Photo by: Jeff Reinking | Louisville Athletics
McDonnell, Cardinals Awaiting MLB Draft Answers
April 29, 2020 | Baseball
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – As the month of May approaches, the University of Louisville baseball team would normally be gearing up for the final month of the regular season with eyes set on a postseason run. However, the abrupt ending to the 2020 campaign six weeks ago has the Cardinals and head coach Dan McDonnell now looking toward the Major League Baseball Draft and how it will affect the program.
The 2020 MLB First Year Player Draft has many questions surrounding it awaiting answers, from the number of rounds to the date it will take place. Major League Baseball and its players association reached an agreement last month surrounding the upcoming season, an agreement which included the option to shorten the 2020 draft to as few as five rounds instead of the usual 40, leaving prospects and coaches uncertain of what the immediate future holds.
"There's always uncertainty this time of year preparing for the draft and what seniors in high school and junior college players are going to show up, and which of your current players are going to sign," McDonnell said. "The challenge will be for our junior class. We can't lose all of them in just five rounds, but we feel we could lose most of them if it were 10 rounds."
Junior left-handed pitcher Reid Detmers entered the season as one of the top college prospects in the country and his performance during the shortened 2020 season did nothing to affect that thinking. Detmers was 3-0 in four starts, holding a 1.23 ERA and striking out an astounding 48 batters in just 22 innings of work. Rotation-mate and fellow junior Bobby Miller followed him up with similar numbers, going 2-0 with a 2.31 ERA and 34 punchouts in his four starts.
McDonnell expects for both to hear their name called early whenever the draft takes place.
"We're hearing Detmers is a top-10 pick. We're hearing Bobby Miller has a chance to be a first round pick, so those are two juniors we'll lose. We'll wait to see if Michael Kirian, Zach Britton, Lucas Dunn and those other guys get into the top five rounds."
Meanwhile, there are decisions to be made as well for the seniors. The NCAA recently granted seniors of spring sports teams an extra year of eligibility after the cancellation of the 2020 season leaving them with the option to return to school for one more year should they choose.
"The seniors were granted relief, but we think Luke Smith could be in the top five rounds. Adam Elliott, Danny Oriente and Justin Lavey, if they don't go in the top five or 10 rounds, would they have the option to sign free agent deals. We're having a lot of communication right now with a lot of players."
The Cardinals have been consistent in sending talent into professional baseball since McDonnell's arrival in 2007, with 72 student-athletes signing professional contracts after being selected in the draft during that time. Eight players entered the professional baseball ranks in 2019 following Louisville's 51-18 season that featured the program's fifth College World Series appearance.
UofL was set to have a similar number, if not more, selected in the 2020 draft, but a potential draft of only five or 10 rounds would affect that number. Louisville has had 16 players drafted in the top five rounds over the last four seasons and will add to that list in 2020.
"We're in talks with MLB executives and college baseball is communicating closely because this doesn't just affect the Louisville roster, it affects the top one hundred programs in the country. Right now, we're just waiting for the number of rounds as well as the NCAA and will we get some kind of relief."
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The 2020 MLB First Year Player Draft has many questions surrounding it awaiting answers, from the number of rounds to the date it will take place. Major League Baseball and its players association reached an agreement last month surrounding the upcoming season, an agreement which included the option to shorten the 2020 draft to as few as five rounds instead of the usual 40, leaving prospects and coaches uncertain of what the immediate future holds.
"There's always uncertainty this time of year preparing for the draft and what seniors in high school and junior college players are going to show up, and which of your current players are going to sign," McDonnell said. "The challenge will be for our junior class. We can't lose all of them in just five rounds, but we feel we could lose most of them if it were 10 rounds."
Junior left-handed pitcher Reid Detmers entered the season as one of the top college prospects in the country and his performance during the shortened 2020 season did nothing to affect that thinking. Detmers was 3-0 in four starts, holding a 1.23 ERA and striking out an astounding 48 batters in just 22 innings of work. Rotation-mate and fellow junior Bobby Miller followed him up with similar numbers, going 2-0 with a 2.31 ERA and 34 punchouts in his four starts.
McDonnell expects for both to hear their name called early whenever the draft takes place.
"We're hearing Detmers is a top-10 pick. We're hearing Bobby Miller has a chance to be a first round pick, so those are two juniors we'll lose. We'll wait to see if Michael Kirian, Zach Britton, Lucas Dunn and those other guys get into the top five rounds."
Meanwhile, there are decisions to be made as well for the seniors. The NCAA recently granted seniors of spring sports teams an extra year of eligibility after the cancellation of the 2020 season leaving them with the option to return to school for one more year should they choose.
"The seniors were granted relief, but we think Luke Smith could be in the top five rounds. Adam Elliott, Danny Oriente and Justin Lavey, if they don't go in the top five or 10 rounds, would they have the option to sign free agent deals. We're having a lot of communication right now with a lot of players."
The Cardinals have been consistent in sending talent into professional baseball since McDonnell's arrival in 2007, with 72 student-athletes signing professional contracts after being selected in the draft during that time. Eight players entered the professional baseball ranks in 2019 following Louisville's 51-18 season that featured the program's fifth College World Series appearance.
UofL was set to have a similar number, if not more, selected in the 2020 draft, but a potential draft of only five or 10 rounds would affect that number. Louisville has had 16 players drafted in the top five rounds over the last four seasons and will add to that list in 2020.
"We're in talks with MLB executives and college baseball is communicating closely because this doesn't just affect the Louisville roster, it affects the top one hundred programs in the country. Right now, we're just waiting for the number of rounds as well as the NCAA and will we get some kind of relief."
FOLLOW LOUISVILLE BASEBALL ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans can follow Louisville baseball on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram at @LouisvilleBSB.
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