Re-Drafting 2020 MLB Draft With Garrett Crochet, PCA, Jordan Walker and More
The 2020 MLB draft was shortened to just five rounds after a pandemic-shortened spring where very little high school and college baseball was played across the country.
Arizona State slugger Spencer Torkelson was the No. 1 overall pick to the Detroit Tigers, but given the chance to re-do the draft from top to bottom with the benefit of hindsight, there would no doubt be a new top pick.
In this hypothetical 2020 redraft, every MLB team's current roster remains intact, with the only change being a re-do of their 2020 first-round selection.
With that in mind, roster mechanics and organizational fit played a much bigger role here than they would in a traditional mock draft when teams are generally just looking to add the best available talent.
The Detroit Tigers are on the clock...
Note: The Houston Astros did not have a first-round pick in the 2020 draft as part of the penalties handed down in the wake of their sign-stealing scandal.
1. Detroit Tigers: LHP Garrett Crochet
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Original Pick: 1B Spencer Torkelson
Crochet's Original Draft Position: No. 11 overall
The thought of Garrett Crochet and Tarik Skubal as a 1-2 punch at the top of the Detroit rotation is a fun one, even if the chances of them keeping both long-term would be low.
The White Sox rushed Crochet straight to the majors for their playoff push in 2020 and used him exclusively in relief until the 2024 season. A non-contending Tigers team would not have had the same motivation to fast-track him, which in turn might have allowed him to reach his frontline ceiling on a more traditional developmental path.
Despite a pair of 30-homer seasons, Spencer Torkelson has been a 1.3-WAR player in 565 career games and slides down the board significantly.
2. Baltimore Orioles: OF Pete Crow-Armstrong
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Original Pick: OF Heston Kjerstad
Crow-Armstrong's Original Draft Position: No. 19 overall
Pete Crow-Armstrong would have been the perfect replacement for Cedric Mullins in center field for the Orioles, with his breakout 2025 campaign lining up perfectly with the former 30/30 outfielder's final year of club control.
It remains to be seen where PCA will settle in offensively, and whether he's more Kevin Kiermaier than Carlos Beltrán, but there is still significant value in an elite-level defensive center fielder who can steal a base and crush a mistake.
Heston Kjerstad has yet to establish himself in the big leagues, and at 27 years old he is no longer a prospect.
3. Miami Marlins: OF Jordan Walker
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Original Pick: RHP Max Meyer
Walker's Original Draft Position: No. 21 overall
The long-awaited Jordan Walker breakout has finally come in 2026, as he is hitting .296/.368/.570 for an NL-leading 167 OPS+ with 13 home runs and 2.8 WAR in 47 games.
His 66 OPS+ and negative-1.7 WAR last season is still visible enough in the rearview mirror to proceed with caution, but an elite uptick in his batted-ball metrics makes it easier to buy the breakthrough.
A finally healthy Max Meyer is off to a fantastic start this year in the Marlins rotation, but their perennial need for offense makes Walker a more appealing target.
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4. Kansas City Royals: OF Tyler Soderstrom
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Original Pick: LHP Asa Lacy
Soderstrom's Original Draft Position: No. 26 overall
Offensive production from the outfield has been an issue for the Royals since the days of Alex Gordon and Lorenzo Cain, and Tyler Soderstrom would provide a long-term answer in left field.
Originally drafted as a catcher, Soderstrom shifted to first base to expedite his advanced bat, then moved again to left field when Nick Kurtz arrived in the big leagues. He ended up playing Gold Glove-caliber defense at his new position, not unlike the aforementioned Gordon.
Considering Asa Lacy never pitched above the Double-A level and has been out of professional baseball since 2022, this is not a hard spot to upgrade.
5. Toronto Blue Jays: SS Masyn Winn
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Original Pick: OF Austin Martin
Winn's Original Draft Position: No. 54 overall
The Blue Jays probably don't swing the deal to acquire Andrés Giménez prior to the 2025 season if slick-fielding Masyn Winn has worked his way through the pipeline and claimed a spot on the infield. It might also have expedited Bo Bichette's eventual position change.
Alternatively, it's also fun to imagine a middle infield tandem of Giménez and Winn, who stand as two of the best up-the-middle defenders in the sport.
After hitting .368/.474/.532 in 140 games at Vanderbilt, Austin Martin looked like one of the safest picks in the draft, but he is just now finding some footing as a big league contributor in Minnesota.
6. Seattle Mariners: 1B/OF Alec Burleson
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Original Pick: RHP Emerson Hancock
Burleson's Original Draft Position: No. 70 overall
Since the start of the 2024 season, Alec Burleson has hit .280/.333/.443 for a 119 OPS+ while averaging 22 home runs and 87 RBI per 162 games, making him one of the most productive bats from the 2020 draft class.
After being miscast as a corner outfielder while Paul Goldschmidt occupied first base, he is back to playing his natural position. He would have had an opportunity to do that much sooner for a Mariners team that had a revolving door at first base prior to signing Josh Naylor.
With a 3.07 ERA and 1.06 WHIP in 58.2 innings this year, Emerson Hancock is enjoying a career year, but he has spent the past several seasons as the club's No. 6 starter.
7. Pittsburgh Pirates: C Dillon Dingler
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Original Pick: IF Nick Gonzales
Dingler's Original Draft Position: No. 38 overall
The Pirates have used five different Opening Day catchers over the last six seasons, and none of them have been especially productive.
Dillon Dingler was a somewhat raw catching prospect when he was first drafted, having even actually played some center field at Ohio State. He has since developed into an elite backstop, taking home AL Gold Glove honors in 2025 while posting a 108 OPS+ with 13 home runs.
Nick Gonzales is having a productive season as the team's primary third baseman this year, though his .363 slugging percentage and zero home runs are a clear indication of his limitations.
8. San Diego Padres: RHP Spencer Strider
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Original Pick: OF Robert Hassell III
Strider's Original Draft Position: No. 126 overall
Spencer Strider is still looking to regain the form that made him one of the most exciting young pitchers in the sport in 2022 and 2023, but the arm talent is tantalizing enough to roll the dice.
In his return from Tommy John surgery last season, he was still serviceable even without his previous level of dominance, logging a 4.45 ERA and 131 strikeouts in 125.1 innings.
Big picture, the Padres ended up trading Robert Hassell III to the Nationals in the Juan Soto blockbuster, and there's a good chance they would have done the same with Strider.
9. Colorado Rockies: RHP Bryce Elder
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Original Pick: OF Zac Veen
Elder's Original Draft Position: No. 156 overall
Pitching is a perennial weakness for the Rockies, so almost any hypothetical redraft is going to have them pivoting to a productive starting pitcher who can plug into their middling rotation.
Bryce Elder was an out-of-nowhere All-Star in 2023, and after some inconsistency in the two years that followed, he has returned strong this season with a 2.01 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in 62.2 innings. A solid 48.8 percent career groundball rate also looks good for the Coors Field environment.
Speedy outfielder Zac Veen spent years as one of the team's top prospects, and he finally made his MLB debut in 2025, but he went just 4-for-34 with 14 strikeouts and is back playing at Triple-A.
10. Los Angeles Angels: IF Jordan Westburg
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Original Pick: LHP Reid Detmers
Westburg's Original Draft Position: No. 30 overall
Third base has been a sore spot for the Angels for years, tied directly to the disastrous Anthony Rendon signing. Jordan Westburg wouldn't arrive soon enough for the front office to avoid that move entirely, but he would provide a suitable replacement.
Even with a lost 2026 season after he underwent Tommy John surgery earlier this week, he's still worthy of a top-10 slot in this redraft thanks to a 116 OPS+ and 5.1 WAR in 260 big league games.
Reid Detmers has provided some useful production on the mound and a memorable moment with his 2022 no-hitter, but he has not lived up to being the fourth pitcher taken in this draft.
11. Chicago White Sox: LHP Kyle Harrison
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Original Pick: LHP Garrett Crochet
Harrison's Original Draft Position: No. 85 overall
Kyle Harrison made his MLB debut almost three years after Garrett Crochet became the first player from the 2020 draft class to reach the majors. That makes comparing the two apples and oranges from a trajectory standpoint.
With the benefit of hindsight, we now know that the White Sox contender that seemed to be coming together in 2020 was destined to disappoint, and Harrison is now clearly a better fit for the club's trajectory. With a 1.77 ERA in 45.2 innings for the Brewers this season, he is enjoying a true breakout.
With Crochet off the board, the White Sox miss out on the prospect package they acquired from the Red Sox when he was traded ahead of the 2025 season, which included Kyle Teel, Chase Meidroth and top prospect Braden Montgomery.
12. Cincinnati Reds: OF Evan Carter
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Original Pick: OF Austin Hendrick
Carter's Original Draft Position: No. 50 overall
The Reds have had a perplexing lack of offensive production from their outfielders going back to the 2021 season when Nick Castellanos and Jesse Winker both earned All-Star selections at the corner spots.
TJ Friedl has had his moments in center field, but he has often looked more like a placeholder than a true impact option. There is still no guarantee Evan Carter ever becomes a true impact player, but his remaining upside is tantalizing enough to take a chance.
Austin Hendrick had some of the best raw power in the 2020 class, but he has hit just .215 with a 35.4 percent strikeout rate over 2,214 plate appearances in the minors.
13. San Francisco Giants: 1B Spencer Torkelson
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Original Pick: C Patrick Bailey
Torkelson's Original Draft Position: No. 1 overall
There's a case to be made that the Giants should just run it back with their selection of Patrick Bailey after he won back-to-back NL Gold Gloves, but trading him to the Guardians earlier this month was a decisive indication the organization wants more than a glove-only backstop.
Despite some ups and downs, Spencer Torkelson has produced a pair of 31-homer seasons, and he would fill a clear organizational hole for the Giants at first base prior to their acquisition of Rafael Devers.
Bailey ended up bringing back left-hander Matt Wilkinson and the No. 29 overall pick in the 2026 draft, so his ultimate value to the organization remains contingent on those pieces.
14. Texas Rangers: LHP Reid Detmers
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Original Pick: 2B Justin Foscue
Detmers' Original Draft Position: No. 10 overall
The Rangers have not had the best success developing pitching talent, but Reid Detmers was close to a finished product coming out of Louisville, so it stands to reason that his career outcome would have been largely unchanged in a different organization.
His ugly 2024 season aside, he has been a productive arm as both a starter and a reliever, and his 5.07 ERA this season is accompanied by a 3.08 FIP and 61 strikeouts in 55 innings.
With Corey Seager and Josh Smith both injured, Justin Foscue is seeing his first extended action in the big leagues right now, a few months after his 27th birthday.
15. Philadelphia Phillies: RHP Max Meyer
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Original Pick: RHP Mick Abel
Meyer's Original Draft Position: No. 3 overall
Given his injury history, Max Meyer would not have simply been a plug-and-play rotation piece for the Phillies, but he would be a clear upgrade over the struggling trio of Aaron Nola, Taijuan Walker and Andrew Painter in 2026.
Through 10 starts this season, Meyer has a 2.85 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 60 strikeouts in 53.2 innings, and it's not out of the question to think he could climb several spots higher if this redraft is revisited in a few years.
Mick Abel was one of the Phillies top pitching prospects for years before he was flipped to the Twins last summer for flame-throwing closer Jhoan Duran, and he is currently sidelined with elbow inflammation.
16. Chicago Cubs: RHP Emerson Hancock
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Original Pick: SS Ed Howard
Hancock's Original Draft Position: No. 6 overall
With the Cubs navigating injuries to Justin Steele, Cade Horton and Matthew Boyd, not to mention Edward Cabrera's early exit on Wednesday with a blister, starting pitching is a glaring need right now.
At the same time, Emerson Hancock is enjoying a breakout season with the Mariners. Thrust into the Opening Day rotation when Bryce Miller was sidelined, he has a 3.07 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 60 strikeouts in 58.2 innings over 10 starts and has secured his spot in the rotation.
Ed Howard played for the Chicago-based team that reached the 2014 Little League World Series championship, and his selection was a great story at the time. However, he has hit just .215/.272/.285 over 1,169 plate appearances in the minors.
17. Boston Red Sox: C Patrick Bailey
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Original Pick: 2B Nick Yorke
Bailey's Original Draft Position: No. 13 overall
Aside from a few productive months from Connor Wong in 2024 and Carlos Narváez in 2025, catcher has been a weak spot for the Red Sox several years running.
Patrick Bailey would at least solidify the position defensively, and the two-time Gold Glove winner would also have a positive impact on the team's up-and-coming arms thanks to his ability to handle a pitching staff.
Nick Yorke looked like a reach at the time when the Red Sox took him No. 17 overall, and he never reached the big leagues in Boston before he was traded to Pittsburgh for Quinn Priester.
18. Arizona Diamondbacks: IF Colt Keith
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Original Pick: RHP Bryce Jarvis
Keith's Original Draft Position: No. 132 overall
Colt Keith showed enough during his time in the minors to earn a six-year, $28.6 million extension before he made his MLB debut in 2024, and he took a nice step forward last year with a 107 OPS+ and 37 extra-base hits.
The D-backs swung a buy-low trade to acquire Nolan Arenado during the offseason to plug a hole at third base, but Keith would have given them a legitimate long-term answer as he has settled in at the hot corner this year in Detroit.
Bryce Jarvis has a 3.69 ERA in 67 career appearances pitching primarily out of the bullpen, though an 11.6 percent walk rate has limited him mostly to low-leverage, multi-inning work.
19. New York Mets: OF Garrett Mitchell
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Original Pick: OF Pete Crow-Armstrong
Mitchell's Original Draft Position: No. 20 overall
When healthy, Garrett Mitchell has been a productive big leaguer, posting a 108 OPS+ while averaging 3.3 WAR per 162 games. However, he has yet to play more than 69 games in a season since making his MLB debut in 2022.
The Mets have not had a true center fielder since defensive whiz Juan Lagares was patrolling the position, with Brandon Nimmo stretched as the primary option for years, and an underperforming Luis Robert Jr. has not been the answer.
Obviously, the Mets would love to have the Pete Crow-Armstrong pick back, along with the ill-fated deadline deal that sent him to the Cubs in exchange for a two-month rental of Javier Báez.
20. Milwaukee Brewers: RHP Carmen Mlodzinski
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Original Pick: OF Garrett Mitchell
Mlodzinski's Original Draft Position: No. 31 overall
After spending his first three seasons in the majors as a swingman, Carmen Mlodzinski is finally getting a look in the Pittsburgh rotation, and he has a 3.96 ERA and 3.00 FIP in 50 innings through his first 10 appearances.
The Brewers have a knack for maximizing pitching talent, and Mlodzinski has terrific pure stuff with a mid-90s fastball, developing curveball and a nasty splitter. There are arms with a longer track record in the rotation still on the board in this redraft, but none with his remaining upside.
Garrett Mitchell has looked like a potential breakout candidate in the Brewers outfield for years, but his inability to stay healthy has kept him from emerging.
21. St. Louis Cardinals: IF Casey Schmitt
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Original Pick: OF Jordan Walker
Schmitt's Original Draft Position: No. 49 overall
The Cardinals have always valued versatility, and Casey Schmitt has a profile similar to Brendan Donovan as an offensive-minded utility player who has seen action all over the diamond.
Since the start of the 2024 season, Schmitt has quietly logged a 115 OPS+ over 630 plate appearances while lining up at all four infield spots and making a couple starts in left field. With a 146 OPS+ and nine home runs in 42 games this year, he is enjoying the best season of his career.
After years of waiting for Jordan Walker to finally break through, losing him in this redraft is a tough hypothetical blow.
22. Washington Nationals: RHP Jared Jones
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Original Pick: RHP Cade Cavalli
Jones' Original Draft Position: No. 44 overall
Based on the remaining pool of talent, the Nationals could simply opt to run it back Cade Cavalli, who is finally healthy after years of injury issues and pitching well with a 3.86 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 53.2 innings.
Opting instead for another injury-plagued arm might seem counterproductive, but Jared Jones showed enough as a rookie in 2024 to believe he still has the brighter future. With a 4.14 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 132 strikeouts over 121.2 innings in his rookie campaign, he looked like a rising star in the pre-Paul Skenes rotation.
It's also worth mentioning that Jones is still only 24 years old, while Cavalli will turn 28 in August, which is a relevant detail for a Nationals club still building toward the future.
23. Cleveland Guardians: IF Nick Gonzales
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Original Pick: SS Carson Tucker
Gonzales' Original Draft Position: No. 7 overall
Nick Gonzales flew up draft boards when he hit .448/.610/1.155 with 12 home runs in 82 plate appearances during his abbreviated junior season at New Mexico State, so he was already long gone when the Guardians were on the clock at No. 23 overall.
Given Cleveland's strong track record of developing middle infielders with advanced hit tools, his trajectory might have been different if he landed in their organization. As it stands, he is enjoying a breakout season of sorts in 2026 with a .319/.379/.363 line over 177 plate appearances, albeit propped up by a .383 BABIP.
Carson Tucker is the younger brother of another player with Pirates ties in Cole Tucker, though unlike his brother he has yet to reach the majors, suiting up for the Padres Double-A affiliate this year.
24. Tampa Bay Rays: C Austin Wells
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Original Pick: RHP Nick Bitsko
Wells' Original Draft Position: No. 28 overall
The Rays have spent years searching for a long-term answer behind the plate, and while Austin Wells has not yet firmly established himself as a reliable everyday option, he has flashed enough potential to believe he could be that guy.
After finishing third in AL Rookie of the Year balloting in 2024, he slugged 21 home runs last season, and he also served as the starting catcher for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic.
The Rays have no shortage of pitching success stories, but Nick Bitsko is not one of them, as he failed to advance beyond Single-A and was released last July.
25. Atlanta Braves: OF Austin Martin
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Original Pick: LHP Jared Shuster
Martin's Original Draft Position: No. 5 overall
Despite not living up to expectations as the No. 5 overall pick, Austin Martin has developed into a productive player for the Twins, and he is enjoying the best season of his career in 2026.
The 27-year-old is hitting .293/.413/.374 for a 124 OPS+ over 150 plate appearances, and while his lack of extra-base power limits his value, his hit tool and ability to play all three outfield spots makes him a prototypical fourth outfielder. To that point, the Braves have had to dip into their outfield depth multiple times in recent years.
Left-hander Jared Shuster made 11 starts for the Braves in 2023 and logged a 5.81 ERA in 52.2 innings. He was traded to the White Sox for Aaron Bummer, and is now in the Cardinals organization.
26. Oakland Athletics: RHP Cade Cavalli
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Original Pick: C Tyler Soderstrom
Cavalli's Original Draft Position: No. 22 overall
Cade Cavalli made his MLB debut down the stretch during the 2022 season after opening the year as the No. 22 prospect in baseball, but the following spring he suffered a UCL sprain that ultimately required Tommy John surgery.
He did not return to a big league mound again until the second half of the 2025 season, but since returning to action, he has quickly emerged as one of the more promising arms on the Nationals staff. With a 3.86 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 53.2 innings this year, he would undoubtedly provide a boost to the Athletics middling rotation.
The A's lose a key piece of their young core in this redraft with Tyler Soderstrom already off the board, as he was inked to a seven-year, $86 million extension in December.
27. Minnesota Twins: RHP Brandon Pfaadt
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Original Pick: 1B Aaron Sabato
Pfaadt's Original Draft Position: No. 149 overall
Brandon Pfaadt looked like a star on the rise when he served as the No. 3 starter during the Diamondbacks unexpected run to the 2023 World Series, posting a 3.27 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in 22 innings over five playoff starts.
He made 32 starts and tossed a team-high 181.2 innings the following year, and the D-backs locked him up with a five-year, $45 million extension. He has struggled to a 5.31 ERA in 210.1 innings since the start of 2025, but that early success is enough for Minnesota to bet on his talent late in the first round.
Slugger Aaron Sabato has yet to reach the majors, but he is off to a strong start at Triple-A this year, hitting .298/.362/.692 with 10 home runs.
28. New York Yankees: RHP Mick Abel
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Original Pick: C Austin Wells
Abel's Original Draft Position: No. 15 overall
After years as one of the top arms in the Phillies farm system, Mick Abel was traded to the Twins last summer in the deal to acquire closer Jhoan Duran, and he broke camp this year with a spot in the Minnesota starting rotation.
He logged a 3.98 ERA with 23 strikeouts in 20.1 innings before he was sidelined with elbow inflammation, and at 24 years old there is still enough untapped potential to believe he can make a big league impact in some capacity.
With a .165 average and a 53 OPS+ on the year, Austin Wells has taken a major step backward at the plate, but losing him in this hypothetical still leaves the Yankees without a starting catcher.
29. Los Angeles Dodgers: RHP J.T. Ginn
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Original Pick: RHP Bobby Miller
Ginn's Original Draft Position: No. 52 overall
Originally taken No. 30 overall in the 2018 draft by the Dodgers out of high school, J.T. Ginn honored his commitment to Mississippi State and ended up going No. 52 overall to the Mets two years later.
The Mets flipped him to the Athletics prior to the 2022 season in the Chris Bassitt deal, and he has quietly developed into a solid rotation piece, posting a 4.30 ERA in 175.2 innings since debuting on Aug. 21, 2024. This gives the Dodgers a chance to finally reel a player they initially targeted as a prep.
After a fantastic rookie season in 2023, Bobby Miller served up an 8.85 ERA in 61 innings over the next two years, and he is currently dealing with a shoulder issue. He showed frontline potential out of the gates, but his development has now been fully derailed.
Competitive Balance Round A
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30. Baltimore Orioles: LHP Logan Allen
31. Pittsburgh Pirates: RHP Gavin Stone
32. Kansas City Royals: RHP Slade Cecconi
33. Arizona Diamondbacks: OF Owen Caissie
34. San Diego Padres: RHP Bryce Jarvis
35. Colorado Rockies: OF Joey Wiemer
36. Cleveland Guardians: OF Heston Kjerstad
37. Tampa Bay Rays: RHP Bobby Miller
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