With the first pick in the 2017 MLB Draft, the Minnesota Twins are expected to select ?????????.
Who will it be? According to MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo and Jim Callis, the Twins have narrowed their choice to Louisville first baseman/left-handed pitcher Brendan McKay and California prep shortstop Royce Lewis.
“While Louisville two-way star Brendan McKay is the presumptive favorite, California high school shortstop/outfielder Royce Lewis is also in the mix. McKay is the second-best two-way prospect in Draft history behind only Dave Winfield, while Lewis combines hittability and athleticism like no other player in this Draft.”
McKay pitched and won the game against Kentucky that sent Louisville to the College World Series on Saturday. The lefty pitched into the seventh inning while allowing 2 runs on 8 hits with 9 strikeouts.
McKay is projected as a really good left-handed starter and maybe an even better first baseman with a lot of power. Even though he went 0-for-8 at the plate in the Super Regional against Kentucky, he’s hitting .351 on the season with 17 home runs, 56 RBI and 54 runs.
I asked two (non-Twins) front office execs about the #1 pick. One ranks Royce Lewis second, one ranks him third. Legit option for the Twins.
— Aaron Gleeman (@AaronGleeman) June 12, 2017
Lewis’ high school coach can’t stop raving about him.
“Royce is the best player I’ve ever seen, and he’s the best player I’ve ever coached,” Brett Kay told The Capistrano Dispatch. “He’s just at a different level. There are urban legend stories about him that are all true.”
The fear with drafting Lewis is that he could choose to forego the big leagues for a chance to play at the UC Irvine.
“Give him a year or two in an organization, or at UCI, and he’s going to turn your mind around about what he is,” Kay said. “The ceiling for him is unbelievable.”
If Lewis is the pick, it’s a good bet that the Twins will have already worked out a deal to make sure they don’t lose him to the college ranks.
Get more on the Twins’ draft options right here.
