The Rangers are sure to get a great prospect with the second pick of the MLB Draft this Sunday. The Rangers also have picks 38, 73 and 103 along with 16t rounds to follow. With the potential to land 4 of the Top 100 draft prospects, this could be a huge draft for the Rangers in the midst of their rebuild. First round picks are always thought to be the best pick of each draft. However, sometimes the best player from a draft isn’t the first pick of a team that year.
Let’s go back the 5 drafts to see who has been the best pick so far.
2020
RHP Tekoah Roby: The COVID virus shortened the 2020 draft to only five rounds. Most would have assumed that IF Justin Foscue who was taken 14th overall would be the best pick. But injury has sidelined him from a mediocre start at High A Hickory. Second round pick OF Evan Carter was easily becoming the best pick of the entire draft until an injury sidelined him. Carter most likely regains this title when healthy, but a back injury has taken him out for the remainder of the season. That leaves third rounder Tekoah (TK) Roby. He has started 6 games for Down East with 22 innings and 35 strikeouts, along with a 2.45 ERA.
2019
3B/2B Josh Jung: This one was pretty easy. Being the 8th overall pick expectations were high on the former Texas Tech Red Raider. He hasn’t disappointed. Besides an injury that delayed the start of his 2021 season, Jung has lived up to the hype. He started the season after foot surgery at AA Frisco. He has only played a total of 61 professional games with 241 AB’s. In those at bats he is hitting a combined .307 with an .831 OPS and 6 HR’s. Jung has an outside chance of playing in Arlington by the end of the season.
2018
RHP Cole Uvila: With the season that first round pick Cole Winn is having , it was too easy to pick him as the best pick of 2018. Intangibles make up the difference here. Uvila was taken in the 40th round of 2018. (A round that no longer exist) Uvila has been really good and has a better chance of making his big league debut in 2021 than Winn. (Now in total honesty, it’s because Winn may be held back to make his debut next year) But you cannot argue with pick 1199 making it to the show. Uvila is in AA Frisco and has 8 saves with 31 K’s in 22 innings. In his minor league career he has a 1.98 ERA in 118 innings with 174 strike outs.
2017
LHP John King: King was the 10th round pick out of the University of Houston. The book is still out on earlier picks Bubba Thompson, Chris Seise, Hans Crouse and Jake Latz. John King is a major leaguer. He has played 33 games with 56 innings and a ERA of 3.99. He is currently the best bullpen arm in Arlington and is being stretched out to possibly start games. One thing is certain, King is a big league pitcher and deservedly so.
2016
C Sam Huff: Taken in the 7th round out of Phoenix, AZ, Huff has been the breakout star of the 2016 draft class. His last full season in the minor leagues he threw out close to 50% of would be base stealers. If that wasn’t good enough he hit 28 HR’s between Hickory and Down East. In 2020 he ended up making his major league debut in the COVID shortened season and hit .355 with 3 HR’s in 31 AB’s. A knee injury has sidelined him from catching in 2021. But he is playing first base and DH’ing. He has only playe a few games but has already hit a 511 ft HR in the AZL. I expect him to finish the season on a full season club, possibly Frisco.
There you go. My take on the best picks of the last five years. Mock Away
Nerd Out!
