Tyler Soderstrom Is A Future Top Prospect (Oakland Athletics, C/1B)

Tyler Soderstom is another prospect on my radar. The bat is special and its highly likely that he will be moved from catcher due to the plus bat. This is a great thing if it occurs as playing catcher day to day really impacts a player's overall offensive production. I expect a big season from Tyler and hopefully the injury bug stays away from him while he's behind home plate. 

Closer Than You Think: Sal Frelick vs Garrett Mitchell

One thing I wanted to bring up after the release of 2021 Bowman Draft is the comparison between two prospects. Garrett Mitchell and Sal Frelick. Garrett Mitchell cards were very hot after 2020 Bowman Draft release and still are holding steady selling for $100 for a base auto. At this moment I believe that Sal Frelick is the better prospect. Both are great athletes with a number of tools. My main issue currently with Garrett Mitchell is he has a ton of raw power but in order for this to show in games a swing overhaul must occur. I think at this time that is a risky thing to bet on. I'm not saying it cannot happen but its easier said than done. Expect to see Sal Frelick's cards surpass Garrett Mitchell's cards. This could create a buying opportunity for Garret's cards as prospectors move forward to the next hot prospect in the system. 

A Few Notes on Justin Foscue ( Texas Rangers, 3B)

When the 2020 draft wrapped up last year no on liked the Texas Rangers draft. It seems those people are wrong (Including me to a degree). Justin Foscue is on fire right now hitting a home run in eight games straight. I have to say he is now on everyone's radar. Those who bought early are loving what they are seeing. Overall the lesson is don't worry about what the experts say. Make your own choices. If you like a player go for it and buy a few autos. 

Jordan Walker (St. Louis Cardinals, 3B) Has Impressed So Far

Jordan Walker is playing his first year of professional baseball and I have to admit I am beyond impressed. His walk rate is currently 17.5% and his K rate is around 20%. Its only 57 plate appearances but there are some flashes of superstar talent here. The main thing that has my attention is per the reports I am reading, he hits the ball very hard. The exit velocities are elite. The Cardinals have found another good prospect. 

Spencer Torkelson Scouting Report (Detroit Tigers, 1B/3B/DH)

Age: 21 (8/26/1999)

Bats/Throws: R/R

Height/Weight: 6'1/220

Position: 1B/3B/DH

Team: Detroit Tigers

Drafted: Round 1, Pick 1, 2020 MLB Draft

Top Card: 2020 Bowman Draft Baseball 

Base Auto Price (Subject to Change) - $600-$1000

2020 Stats: Did not play.

Torkelson was the best hitter in college baseball at Arizona State University. He broke Barry Bonds freshman HR record. The combination of contact and power tools made him pretty much a lock to go one overall in the draft. In addition to his on field skills, Spencer has great makeup and leadership skills. 

Conclusion: Torkelson possesses 80 grade power with the ability to make contact. The high tool grades that he possesses has caused his card prices to skyrocket upon the release of 2020 Bowman Draft. My thought is that these prices are appropriate despite the delay of his pro debut. I expect him to be one of the better power hitters in baseball and move quickly through the minors. When a player's hitting ability is this good, the defensive ability does not matter and will not impact card prices. Due to the high price of his 1st Bowman Auto, non-auto cards may have to be explored if looking for affordable options.   

Keep an Eye On Garrett Mitchell (Milwaukee Brewers, OF)

One of my favorite picks of the 2020 MLB Draft was Garrett Mitchell. Mitchell possesses elite speed and hitting ability but some believe he will not hit for power. I actually think that he will be able to. Garrett played in a big ballpark at UCLA and his approach was one geared toward contact and using his speed. The Brewers have a good development system and are good at overhauling swings to help prospects tap into their power. I'm looking forward to see what Garrett does when the games count. 

2020 Bowman Draft Baseball - Pricing Trends Update

2020 Bowman Draft has been out for a few weeks and its time to see where the prices are online. At this point we can be certain that the prices will be high for the top picks. One thing I did notice is that many of the pitchers are very affordable. I've seen prices under $10 for a number for those players. A few hitters with potential can be purchased for under $20 which is good to see. Please note I am only looking at the base auto price via completed eBay auction sales. My initial review of the checklist is located here. Thanks for reading.

Heston Kjerstad - Baltimore Orioles OF - $200. High price auto as expected. 

Jordan Walker - St. Louis Cardinals 3B - $200. High cost expected. 

Ed Howard - Chicago Cubs SS - Prices are all over the place. I've seen $150-$300.

Bradlee Beesley - Chicago Cubs OF -  $25.  

Jordan Nwogu - Chicago Cubs OF - $35. 

Freddy Zamora - Milwaukee Brewers SS - $15. Love it. 

Garrett Mitchell - Milwaukee Brewers OF - $100. Not a surprise. 

Hayden Cantrelle - Milwaukee Brewers SS - $15. 

Zavier Warren - Milwaukee Brewers C - $10-15. Another great price. 

Austin Hendrick - Cincinnati Reds OF - $100. Redemption but I love the talent. 

Jackson Miller - Cincinnati Reds C - $10-15. Not bad at all. 

Daniel Cabrera - Detroit Tigers OF - $30. 

Keith Colt - Detroit Tigers 3B - $30. 

Spencer Torkelson - Detroit Tigers 3B - $400-$500. No surprise. He will be a beast. 

Trei Cruz - Detroit Tigers SS - $10.

Gage Workman - Detroit Tigers 3B - $20. 

Dillon Dingler - Detroit Tigers C - $30. 

Zac Veen - Colorado Rockies OF - $175-$200. I'm a little surprised its not more.

Jack Blomgren - Colorado Rockies SS - $15.

Drew Romo - Colorado Rockies C - $30. I have only see refractors. 

Alerick Soularie - Minnesota Twins OF - $15. 

Kala'i Rosario - Minnesota Twins OF - $30.

Isaiah Greene - New York Mets OF - $35-40. I thought it would be higher.

Pete Crow-Armstrong - New York Mets OF - $100-125.  

Matthew Dyer - New York Mets C - $10-15. 

Jimmy Glowenke - San Francisco Giants SS - $10.

Patrick Bailey - San Francisco Giants C - $20-$40. 

Casey Schmitt - San Francisco Giants 3B - $10-15

Carson Tucker - Cleveland Indians SS - $50

Petey Halpin - Cleveland Indians OF - $10-15.

Milan Tolentino - Cleveland Indians SS - $15.

David Calabrese - Los Angeles Angels OF - $15. 

Werner Blakely - Los Angeles Angels SS - $15.

Evan Carter - Texas Rangers OF - $15-20.

Thomas Saggese - Texas Rangers SS - $15. 

Justin Foscue - Texas Rangers 2B - $25.

Nick Gonzales - Pittsburgh Pirates SS - $125.

Trevor Hauver - New York Yankees 2B - $25.

Austin Wells - New York Yankees C - $50.

Nick Loftin - Kansas City Royals SS - $15. 

Asa Lacy - Kansas City Royals LHP - $100. May be short printed. 

Nick Yorke - Boston Red Sox 2B - $40. Not a bad price but he was projected to be a second round pick. 

Owen Caissie - San Diego Padres OF -  $30.

Robert Hassell - San Diego Padres OF - $125.

Sammy Infante - Washington Nationals SS - $15.

Cade Cavalli - Washington Nationals RHP - $20.

Tyler Soderstrom - Oakland Athletics C - $50.

Zach Daniels - Houston Astros OF - $15

AJ Vukovich - Arizona Diamondbacks 3B - $30. Need to see this price go down to about $20-25.  

Alika Williams - Tampa Bay Rays SS - $15.

Casey Martin - Philadelphia Phillies SS - $30

Max Meyer - Miami Marlins RHP - $40.

Zach Britton - Toronto Blue Jays OF - $15.

 

2020 Bowman Draft Baseball - Full Prospect Analysis

Hello readers. The long awaited Bowman Draft 2020 checklist has been released and it is massive. The checklist includes over 100 names! Due to this draft only being five rounds it seems Topps wanted to include the entire draft class. Overall there are a ton of pitchers that I will wait to see play before commenting, but a nice group of hitters are also included on the list. In addition, a good amount of first round picks are in the product. It seems 2020 Bowman Draft was built for team breaks, so my review is team by team this year. Due to stats not being available as short season ball was not played, I had no choice but to read a ton of scouting reports. Because of the lack of stats, my comments are shorter than usual. Thanks again for reading and feel free to send me a comment on this post or Twitter. Ebay links have been provided for most of the players on the checklist. 

*Brewers, Mets, Orioles, Indians, Rangers and Tigers are my favorite team break targets. 

Hudson Haskin - Baltimore Orioles OF - Upside college bat.

Jordan Westburg - Baltimore Orioles SS - Upside college bat. 

Heston Kjerstad - Baltimore Orioles OF - Top pick that will be high priced. Big time power. 

Alec Burleson - St. Louis Cardinals OF - Nice college bat. 

Jordan Walker - St. Louis Cardinals 3B - Top pick with big time power but big time risk. I need to see more. Reminds me a little of Will Benson (Cleveland Indians). 

Levi Prater - St. Louis Cardinals LHP - College arm.

Ian Bedell - St. Louis Cardinals RHP - College arm.

Tink Hence - St. Louis Cardinals RHP - Prep arm. 

Ed Howard - Chicago Cubs SS - Love the player. Huge buy for me as I think he develops power. He has the frame to do it. 

Luke Little - Chicago Cubs LHP - Junior college arm. 

Burl Carraway - Chicago Cubs LHP - College arm. 

Bradlee Beesley - Chicago Cubs OF -  Undrafted free agent that could develop. 

Jordan Nwogu - Chicago Cubs OF - College bat but I love the potential here. There are swing and miss concerns. 

Freddy Zamora - Milwaukee Brewers SS 

Garrett Mitchell - Milwaukee Brewers OF 

Hayden Cantrelle - Milwaukee Brewers SS 

Zavier Warren - Milwaukee Brewers C 

I love all the players in this group. Tons of potential and I think the Brewers will develop it. 

Austin Hendrick - Cincinnati Reds OF - Love the player. Power potential and seems to be able to cut down on the swing and miss. 

Joe Boyle - Cincinnati Reds RHP - College arm.

Bryce Bonnin - Cincinnati Reds RHP - College arm. 

Jackson Miller - Cincinnati Reds C - I really love his profile and potential. 

Daniel Cabrera - Detroit Tigers OF 

Keith Colt - Detroit Tigers 3B 

Spencer Torkelson - Detroit Tigers 3B - No.1 pick. Great player. 

Trei Cruz - Detroit Tigers SS 

Gage Workman - Detroit Tigers 3B 

Dillon Dingler - Detroit Tigers C 

Love the Tigers draft. Would target this team for group breaks. 

Zac Veen - Colorado Rockies OF - Insane power and he may make me break my Colorado Rockies prospects rule. 

Jack Blomgren - Colorado Rockies SS 

Drew Romo - Colorado Rockies C 

Case Williams - Colorado Rockies RHP 

Chris McMahon - Colorado Rockies RHP 

I will pass on the rest of these prospects. 

Alerick Soularie - Minnesota Twins OF - I am going to wait. Need to see more. 

Marco Raya - Minnesota Twins RHP - Prep arm. 

Kala'i Rosario - Minnesota Twins OF - Upside prep power bat. 

Isaiah Greene - New York Mets OF - Love the potential here. 

Eric Orze - New York Mets RHP - College arm. 

Pete Crow-Armstrong - New York Mets OF - I like the tools this kid has. 

Matthew Dyer - New York Mets C - College bat that could be a utility player. I'm interested. 

Jimmy Glowenke - San Francisco Giants SS - Overall safe pick. Pass for me. I may revisit. 

Patrick Bailey - San Francisco Giants C - Power bat but not sure what the plan is. 

Nick Swiney - San Francisco Giants LHP - College arm. 

Casey Schmitt - San Francisco Giants 3B - Nice player with a little upside.  

RJ Dabovich - San Francisco Giants RHP - College arm.

Ryan Murphy - San Francisco Giants RHP - College arm. 

Carson Tucker - Cleveland Indians SS - Nice player but I'm not sure if there is power at the moment. 

Tanner Burns - Cleveland Indians RHP - College arm. 

Petey Halpin - Cleveland Indians OF - Nice player but I'm not sure if there is power at the moment. 

Milan Tolentino - Cleveland Indians SS - I love the upside here. My favorite player that Cleveland picked. 

 

David Calabrese - Los Angeles Angels OF - High upside risky pick. Classic Angels. Would prefer to see more data.

Reid Detmers - Los Angeles Angels LHP - College arm. 

Adam Seminaris - Los Angeles Angels LHP - College arm. 

Werner Blakely - Los Angeles Angels SS - High upside risky pick. Classic Angels. Would prefer to see more data. 

Evan Carter - Texas Rangers OF - Seems to be a reach. I will monitor. 

Tekoah Roby - Texas Rangers RHP - Upside arm.  

Thomas Saggese - Texas Rangers SS - Risky pick. I will monitor.

Justin Foscue - Texas Rangers 2B - Risky pick. I will monitor. 

Jesse Franklin V - Atlanta Braves OF - Its a pass for me. 

Bryce Elder - Atlanta Braves RHP - College arm.

Zach DeLoach - Seattle Mariners OF - Safe college bat. I would pass. 

Connor Phillips - Seattle Mariners RHP - Junior college arm. 

Emerson Hancock - Seattle Mariners RHP - College arm.

Kaden Polcovich - Seattle Mariners 2B - College arm. 

Nick Gonzales - Pittsburgh Pirates SS - Elite top pick. Tons of talent and can hit for power and average.  

Jared Jones - Pittsburgh Pirates RHP - Prep arm.

Logan Hofmann - Pittsburgh Pirates RHP - College arm.

Nick Garcia - Pittsburgh Pirates RHP - College arm.

Carmen Mlodzinski - Pittsburgh Pirates RHP - College arm. 

Trevor Hauver - New York Yankees 2B - Good college bat. 

Austin Wells - New York Yankees C - Good college bat. 

Nick Loftin - Kansas City Royals SS - College bat but I like the player. 

Christian Chamberlain - Kansas City Royals LHP - College arm. 

Ben Hernandez - Kansas City Royals RHP - Prep arm. 

Asa Lacy - Kansas City Royals LHP - College arm. High pick.

Will Klein - Kansas City Royals RHP - College arm.

Saul Garza - Kansas City Royals C - Undrafted free agent. Pass. 

Nick Yorke - Boston Red Sox 2B - Nice prep bat that could develop power. He can hit so I am in. 

Shane Drohan - Boston Red Sox LHP - College arm. 

Owen Caissie - San Diego Padres OF -  Nice bat with power. 

Justin Lange - San Diego Padres RHP - Prep arm. 

Robert Hassell - San Diego Padres OF - Best prep hitter and a safe pick. Will be high.

Sammy Infante - Washington Nationals SS - High school bat with some upside. 

Holden Powell - Washington Nationals RHP - College arm.

Cade Cavalli - Washington Nationals RHP - College arm. High pick. 

Cole Henry - Washington Nationals RHP - College arm. 

Tyler Soderstrom - Oakland Athletics C - Love the talent. High pick that may move to another position. Big time power. Classic Oakland pick. 

Jeff Criswell - Oakland Athletics RHP - College arm.

Dane Acker - Oakland Athletics RHP - College arm.  

Zach Daniels - Houston Astros OF - Some swing and miss but I like the tools here. 

Tyler Brown - Houston Astros RHP - College arm.

Alex Santos - Houston Astros RHP - Prep arm. 

AJ Vukovich - Arizona Diamondbacks 3B - 4th round pick with power potential. I would buy for the right price. Will revisit in my pricing trends update.  

Slade Cecconi - Arizona Diamondbacks RHP - College arm. 

Brandon Pfaadt - Arizona Diamondbacks RHP - College arm.

Bryce Jarvis - Arizona Diamondbacks RHP - College arm. 

Alika Williams - Tampa Bay Rays SS - Defensive SS. I need to see more. 

Jeff Hakanson - Tampa Bay Rays RHP - College arm.

Nick Bitsko - Tampa Bay Rays RHP -  Prep arm. 

Ian Seymour - Tampa Bay Rays LHP - College arm. 

Casey Martin - Philadelphia Phillies SS - Interesting tools but risky. He needs to show improvements before I buy. 

Carson Ragsdale - Philadelphia Phillies - RHP - College arm. 

Bobby Miller - Los Angeles Dodgers RHP - College arm.

Landon Knack - Los Angeles Dodgers RHP - College arm.

Clayton Beeter - Los Angeles Dodgers RHP - College arm. 

Zach McCambley - Miami Marlins RHP - College arm. 

Kyle Nicolas - Miami Marlins RHP - College arm.

Max Meyer - Miami Marlins RHP - College arm with good stuff. High pick. 

Daxton Fulton - Miami Marlins LHP - High school arm.

Adisyn Coffey - Chicago White Sox RHP - Junior college arm. 

Bailey Horn - Chicago White Sox LHP - College arm.

Garrett Crochet - Chicago White Sox LHP - College arm. 

C.J. Van Eyk - Toronto Blue Jays RHP - College arm. 

Zach Britton - Toronto Blue Jays OF - Solid college bat. 

Trent Palmer - Toronto Blue Jays RHP - College arm. 

 

Jared Shuster - Atlanta Braves LHP - College arm. 

Spencer Strider - Atlanta Braves RHP - College arm.