D1 Baseball posted their first mock draft a few days ago and they have some insight as to where the Pittsburgh Pirates might go with the 12th overall pick in the draft on June 12th, which is exactly three weeks away. D1 notes that the Pirates have been busy scouting college bats, with a couple in particular standing out. Their choice in the mock draft is Jake Burger, a third baseman from Missouri State. They note that the Pirates have been following him closely all spring, but also say that they would have a hard time passing up on Virginia outfielder Adam Haseley, who went tenth overall in their mock draft.
We talked about Haseley here after he went to the Pirates in a Baseball America mock draft about a month ago. That link has video on the toolsy outfielder, who has shown the ability to hit for average, with some power and speed. He plays center field and his arm is strong enough that he is also a starting pitcher, although he’s not considered a pitching prospect.
The new player here is Jake Burger, although he has been considered a mid-first round pick for awhile, he has just never lined up with the Pirates in any rankings or mock drafts. MLB Pipeline has the 21-year-old, 6’2″, 220 third baseman ranked 16th in this draft class. He rates at least average in all five tools, with 55 (on the 20-80 scouting scale) ratings for power and arm. Burger will likely stick at third base due to a reliable glove and strong arm, although he doesn’t have the best range.
Burger going to hit for average because he makes consistent contact and he has slugged 20 home runs this season in 52 games. There are some questions on his bat speed, as his homers seem to come more from strength than quickness. The belief is that he will hit for average, but there is a split as to whether he will have 20-25 home run a year power in the pros. He’s not the most graceful or mechanically sound player, but he gets the job done on both sides of the ball.