Dodgers 2020 MLB Draft grades: What you need to know about each pick

Catching you up on the players selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2020 MLB Draft.

The Los Angeles Dodgers finally returned to somewhat normal baseball operations by making six selections in the 2020 MLB Draft. While the draft was conducted in the shadow of the coronavirus pandemic and ongoing negotiations between the owners and players over a financial framework for the 2020 season, it was refreshing to focus on future players who one day could be stars at Chavez Ravine.

There were a few trends from the players selected by the Dodgers.

They continued to focus on college arms. Their first two picks where both pitchers who were scouted by Marty Lamb, the same scout who was instrumental in the team selecting players such as Walker Buehler, Will Smith, and Chad Billingsley.

The Dodgers also placed value on players who performed well over an abbreviated 2020 amateur season. Several of the players selected by the Dodgers had breakout spring campaigns before everything was shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic.

President Andrew Friedman, who conducted the draft remotely, also seemed to place an emphasis on pitchers with high strikeout-to-walk ratios.

The Dodgers entered the draft with a bonus pool amount of $5.9 million to use on their six picks. They selected in each of the five rounds, and also used a Competitive Balance Round pick acquired from Minnesota to add a sixth player to their prospect ranks.

With a little background on the big picture, let’s learn some more detail about each of the players drafted by the Dodgers.

Who the Dodgers picked: RHP Landon Knack, Eastern Tennessee State

Round 2 (60th overall)

Grade: B-

With their second round pick, the Dodgers went for college pitching again, selecting Landon Knack from Eastern Tennessee State. The right-hander went 4-0 with a 1.08 ERA with an amazing 51 strikeouts to only ONE walk during his shortened final season as a fifth-year college senior.

Los Angeles could save some money on his $1.2 million slot value by selecting him 60th overall. The former two-way player has a fastball that touches 98 MPH, explaining why he racked up the most K’s of any Division I hurler. Baseball America ranked him as the 113th best prospect entering the draft, worried that his advanced age could limit his ability to climb higher on the draft board.

The 6-foot-1, 215 pound pitcher set a program record with a career 2.29 ERA at Eastern Tennessee. He put his name on MLB teams’ radars with his strong start to his junior season, winning his first eight decisions.

MLB Pipeline analyst Jim Callis believes Knack is the best fifth-year senior prospect since David Freese.

While Knack is probably a reach with the 60th overall pick, the ability of the Dodgers to sign him below slot value should help them secure the rest of their picks. Based on his performance in 2020, it’s possible he could have risen up the draft board given more time for other teams to scout him. He could become a valuable piece who is ready to step into the Dodgers rotation sooner than later, or as a potential trade chip for a team looking for a more mature prospect.

Who the Dodgers picked: RHP Clayton Beeter, Texas Tech

Competitive Round B (66th overall)

Grade: C+

Using the Competitive Balance Round B pick acquired in the Kenta Meada trade from the Minnesota Twins, the Dodgers selected another college pitcher in Clayton Beeter from Texas Tech.

Beeter was ranked as the 58th best prospect entering the draft by Baseball America. After recovering as a redshirt from Tommy John surgery in 2018, he worked as a reliever in 2019, before transitioning into a starter role this past abbreviated season, pitching effectively in four starts with a 2.14 ERA. Similar to the Dodgers’ second round pick Landon Knack, Beeter excelled with a high strikeout-to-walk-ratio (33:4).

His 2020 campaign was an improvement over a 2019 season that saw him earn eight saves but struggle with his command, finishing 0-3 with a 3.48 ERA out of the bullpen.

The Dodgers should be able to use some of the slot money they save on Knack to secure Beeter, who has a slot value just above $1 million. Without a full 2020 season, there are questions whether his performance this past shortened season provides enough of a sample size to eliminate concerns from 2019.

Baseball America highlights his underlying analytics are sound.

The pitch analytics on both his fastball and curveball are reportedly impressive, and he has a solid arm action with a higher slot.

With such a short sample of high-level performance, it’s hard to grade this pick as a sure-thing. It’s also unclear whether his future role will be better suited as a starter or reliever. Until we learn more about Beeter, he grades as a par-level pick for the Dodgers.

Who the Dodgers picked: OF Jake Vogel, Huntington Beach High School

Round 3 (100th overall)

Grade: C

The first positional player selected by the Dodgers in the 2020 MLB Draft was outfielder Jake Vogel from Huntington Beach High School.

The local product and UCLA commit is considered one of the fastest players in the draft. With his blazing speed, he is expected to develop into a center fielder in the major leagues. He is the first southern-California player selected by the Dodgers in the first three rounds since 2012 (Onelki Garcia).

Vogel will face a decision on whether to sign with the Dodgers or play college baseball at UCLA where he will have a prominent role. His recommended slot value is $581,600.

“This is like running back, sprinter speed,” Dodgers scouting director Billy Gasparino told Baseball America. “Strong, explosive, powerful strides. He can really get after it. If it’s not the top (speed in our system), it’s the top two or three.”

If Vogel can develop into a productive hitter, combined with his speed, he could be an exciting prospect for the Dodgers. However, there are some questions on how his hitting will translate above the high school level.

MLB.com graded his hitting at 50 on a 20-80 scale. Where Vogel impresses is with his pure athleticism, as someone who can use his legs to make things happen, along with a 60-grade arm in the outfield.

Who the Dodgers picked: C Carson Taylor, Virginia Tech

Round 4 (130th overall)

Grade: B

The Dodgers dipped back into the college ranks to select catcher Carson Taylor with the 130th overall pick. A switch-hitter, he put up jump-off-the-page numbers during his abbreviated sophomore season, batting .431/.541/.690 with two home runs in 16 games played for Virginia Tech in 2020.

Taylor’s recommended slot value is $434,300. He became the 12th highest drafted player in Virginia Tech history after an impressive career for the Hokies. During his two seasons in the ACC, he achieved five school records behind the plate, recording the most chances and putouts in a single game, the most assists in a single game, and his single-season fielding percentage, albeit over a shortened season this year, was a perfect 1.000.

MLB.com graded him as a 50 hitter on a 20-80 scouting scale. They note he has considerable bat speed on both sides of the plate, with a few weaknesses:

While there’s a lot of raw power to tap into, Taylor gets pull-happy and out front on his swing too often to get to it consistently. He can make hard contact, but pitches on the outer third of the plate gave him trouble.

Taylor projects as a modern catcher who can field his position and hit. Finding a catcher in the fourth round offers great value to the Dodgers, especially coming off a strong showing this past spring. The only concerns would be if his catching game doesn’t translate to the major, it will limit where Los Angeles can play him in the field. He played both 1B and DH in college.

Who the Dodgers picked: RHP Gavin Stone, Central Arkansas

Round 5 (159th overall)

Grade: B-

The Dodgers used their final pick in the abbreviated 2020 MLB Draft to select pitcher Gavin Stone from Central Arkansas. The right-hander follows a trend for pitchers favored in this draft class by the Dodgers with an impressive strikeout-to-walk ratio (31:6) in 27.1 innings of work.

Stone went 3-1 with a 1.30 ERA during an abbreviated spring season for Central Arkansas. He has a 6-9 career college record with a 2.42 ERA, striking out 109 batters to only 33 walks in over 100 innings pitched.

The 6-foot-1 junior had one of the best performances of the 2020 college season when he no-hit Southeastern Louisiana, nearly pitching a perfect game. It was his last outing before the season was shutdown, so he left with a good taste in his mouth. The right-hander issued one walk in the fifth inning, otherwise retiring the other 27 batters he faced, striking out 13.

Baseball America ranked him as the 303rd best prospect entering the draft.

Stone doesn’t have a true plus pitch, but he has three average offerings including a 90-92 mph fastball. He locates his changeup and breaking ball well, with his above-average control proving to be his best asset.

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While many pitchers are selected in the draft off their raw talent, Stone appears to be a pitcher who knows how to “pitch” by mixing in different pitches, adding a little speed and taking some off, and using his breaking pitches to keep opposing hitters off balance. He could be an intriguing late round find.