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Insights from Florida v. Miami

February 24, 2020
Doug Freeman
Florida Executive Director

There was an abundance of talent on the field in Coral Gables this weekend when then No. 1 Miami played host to then No. 2 Florida. And the games did not disappoint, with the first two going extra innings and the final game decided by just two runs, there was plenty of action. You can check out our partners at D1 Baseball for the recap of each game and “Ten Takeaways from Florida’s Sweep of Miami”. Today, I will highlight some of the players and thoughts on their MLB Draft potential from the look this weekend. 

By my count, from what I saw this weekend, of the draft eligible players that played I would draft twelve total players between the two clubs. Eight of those would be from the team that was swept in Miami. With that being said, there is an abundance of freshman and sophomore players who made a major impact early for the Gators. If an effort to touch on as many guys as possible we are going to break this down into the pitchers and position players. 

Pitchers, undoubtedly all five draft eligible starters will be taken at some point in the 2020 MLB Draft. Tommy Mace had the best outing of the weekend, allowing one run on two hits while striking out seven on Friday night. He was matched nearly the entire night by Miami’s Brian Van Belle, who would also allow only one run in seven innings, giving up four hits and striking out nine. The two did it in very different, but both effective manners.

Mace is a 6-foot-6, 215 pound right-hander who works off of a power downhill fastball that topped at 96 mph and worked consistently 92-94. He showed an above average slider with some late action at 82-86 mph which generated some swing and miss while mixing an occasional changeup.

Van Belle on the other hand dominated with an above average slider at 79-82 mph and a plus changeup at 83-85. He worked off of those two pitches which had the 89-92 mph fastball with some late action playing up. Mace has all the projection in the world with fairly clean mechanics and projects as a potential backend starter type in the major leagues. While Van Belle is a red shirt senior; what you see is what you would be getting and quite frankly that’s pretty much good enough for me. He's an ultra competitive guy who competes and has a feel for three average to above average pitches with a changeup that shows plus. Wouldn’t be surprised if he competes his way to a major league club as well. 

Saturday featured a pair of power right-handers in Jack Leftwich and Chris McMahon. Both would go six innings and allow one run while Leftwich walked five and struck out six and McMahon walked two and struck out nine. McMahon showed a little more velocity early as he was up to 96 mph and pitched at 93-94 mph, while Leftwich sat mostly 91-94 mph all night and touched a 95 mph on his last pitch. McMahon showed an average to below changeup and slider that were effective when down in the zone. Leftwich only threw an average slider, that was very effective, and didn’t go to a changeup which has previously shown as his best offspeed pitch. Both guys are strong right-handers and would think are early Day Two types in the draft, but would see Leftwich more as a back end starter and McMahon more successful in a bullpen role where the velocity would play up even further in the future.

Sunday featured arguably the best pure stuff of the entire weekend in Slade Cecconi. If he isn’t what you draw up when you think frontline starter potential, I may not be sure what is. He is 6-foot-4, 215 pounds and very clean mechanically. He worked downhill with a 93-96 mph fastball that reached 98 mph early. He showed both a slider and a cutter, the cutter showing as a plus pitch at 87-89 mph, as well as a changeup that showed above average at 85-87 mph. He was hit some with fastballs up in the zone, but would strike out seven in five innings.

He was matched though by freshman Hunter Barco who would go 5.1 innings and strike out seven as well, but only allowing one run on two hits. Barco was dominant with mostly fastball slider. He is from a tough 3/4 slot and fastball has late arm side action at 91-94 mph. The slider showed from below average to one at plus at 80-82 mph with late tilt and very tight when thrown well. He did show a changeup at 85 mph that will be a quality first pitch. Overall, Cecconi should be an early Day One pick this year and Barco will likely be one his junior year as well. 

There were also numerous bullpen arms that came in relief who have a quality profile. We will have to circle back to that and break them all down in full. 

As for the hitters, the best pure hitter on the field for the weekend was Miami’s Adrian Del Castillo. Only a sophomore, he showed the most advanced approach and most comfortable at-bats of anyone all weekend. He is balanced, simple, compact and has a plus hit tool with above average power. He will have a chance to go very early in next year’s draft. 

The best all around offensive player was Jud Fabian. Fabian, who hit in the leadoff spot showed his plus bat speed with a feel to hit and some power on the weekend. There still is some swing and miss, but he’s extremely athletic. The athleticism really shows up defensively where he constantly tracked balls down from gap to gap in center and is a plus defensive centerfielder. 

A very close second as the all around top player is the freshman Josh Rivera. Rivera had five hits on the weekend and showed both his hit tool as well as some power. He is balanced and on time with a whippy bat that should hit in the middle of the order there in short order. More surprisingly though is the strides he’s made at short. He was playing third at IMG Academy all of last year, but short prior to that. He has turned himself into an above average shortstop and showed his range and ability there all weekend. 

Another big winner on the weekend was the Gator’s Jacob Young. Young, a sophomore, had seven hits on the weekend including two bunt singles where he showed his plus speed at 3.83 down the line. It is a very simple, quick swing from a very twitchy athlete. Level line drives and was on the barrel and in the middle of everything all weekend. 

Finally, a pair of strong bodied corner infielders for Miami in Raymond Gil and Alejandro Toral. Both homered on the weekend, with Toral’s coming in the oppo taco fashion. Both have some swing and miss and Toral has the most raw power on the field that both could truly impact the lineup and the Draft in 2020.

 

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