Mack – Draft News – Brian Van Belle, Jesse Franklin, Dillon Dingler, Clayton Beeter, Markevian Hence

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/top-25-seniors-we-want-to-see-in-college-baseball-in-2021/   -

            Brian Van Belle, RHP, Miami

Van Belle isn’t as famous as rotation mates Chris McMahon and Slade Cecconi, and he doesn’t have the stuff of those two either, but he has been the Hurricanes’ most consistent starter for the better part of two seasons.

After going 10-2, 3.30 a season ago, the righthander had a 0.68 ERA and 38 strikeouts in 26.1 innings in 2020, proving to be just as dominant as anyone on the Miami staff in that small sample size.

https://www.mlive.com/sports/2020/04/10-michigan-college-players-among-top-2020-mlb-draft-prospects.html   -

OF       Jesse Franklin          Michigan

Franklin was a power threat in the middle of Michigan's lineup in his first two seasons in Ann Arbor, combining for 23 home runs and 102 RBIs in 115 games. However, he never saw the field in 2020 as he worked his way back from injury.

BA scouting report: "Franklin’s medical sheet has piled up over the years, as he’s dealt with labrum issues, hamstring issues and didn’t play a game in the shortened 2020 season thanks to a broken collarbone. That leaves Franklin as a bit of an unknown, as scouts like his all-around package of average tools and believed in his work ethic and plus-plus baseball instincts to make the most of them. Franklin has a professional approach at the plate and doesn’t strike out frequently, though some evaluators have noted that a wide stance can cause his swing to get too lengthy, which causes issues timing up fastball velocity. When he’s able to let his hands work, Franklin has above-average power potential."

https://www.mlb.com/news/prospects-raising-mlb-draft-stock -

            Dillon Dingler, C, Ohio State (No. 54 to No. 24, up 30 spots)

Nicolas' teammate on Ohio state baseball and basketball champions at Jackson High in 2016-17, Dingler flew under the radar a bit because a broken hamate bone hampered him as a sophomore and led to him not playing summer ball. He impressed this spring, showing better athleticism and arm strength than most catchers while also doing a better job of getting to his plus raw power.

https://prospectinsider.com/mlb-draft-prospects-rankings-veen-bailey-asa-lacy-torkelson/    -

18. Clayton Beeter, RHP — Texas Tech

I was turned to Beeter by a former scout now coaching in the Big 12.

“Just get a look at Beeter. Nobody’s talking about him out there.”

So I started asking, and sure enough, area scouts like him a lot and a few were trying to keep his name out of the media in hopes they could get him after Round 1.

I don’t know if that’s plausible.

Beeter made four starts before the season was shut down, covering 21 innings and wiping out 33 batters against just four bases on balls.

He’s built like a mid-rotation arm at 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, sitting 91-94 mph and touching 96 on occasion. But his knuckle curveball is absolute fire, the best in the class without question, inducing tons of swings and misses, and he commands it well in and out of the zone.

Beeter’s fastball-curveball combo is very good, and despite other college arms having a velocity advantage, the ball explodes out of his hand and with a lot of life up and to his arm side.

http://baseballprospectjournal.com/2020-mlb-draft-three-underrated-prospects/   -

Markevian Hence, RHP, Watson Chapel (Ark.) High School

Markevian Hence, who goes by the nickname “Tink,” is one of the youngest prospects in this year’s draft class.

Hence, a 6-1, 175-pound righty, experienced an uptick in fastball velocity last fall when he was clocked at 96 mph at the World Wood Bat Association World Championship. He credited the velocity increase to a change in arm slot, as he transitioned from three-quarters to over the top.

Hence throws a four-seam fastball, two-seamer, curveball, slider and changeup. He exhibited solid command of all of his pitches last summer and fall.

His fastballs are his best pitches and are currently above-average offerings. His slider is his top off-speed pitch and generates swings and misses.

Despite his smaller frame, he has the repertoire, ability to repeat his delivery and athleticism that major league teams seek in a starting pitcher long term.

Multiple scouts that I spoke with described Hence as “electric” and believe he has the potential to be one of the top pro pitchers from this year’s prep class.

A full spring season would have helped Hence gain exposure and likely improved his draft stock. As of now, Hence likely will be drafted anywhere between the second to fourth round.