Kansas City Royals: 2020 Final Mock Draft
By Cody Rickman
Kansas City Royals Mock Draft – Supplemental Round 1, Pick 32: J.T. Ginn, Starting Pitcher (RHP)
J.T. Ginn is a 6’2”, 192 lb., right-handed starting pitcher out of Mississippi State University. Ginn was projecting as a middle of the first-round pick before Tommy John surgery ended his 2020 season in March. Ginn was previously a first-round draft choice out of high school being selected 30th overall by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2018 draft.
- 2019 (NCAA): 3.13 ERA, 1.054 WHIP, 105 K, 19 BB, 1 HR allowed in 86.1 innings
- 2020 (NCAA): 6.00 ERA, 1.667 WHIP, 4 K, 2 BB, 0 HR allowed in 3.0 innings
According to the Draft Prospect Rankings at mlb.com, Ginn has the following future tool grades:
- Overall: 50
- Fastball: 60 (91 – 95 mph)
- Slider: 60 (mid-80s mph)
- Changeup: 55 (mid-80s mph)
- Control: 50
According to the scouting report on Ginn at mlb.com;
"“When healthy, Ginn usually deals at 91-95 mph and tops out at 97 with some of the best fastball life in the 2020 Draft, as his heater will run and sink and bore at various times. His wipeout slider can be just as difficult to hit, combining mid-80s velocity with two-plane depth. He also gets good downward action on his changeup, which shows flashes of becoming a plus offering.”"
According to the scouting report on Ginn at fangraphs.com;
"“Ginn didn’t sign as a first rounder of the Dodgers in 2018 and will be sophomore eligible again in 2020. He’s showing even more starter traits early in his freshman year but still is touching the mid-90’s and flashing a plus breaker.”"
My draft analysis on Ginn in Mock Draft 2.0;
"“The only reason Ginn is available this late in the draft is due to his Tommy John surgery in March 2020. Ginn possessed some of the nastiest movement and hardest to hit stuff in SEC conference before the injury.”"
Ginn is a middle of the first-round talent who will slide in the draft due to durability and injury issues. He is a high ceiling-prospect, projecting as a number 4 type starter (4.00 FIP) or high leverage reliever. Ginn, when healthy, is capable of being a number 3 type starter (3.30 FIP) or better.
Other possibilities: Justin Foscue, Jordan Westburg, and Daniel Cabrera.