Guardians Baseball Insider

The Cleveland Indians selected Carson Tucker with the first pick (23rd overall) in the 2020 MLB Draft

Carson Tucker- Shortstop

School: Mountain Pointe HS, AZ – Age: 18.4 – Height – 6’2 – Weight: 180 – Bats: Right – Throws: Right

Rankings:

Baseball America- 61

Fangraphs- 54

MLB.com- 52

IBI- 36

Willie Hood: Carson Tucker entered the season considered more of a second-round type of pick and quickly displayed improvements in every area of his game. Tucker was in-play higher than twenty-three with some clubs reportedly viewing him as the top prep shortstop on the board according to Perfect Game’s Brian Sakowski (viewable here). During his junior and senior seasons of high school, Tucker grew three inches and gained fifteen pounds of muscle. The improved strength was displayed through a more physical approach in every facet of the game. Unfortunately, the young shortstop’s season was cut short by the Coronavirus shutdown. The Arizona native is a University of Texas commit. Carson is a “bloodlines” pick by the Indians as the younger brother of Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Cole Tucker. Both parents have athletic backgrounds as well. 

On the field, Tucker displays above-average hitting ability with fringe-average power projecting toward average as he continues to add strength to his frame. Tucker displays a quick bat with a gap-to-gap approach with improving ability to drive the ball. The talented young shortstop displays adequate footwork to stay at shortstop long term. Tucker features a quality glove with reliable hands and an above-average arm. On the bases, Tucker now displays plus speed with some designating it plus-plus speed. The speed translates to both sides of the ball as the young infielder displays the quickness needed to stay at short.

Jeff Ellis: Carson Tucker was going in this range. There was a 0% chance he was going to be available at pick 36. I had him 50th on my personal Big Board. He fits what the Indians did a year ago with Yordys Valdez and Christian Cairo. The Indians value up the middle defenders. It seems the view is the most important thing about any shortstop is their ability to stick there. They have gone for defensive first shortstops first and foremost. Tucker has a better hit tool than either of the previously mentioned players, and an approach which gives him a chance to be an average offensive player long term. He is an under slot signing for sure. I often explain this idea is that is how an MLB team trades down. They take a player who costs less so they can sign a more expansive player later. While there are no trades, it nets the same thing a trade would do getting better talent later by getting lower talent at first. He might not be the most exciting player who was there at 23, but he is a safer prep talent who is a no-doubt shortstop. – Read more from Jeff here – https://mlbdraftnow.blogspot.com/

Press Release: The Cleveland Indians today announced the selection of prep INF CARSON TUCKER with the 23rd overall pick in the first round of the 2020 MLB Draft.

Tucker, 18, lettered all four years at Mountain Pointe High School in Phoenix, Arizona, slashing .390/.455/.574 with 68 RBI, 20, doubles, 9 triples, and 5 homes runs in 92 games (MaxPreps). The 6-2, 180-lb shortstop was named a 2020 Rawlings Perfect Game Preseason All American West – All-Region 1st Team and managed to hit .364 (4-for-11) with a double, 2 home runs and 5 RBI in three games before his 2020 senior season was canceled.

Carson is committed to the University of Texas and is the younger brother of Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Cole Tucker, who was taken in the first round of the 2014 Draft (pick #24).