Mack's Mock Pick # 39 - RHP - Mason Black

 

Mason Black

Mack's spin - 

Black is off to a great start this year. His increased velocity on his fastball in creating instant dividents.

There will always be the question of the quality of who he is pitching to at this level, but I believe his stuff will hold up in the majors.

 

RHP   6-3   215   Lehigh 

 

3-1-21 - Prospect Live -

 

MASON BLACK, RHP, LEHIGH 5 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 0 BB, 11 K  

 

 Lehigh kicked off their 2021 campaign a week later than most programs, but it was worth the wait. Black took the opening day bump for the Mountain Hawks and dismantled a hapless Coppin State lineup. Black went five innings and 73 pitches. He punched out eleven batters and didn’t allow a hit or walk along the way.

 

Anyone that’s seen Black pitch knows how good his stuff can be. The fastball has been clocked up to 97 and the slider is a tightly-spun two-plan breaker with fantastic tunneling characteristics off the fastball. He mixes in a fringy curveball and a changeup as well.

 

As far as Black’s draft-stock goes, some scouts have him a first round arm already. The arm action is pretty long and cocked in the back, and that’s something he’ll need to fight off by performing consistently. The stuff is there. Model teams love the huge extension and low release point. Now he needs to go prove it over extended innings.

 

 

 2-15-21 - CBS - Top 50 -

 

37. Mason Black, RHP, Lehigh

 

Black has a sinker that can get up to 98 mph; he throws strikes; and he holds his velocity. He's here because of concerns about his whippy arm action and his pedigree. In 14 appearances for Lehigh, he's posted a 4.09 ERA and has allowed more hits than you'd expect him to against Patriot League competition. To be fair, Black did pitch well in the 2019 Cape Cod League, but teams would like to see him dominate this spring if he's going to shove his way into the first round.

 

 1-20-21 - D1 Baseball's top 100 College Prospects -

 

61 Mason Black RHP Lehigh Patriot

 

 1-14-21  -  Baseball America

 

Mason Black Lehigh RHP

 

Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 210 | B-T: R-R

Commit/Drafted: Never Drafted

Age At Draft: 21.6

 

A 6-foot-3, 210-pound righthander, Black had a solid debut as a freshman in 2019 for Lehigh, posting a 4.36 ERA in 33 innings in a split role as a starter and reliever. He had a great summer in the Cape Cod League though, and started the all-star game as a freshman, which turned a few heads. Black has loud pure stuff, with a fastball that has been up to 98 mph this summer, and he flashes 60-grade secondaries with a slider and a changeup. The slider is a hard breaker that gets up into the upper 80s, while scouts believe the changeup might wind up being his best overall pitch in the long run. Black’s delivery is far from ideal, as his arm action has plenty of length and is offline and his athleticism is questionable. Because of that, evaluators question his future strike throwing and chances to start even though he’s managed a respectable walk rate (3.3 per nine) over his career with Lehigh. Even with some reliever questions, Black’s pure stuff has him solidly in day-one consideration at this point.

 

 12-25-20 - https://medium.com/minor-league-madhouse/2021-mlb-mock-draft-3

 

Cincinnati Reds

 

The Reds finish up their first round by taking possibly the most intriguing small school arm in Mason Black. From Patriot League school Lehigh, Black has arguably the best fastball among collegians, and supplements it with a biting slider. His change is developmental at best, and his control needs work. He can maintain his velocity, though the question is what his future role would be. At worst, he could be a dominating closer in the vein of Aroldis Chapman or Archie Bradley.

  

12-3-20  -  Perfect Game combined their picks for the first two rounds in this mock draft  -

 

22. Chicago White Sox | Alex Binelas, 3B, Louisville | (2/51) Mason Black, RHP, Lehigh

 

Binelas burst onto the scene as a true freshman for the Cardinals and though he dug in for just seven at-bats in 2020, the left-handed hitting Wisconsin native is still considered one of the premier college hitters. With 14 home runs in 2019, there’s no doubting the power he brings to the dish which fits into his profile as a hard hitting third baseman with game changing juice. Black looks to follow in the footsteps of former teammate Levi Stoudt, a 3rd round selection in 2019, though given his stuff and performance, there’s a chance he’ll go even higher come this June’s draft. Following a strong summer on the Cape, Black took his performance to the next level in his shortened 2020 season and there’s plenty of optimism heading into 2021 as he possesses all the traits of a starter at the next level with a heater that bumps into the mid-90s and a swing-and-miss type slider. -Jheremy Brown

 

Cervino’s Take: Alex Binelas has the potential to be one of the biggest risers in the draft given his freshman year’s resume and injury-shortened 2020 and the White Sox pair him with another potential riser in Lehigh’s Mason Black. Binelas has the chance to put up monster numbers in the middle of a potent Louisville offense while Black is the top small school pitcher in the class. The White Sox honed in on their top of the draft guys in 2020 and in this scenario they’d do it again in 2021.

 

 11-24-20  -  Prospects Worldwide Mock Draft -

 

14.  RHP Mason Black

 

School: Lehigh | B / T: R / R | Ht: 6’3 | Wt: 210lbs | Age: 21.6

 

Black has some of the best pure stuff in the entire class. Has been working in the secondaries more frequently and much improved this fall, and shows high potential to fill in as a Starter long-term. Keeps the ball on the ground well, 57% Groundball rates. Working with a 4 pitch mix, the Fastball (60) consistently works in the upper 90s T99, used 69% of the time, I would expect that number to creep down as he mixes in those improved secondaries more often.

 

Speaking about those secondaries, the best of the bunch would be his Changeup (60) that gets swing and misses, and be a consistent out pitch. A Slider (50) with 2400 RPM that has some inconsistencies, but flashes Above-average at times. Rounding out the 4 pitch mix is a Curveball (55) that flashes Plus often and has generated a 35% swing and miss in his collegiate career. With the secondaries trending up, and showing a strong ability to play off that heavy Fastball, Black has the looks of a sure-fire 1st Round pick with an outside chance at a Top 10 selection.

 

 11-11-20 - Prospects Live Top 300 Prospect List -

 

31. Mason Black - RHP

 

Bio:

 

Height: 6-3

Weight: 210 lbs

Hits/Throws: R-R

Hometown: Archibald, PA

School: LeHigh

 

A breakout performer down the Cape in 2019, Black rode a standout statistical performance to a starting role in the CCBL All-Star game. His three pitch mix is led by his above average fastball in the 92-95 mph range touching 99 mph at its hottest. He mixes two average secondaries in his slider and changeup, with the former being the better of the two. Much of Black's future role will be tied to the development of his somewhat raw secondaries. It's a long, strong body and a really quick arm with model extension and release height, suggesting he'll be a hot commodity in the first round come 2021. 

 

11-9-20 - Ian Smith Mock 1.0 -

 

28. Tampa Bay Rays

 

The Pick- RHP Mason Black • Lehigh

 

            6’3” • 210lb

 

Another pick where I feel the rich get richer. Tampa Bay goes masterful things with high octane arms and they will be getting another in Lehigh’s Mason Black. Small school hurler who was up to 98 this summer and sits 94-96 with sink but has been tinkering with working up in the zone this fall. Made big strides on both the slider and changeup over the last eight months as well. Needs to clean up the arm path and delivery a bit, there’s potential for a triple digit SP2/3 in his future with the correct development. The Rays would ensure that happens.

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