Baseball America – July 02, 2019

66 JULY 2019 • BASEBALLAMERICA.COM

Departments

HIGH SCHOOL

EARLY 2020

DRAFT PREVIEW

Pete Crow-Armstrong headlines a balanced prep class

by CARLOS COLLAZO

N

ow that the 2019 draft is in the books, we turn our attention

to the class of 2020 and the top high school talent that will be

available.

A lot can change in a year—especially for rising high school

seniors—and so much will depend on how these prep prospects fare on the

summer showcase circuit in front of scouting directors and next year when

they are under the draft microscope.

Southern California

high school outfielder

Pete Crow-Armstrong

is a polished lefthand-

ed hitter who can run

and defend. He will

address questions of

power potential as a

senior in 2020.

BILL MITCHELL; STACY JO GRANT

1. PETE CROW-ARMSTRONG, OF
   HARVARD-WESTLAKE HS,
   LOS ANGELES
   Crow-Armstrong ranks No.
   1 on the high school side and is
   the top name in what is expected
   to be a deep Southern California
   crop. He is a polished lefthanded
   hitter who has some of the best
   feel for the barrel in the class, to
   go along with plus running abil-
   ity, plus defense in center field
   and plus arm strength. The one
   tool that’s not currently a plus
   offering is power, so scouts will
   be interested to see how much
   impact the 6-foot-1, 175-pound
   Crow-Armstrong displays. He is
   committed to Vanderbilt.


2. DYLAN CREWS, OF
   LAKE MARY (FLA.) HS
   An underclassman on USA
   Baseball’s 18U National Team
   in 2018, Crews stands out for his
   hitting ability and power potential
   from the right side. He consis-
   tently makes loud contact and has
   barreled elite pitchers, including
   many who are older. He should be

one of the best overall bats in the

2020 draft class. A 6-foot, 185-

pound Louisiana State commit,

Crews posted plus running times

in the 60-yard dash at the Perfect

Game National Showcase early

this summer and also showed off

impressive arm strength with a 92

mph throw from the outfield.

3. JARED KELLEY, RHP
   REFUGIO (TEXAS) HS
   Kelley is one of the premier
   power arms in the 2020 class. He
   stands in at 6-foot-2, 200 pounds
   and throws a fastball that routine-
   ly touches the upper 90s. At the
   Perfect Game National Showcase,
   Kelley threw the hardest fast-
   ball of the first day of the event,
   touching 98 mph and also showed
   two promising secondaries with
   an upper-70s breaking ball and
   changeup. His fastball has sat in
   the mid-90s during shorter out-
   ings and features impressive run-
   ning life. A Texas commit, Kelley
   doesn’t show much effort in his
   delivery despite one of the better
   fastballs in the class.
   4. MICK ABEL, RHP
   JESUIT HS, PORTLAND, ORE.
   There hasn’t been a first-round
   prep pitcher out of Oregon since
   Matt Smith in 1994, but Abel will
   have a chance to become the sec-
   ond. An ultra-projectable 6-foot-
   5, 185-pound righthander with
   plenty of more room left to fill
   out, Abel has a fastball that has
   steadily climbed over the past few
   seasons. It now settles in the mid-
   90s and has touched 97 mph at PG
   National. Abel also has a firm mid-
   80s slider that could be a plus
   offering and shows some feel for
   a changeup, though there’s some
   length to his arm stroke. Abel is an
   Oregon State commit.
   5. AUSTIN HENDRICK, OF
   WEST ALLEGHENY HS,
   IMPERIAL, PA.
   Hendrick will rival Crews and
   Crow-Armstrong in what is shap-
   ing up to be a strong high school
   outfield class. He brings impres-
   sive bat speed and power potential
   from the left side. Hendrick has
   plus raw power, though it comes

from an unconventional setup

that includes a few timing mecha-

nisms in a late toe tap as well as a

slight hitch and hand drop during

his load. Hendrick has the pure

hand speed to consistently time

velocity and was responsible for

one of the hardest-hit balls—105

mph—at PG National. Hendrick is

a Mississippi State commit.

6. JARED JONES, RHP/OF
   LA MIRADA (CALIF.) HS
   The top two-way player in the
   class, Jones is an exceptional ath-
   lete who shines on the mound, at
   the plate and in center field, where
   he’s capable of highlight-reel
   plays. He has standout arm
   strength and gets his fastball into
   the mid-to-upper 90s and also
   has a sharp, late-biting slider that
   looks like a plus pitch when he’s
   locating. Jones has a tendency to
   scatter the strike zone, and there’s
   some effort in his delivery. While
   his upside might be higher on the
   mound, Jones is also a legitimate
   pro prospect as a righthanded hit-
   ter who also is a plus runner.