Mack – Draft News – Astro Draft Penalties, Patrick Bailey, Harvard-Westlake, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Tommy Mace

MLB takes a look at the results from the loss of draft picks in the cheating scandal:

So not only will the Astros be unable to add talent at the end of the first round, they will also have a hard time hoarding bonus pool money to lure top talent that might have fallen in the Draft due to concerns about their willingness to sign. For example, in last June's Draft, the Mets selected and then signed high school right-hander Matthew Allan -- the top-ranked prep pitcher in the Draft -- in the third round, but that was because they strategically used their bonus pool and signed Allan for a bonus of $2.5 million -- nearly four times the allotted amount for that pick ($667,900).

Prospects Live put together their first mock draft and here is who they said the Mets will pick:

            19. New York Mets

Patrick Bailey, C

School: NC State

Weight: 190 lbs, Height: 6-2

Hits/Throws: S/R

College catchers are always a highly valued commodity in the draft and Bailey is the consensus top college backstop in the class. Bailey has slashed .303/.403/.553 over his first two college seasons with 23 home runs, but it’s behind the dish where he stands out. Bailey isn’t fast but is athletic with above average framing, receiving and arm power/accuracy. Given an advanced approach, above average power and solid defense, Bailey should move quickly for a backstop and fill a big need for a Mets team looking to compete now.

mLB.com takes a look at one of the top prep schools in the nation:

Over the past several years, Harvard-Westlake, a high school in Southern California, has build a reputation of having one of the strongest programs in the country. It’s competed well at the National High School Invitational a number of times and it’s churned out a trio of first-round picks: Lucas Giolito and Max Fried in 2012 and Jack Flaherty in 2014. All three are big leaguers, Giolito has made an All-Star team, he and Flaherty got Cy Young Award votes in 2019 and Fried and Flaherty have pitched in the postseason.

One thing Harvard-Westlake hasn’t done is produce bats worthy of early-round consideration. Austin Wilson was a 12th-round pick in 2010 before heading on to Stanford. But the 2020 class could change that. Outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (No. 25) and infielder Drew Bowser (No. 64) could come up in those conversations, with Crow-Armstrong looking like a first-round contender if he can turn the page on what was a so-so summer. Both do have strong college commitments like Wilson had, with Crow-Armstong heading to Vanderbilt and Bowser heading north to Stanford if the Draft doesn’t work out.

MLB.com has the following player still around when the Mets pick at #19:

            Pete Crow-Armstrong

School: Harvard-Westlake (Calif.) HS Year: Senior

Position: OF             Age: 17 DOB: 3/25/2002

Bats: L Throws: L    Height: 6'1" Weight: 175 lb.

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 40 | Run: 60 | Arm: 55 | Field: 60 | Overall: 50

Hailing from the same high school, Harvard-Westlake, that has produced big leaguers like Jack Flaherty, Max Fried and Lucas Giolito, Crow-Armstrong has been on radars for some time. He really jumped on the national map when he starred as an underclassman on USA Baseball's 18 and Under team that won a gold medal in the Pan-American Championships. A combination of being under the microscope for so long and a more uneven summer has led Crow-Armstrong's star to fade a bit, though he's still very much in the first-round picture.

Crow-Armstrong stood out early on in his high school career because of his ability to hit and run. Some swing and miss over this summer had some evaluators concerned, but he does have a track record of making a lot of loud contact. While he's clearly hit over power, he's stronger than some people think and there should be pop in the future. A plus runner, he can really play center and might be the best defensive outfielder in the class.

A dynamic athlete who goes hard at all times, he reminds some of a Grady Sizemore type in terms of his frame. He's committed to Vanderbilt and could easily move back up closer to the top of the first round with a return to who he's been in the past during his senior year.

Fish Stripes took a look at some of the 2020 draft prospects out there. One is:

           RHP Tommy Mace

One of the top junior pitchers in the SEC is Florida Gators right-hander Tommy Mace. The Tampa native started the season off on a high note. He ended up having a rough season and many believed that he wasn’t ready for the Friday pitcher role, but he was Florida’s best option. As a freshman, Mace made 26 appearances and six starts. He had a 5-0 record with a 4.16 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 62 2⁄3 innings pitched. As a sophomore, Mace appeared in 16 games (all starts). He finished with an 8-5 record with a 5.32 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 89 2⁄3 innings pitched.

Over the summer, the Gators ace had the opportunity to represent his country and tried out for the USA Collegiate National Team. Mace made it all the way to the final cuts but just fell short of making the final roster. Mace spent the rest of the summer working out and preparing for his junior season.

Tommy Mace will be a collegiate prospect a lot of MLB teams will keep an eye on. He has the size and tools to be a top pitching prospect in the 2020 MLB Draft, but hasn’t put it all together. At 6’6”, 200 pounds, Mace has a four-pitch mix that continues to improve as he fills out his large frame. His fastball is his best pitch as he has good command of it and it tops out at 96 mph. He throws a good cutter that forces a lot of weak contact and a curveball that keeps batters off balance. Mace also has a changeup but he’s still developing it.