With just five rounds in this year’s MLB Draft, few local prospects expected to be taken (Borges)

[huskymedic]

With just five rounds in this year’s MLB Draft, few local prospects expected to be taken

With Major League Baseball’s 2020 draft cut from 40 rounds to just five, few...

www.ctinsider.com

Some UConn notes:

>>For Penders, guys like lefthander Caleb Wurster, righthander Nick Krauth and outfielder Kyler Fedko may have had a chance to be selected within the first 10-15 rounds. Similarly, righthander Calvin Ziegler, a righthander who is rated one of the top prospects in Canada, and Adrian Siravo, a righthander from New Hampshire, are a pair of incoming recruits who may have been faced with the choice of turning pro or attending UConn. There’s an outside chance one or two of those players could be drafted in a couple of weeks, but it appears very unlikely.<<

>>A few local players from UConn could still be tempted to sign as undrafted free agents. Wallingford’s Paul Gozzo, a catcher who likely would have been backup to rising junior Pat Winkel next season, has entered the NCAA transfer portal with Penders’ full blessing. If Gozzo finds a school that offers better playing time, he may take it — but he has also indicated he could sign as a free agent.

Westport’s Ben Casparius, the former Staples High star who spent his first two years at UNC, was denied a waiver to play this past season at UConn — about two weeks before the season was canceled in mid-March. While Penders would love the talented righthander to play for the Huskies next season, it appears Casparius will sign as a free agent if given the chance.

Then there’s Orange’s Chris Winkel, who recently graduated. Winkel has been admitted to grad school at UConn and it appears highly likely he’ll take up the opportunity afforded to all spring-season seniors for an extra year of eligibility. Winkel, who might have been a late-round selection if the draft were 40 rounds, would have one last chance to play with his younger brother.

As for Pat Winkel, who underwent Tommy John surgery in December and was out for this past season anyway, he is progressing well in his rehab and could put himself back in a position to be a high draft pick a year from now — when the draft (at least in theory) will be back to 40 rounds.<<

 

[navery12]

Curious what others think as I've been having this debate with some friends about the number of players signing as undrafted FA's. I feel like the number is going to be relatively low and more kids will opt to return to school over signing

 

[dbmill]

Curious what others think as I've been having this debate with some friends about the number of players signing as undrafted FA's. I feel like the number is going to be relatively low and more kids will opt to return to school over signing

My own thought is that the minor leagues are entering into a state of tremendous upheaval that was starting even before the current pandemic. I'm thinking that MLB wants to shift things around, and have more players stay in college for another year so that the training that they would undergo in the low minors would instead be done by college teams. Short season minor leagues such as the New York Penn League are pretty much going to disappear. It would seem in such a climate more collegiate players would end up staying in school for another year rather than go pro, because this is what MLB ultimately wants.

 

[HCCForever]

Changes are coming. Reduced minor league spots and programs such as Furmsn and Bowling Green are cutting baseball.

 

[dbmill]

Changes are coming. Reduced minor league spots and programs such as Furmsn and Bowling Green are cutting baseball.

And possibly more change as well. If the plan to move college baseball forward a month to start in mid March and end with the college World Series in July, that will certainly have an effect on the collegiate summer leagues, and I don't think it it is one that the collegiate summer leagues will like.