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The first Texas Longhorns baseball signee selected in the 2020 MLB Draft came off the board with the 23rd overall pick by the Cleveland Indians — Phoenix (Ariz.) Mountain Pointe shortstop Carson Tucker.
Been dreaming about this moment since i was a kid. Words can’t describe how grateful I am to have a chance to pursue this opportunity with the @Indians . Cleveland lets get after it #OurTribe #MLBDraft
— Carson Tucker (@DookieTucker29) June 11, 2020
Based on Tucker’s tweet after his selection, it sounds like he’s already decided to turn pro — he’ll now just have to work out the contract details.
Ranked as the No. 61 prospect overall by Baseball America before the abbreviated draft, Tucker is a 6’2, 180-pounder who comes from an athletic family. His father, John, played in the St. Louis Cardinals organization and his older brother, Cole, was a first-round draft pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2014 who made his major league debut in 2019.
“Carson is another out-of-state elite player in the 2020 class,” Texas head coach David Pierce said when Tucker signed last fall. “He has played with USA Baseball and excelled in Long Beach, Ca. in the Area Code games. Carson comes from a very athletic family and loves the game of baseball. He has a chance to insert in the line-up very early in his career at Texas. Carson has great leadership qualities and will be a great fit in Austin.”
Unfortunately for Texas, Tucker developed enough during the offseason before his abbreviated senior season that his stock increased significantly.
Here’s the scouting report from SB Nation Yankees site Pinstripe Alley:
Tucker is a player on the rise this spring due to his early season performance. One of the reasons for his improvement is his physical tools. Tucker has grown several inches since last season, and is now standing 6 feet 2 inches. He has also improved his run times, strengthening another dimension of his game.
Always known for having good bat speed, Tucker improved his swing mechanics over the offseason as well. He currently has a line-drive swing that he can spray to all fields. With the taller frame that scouts saw this spring, they now see a player who can hit for at least average power as he gets stronger down the road.
The approximate pick value for the 23rd selection is $2.93 million. Originally set for July 10, the MLB pushed back the signing deadline to Aug. 1 this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.