with their mid-20s selection. One reason he fell may have had to do with signability, given his commitment to UCLA, but Susan Slusser of the S.F. Chronicle says “all the A’s folks I’ve spoken to are certain that he will sign.”

As for the rest of the 1st round, the Tigers used the No. 1 overall pick on third baseman Spencer Torkelson, who grew up in Petaluma before going to school at ASU. Rounding out the Top 10 picks:

  1. 3B Spencer Torkelson, Tigers (Arizona State)
  2. OF Heston Kjerstad, Orioles (Arkansas)
  3. RHP Max Meyer, Marlins (Minnesota)
  4. LHP Asa Lacy, Royals (Texas A&M)
  5. SS Austin Martin, Blue Jays (Vanderbilt)
  6. RHP Emerson Hancock, Mariners (Georgia)
  7. SS Nick Gonzalez, Pirates (New Mexico State)
  8. OF Robert Hassell III, Padres (high school, TN)
  9. OF Zac Veen, Rockies (high school, FL)
  10. LHP Reid Detmers, Angels (Louisville)

Click here to see the full results, including all 37 picks from Wednesday and a live tracker for Thursday (Rounds 2-5). Click here for info on how to watch Day 2 today.

A’s Draft:

A’s Non-Draft Coverage:

MLB Draft, News, & Interest:

Best of Twitter:

Well that’s a start, at least.

... continued ...

... and more.

Black Lives Matter