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Looking Ahead to the 2020 MLB Draft

What to watch for in this week’s MLB Draft.

By John Severs
2018 NCAA Division I Men’s Baseball Championship - Game 3 Photo by Justin Tafoya/NCAA Photos via Getty Images

Despite the lack of a college or pro baseball season the MLB Draft is quickly approaching, with picks scheduled to begin on June 10th. Once again, the Beavers have a few players who can expect to hear their names called (metaphorically speaking).

The big name for OSU fans to watch is Kevin Abel. Abel, one of the heroes of the 2018 Championship run, Abel hasn’t been able to pitch much since then due to an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery.

Abel is currently rated the #152 overall prospect by MLB.com, and has the tools needed to be an MLB starting pitcher if he’s fully healthy. Depending on where he gets picked, and the kind of contract offers he receives, he could return to Oregon State. With the extra time granted to him due to his injuries and the cancelled 2020 season, he’ll have plenty of time to prove he’s ready for the majors.

One other Beaver cracked ESPN’s top 200 list. RHP Christian Chamberlain is ranked 174th. Chamberlain also performed excellently during the Beavers’ CWS run, putting in some clutch relief. That included tying a record for strikeouts by a reliever, with 11 in Game 1 of the finals against Arkansas.

College World Series - Arkansas v Oregon State - Game One Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images

Chamberlain has shifted from a reliever to a starter in recent series. For the abbreviated 2020 season, he was named a third team All-American by Collegiate Baseball.He still projects as a reliever in the majors, but if he returns to Oregon State he could prove that he has potential as a starter.

Finally, there is one more big name for Beaver fans to watch. That would be Mick Abel. This Abel was set to join the Beavers next season as one of the top pitching recruits in the country. Unfortunately for Oregon State, Abel is projected to go early in the first round of the MLB Draft. MLB.com has him ranked as the top prep pitcher in the country, and the 11th overall prospect. Abel has the makings of an ace starter, and if he gets picked high, the odds that he ever sees a Beaver uniform are low.

The draft starts Wednesday, at 7:00 PM Easter, and 4:00 PM Pacific. MLB Network and ESPN will be broadcasting the picks, and you can check back with Building the Dam to see where Oregon State players end up going.