{"id":21394,"date":"2021-07-11T21:03:14","date_gmt":"2021-07-12T02:03:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/?p=21394"},"modified":"2021-07-11T21:55:43","modified_gmt":"2021-07-12T02:55:43","slug":"the-arizona-diamondbacks-select-jordan-lawlar-6th-overall-in-the-2021-mlb-draft-mets-got-a-steal-by-selecting-kumar-rocker-in-mlb-draft-with-the-10th-selection-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/myboysay.com\/blog\/?p=21394","title":{"rendered":"The Arizona Diamondbacks select Jordan Lawlar 6th overall in the 2021 MLB Draft, Mets \u2018got a steal\u2019 by selecting Kumar Rocker in MLB Draft With The 10th Selection, and more"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Arizona picks Jesuit\u2019s Jordan Lawlar 6th in MLB draft; will elite prospect sign or head to college?<\/span><\/h1>\n

Lawlar, 18, was The Dallas Morning News\u2019 2021 Player of the Year.<\/h2>\n<\/hgroup>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Jesuit’s Jordan Lawlar was one of the top-rated players headed into the 2021 MLB draft.
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6. Arizona Diamondbacks:<\/a> Jordan Lawlar, SS, Jesuit HS (TX)<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Who is Lawlar? The No. 1 player on Kiley McDaniel’s draft board, Lawlar has been considered the top prep player in this class since the summer of 2020. A Dallas high school product, he has above-average tools across the board and has drawn comparisons to Carlos Correa and even Derek Jeter for his ability to hit to the opposite field.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Why the Diamondbacks took him here: Anytime you can get a player ranked No. 1 on draft boards with the No. 6 overall pick, you have to be excited. Lawlar has above-average tools across the board, the best glove of this year’s four highly touted prep shortstops and the potential to grow into an All-Star-level player at the position.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jesuit shortstop Jordan Lawlar, the 2021 Dallas Morning News Baseball Player of the Year<\/a>, was selected sixth overall in the 2021 MLB draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday night, becoming the eighth high school prospect ever from the Dallas-area to go inside the top 10.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In a draft flush with high school shortstops, Lawlar was the second off the board, following Marcelo Mayer, who was drafted fourth by the Boston Red Sox. The Texas Rangers drafted Vanderbilt pitcher Jack Leiter second.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

On the MLB Network broadcast, Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin called the 6-foot-2 Lawlar a \u201cspecial player,\u201d after the Diamondbacks selected him. He also compared Lawlar to one of the greats.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cI just compared him to [Derek Jeter], and you never want to do that because that\u2019s dangerous,\u201d said Corbin, whose program has scouted Lawlar since before he made it to high school, \u201cbut you see similar body patters in how they move and so on.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lawlar is the second Dallas-area high school shortstop selected in the top 10 in the last three drafts. Former Colleyville Heritage star Bobby Witt Jr. was selected second overall in 2019<\/a>, tying Arlington Martin\u2019s Ben Grieve (1994) as the two highest selected local players since the draft began in 1966.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lawlar has long been thought of as a top prospect in the 2021 MLB Draft. This past season he showed why. Lawlar finished his senior season hitting .412 with six home runs and 37 RBIs. He also went a perfect 37-for-37 on stolen base attempts, flashing speed and ability that\u2019s rare at the high school level.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cHe just really makes everything look smooth,\u201d Jesuit head coach Brian Jones said recently. \u201cAnd for most high school kids it\u2019s going to be tough to make a play, but he makes it look easy. I hate to go that far with it, but he really does.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s that type of talent that made powerhouse Vanderbilt \u2013 the school Lawlar eventually signed with \u2013 interested in Lawlar before he event started his freshman season at Jesuit. It\u2019s also what\u2019s made him a consensus top prospect in the draft.<\/strong><\/p>\n

ESPN MLB Insider even ranked Lawlar as the No. 1 prospect in the draft, but in a conference call with reporters, McDaniel forecasted that Lawlar might not go within the top five picks.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThere are increasing odds that Jordan Lawlar is the one of those four high school shortstops that slides,\u201d McDaniel said this week. \u201cI don\u2019t think he has a natural landing spot until six or eight.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

We now know where Lawlar landed. The question now is: will the star shortstop sign? Lawlar has been committed to Vanderbilt since 2019. He recently flew to Omaha to spend time with the team and watch them play in the College World Series.<\/strong><\/p>\n

If Lawlar does decide not to sign and instead attend Vanderbilt, he\u2019d be walking away from millions. The signing bonus slot value for the sixth pick is $5,742,900, though there\u2019s room for negotiation below and above that number. The last time a top-10 pick didn\u2019t sign was 2018, when high school pitcher Carter Stewart was selected eighth overall, but couldn\u2019t come to an agreement with the Atlanta Braves.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lawlar, 18, is also an interesting case because he could be eligible for the 2023 draft, a year earlier than most college players are allowed because of his age.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Whether Lawlar signs remains to be seen, but no matter what, he can now call himself a top-10 pick in the draft.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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The Arizona Diamondbacks select Jordan Lawlar 6th overall in the 2021 MLB Draft<\/strong><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n

Somehow, the Arizona Diamondbacks managed to get one of the best high school bats in the 2021 draft at pick 6.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n

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With the 6th selection in the 2021 MLB Draft, the Arizona Diamondbacks selected Jordan Lawlar out of Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The shortstop has long been viewed as a top prospect since projections began. Many experts have drawn comparisons between him and Bobby Witt Jr, a fellow shortstop selected in the first round. And while Witt was certainly more verbose coming out of high school, Lawler has all the right tools to make a big splash for a program.<\/strong><\/p>\n

His bat speed blankets the entire strike zone, but offensively his strikeout rate can teeter to the higher side. As with any high school prospect, there\u2019s always a question of how power will develop long-term. His bat speed is consistent and fast enough that even if Lawler\u2019s power at the plate pans out to be just average, he\u2019ll be strong offensively.<\/strong><\/p>\n

While he stands out at the plate, his skills at shortstop are what add extra flair to his draft stock. MLB Pipeline notes that Lawler\u2019s athleticism and instincts in the field are top tier. Inconsistencies are certainly present, but that\u2019s to be expected of a player coming out of high school and are not of concern to be a long-time problem. Once he settles into a program and expands on his already sharp skills at the plate, he\u2019ll be a force in years to come.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jordan Lawlar<\/strong><\/h1>\n
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Jordan Lawlar<\/span><\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
Shortstop<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Born: July 17, 2002 (age\u00a018)<\/span><\/strong>
\nIrving, Texas<\/a><\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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Bats: Right<\/strong><\/td>\nThrows: Right<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Jordan Lawlar (born July 17, 2002) is an American<\/a> baseball<\/a> shortstop<\/a>. He was selected in the first round of the 2021 Major League Baseball draft<\/a> by the Arizona Diamondbacks<\/a> with the sixth overall pick.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Career<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Lawlar began playing baseball<\/a> around age five.<\/sup> He attends Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas<\/a> in Dallas<\/a>, Texas<\/a>. He began playing varsity as a sophomore in 2019. As a sophomore, he batted .409 with five home runs, and in 2020, his junior season, he hit .485 with one home run and 13 RBIs over 12 games before the season ended due to the COVID-19 pandemic<\/a>. That summer, he played in the Perfect Game All-American Classic, and was named the Jackie Robinson Perfect Game Player of the Year. As a senior in 2021, he hit .412 with six home runs, 37 RBIs, and 32 stolen bases. He committed to play college baseball<\/a> at Vanderbilt University<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Who is Jordan Lawlar?<\/strong><\/h1>\n
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Jordan Lawlar, the No. 3 prospect<\/a> entering the 2021 MLB Draft, was picked sixth overall by the D-backs<\/a> on Draft day. A Vanderbilt commit from Jesuit Prep High School in Texas, Lawlar has starred on the showcase circuit<\/a> and was just named Texas’ Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year<\/a>. Here’s what you need to know about the 18-year-old shortstop.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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FAST FACTS<\/strong>
\nPrimary position: SS<\/strong>
\nHeight\/weight: 6-foot-2, 190 lbs.<\/strong>
\nBats\/throws: Right\/right<\/strong>
\nBirthdate: July 17, 2002 (Age 18 on Draft day)<\/strong>
\nHigh school: Jesuit Prep (Texas)<\/strong>
\nHometown: Irving, Texas<\/strong>
\nCollege commitment: Vanderbilt<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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He bookended his HS career with home runs<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Lawlar homered on the first day of his varsity baseball career \u2026 and his last.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The first homer came on Jesuit’s opening day in 2019. Lawlar’s varsity career with Jesuit Prep had been delayed until he was a sophomore because he lived outside the school’s attendance zone, so he was stuck playing JV at first. But once it finally began (Lawlar had already committed to Vanderbilt by that time), it began with a bang.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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That day, Lawlar went deep off Logan Kohler (now an infielder at Oklahoma), a game-tying home run in the seventh inning with Kohler two outs away from a shutout.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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And in his last game for Jesuit, a playoff loss this May, Lawlar brought it full circle, homering one last time.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Not the way I saw our season coming to an end \ud83d\ude22 @jcpbaseball<\/a> ….. however bitter sweet \ud83d\udca3 #6 #jeznation<\/a> \ud83d\ude4f\ud83c\udffd\ud83d\ude4f\ud83c\udffd\ud83d\ude4f\ud83c\udffd pic.twitter.com\/9bKuNnVIAf<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2014 Jordan Lawlar (@jordanlawlar) May 15, 2021<\/a><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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He’s following Josh Bell<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Lawlar wouldn’t be the first star hitter from Jesuit Prep to make the Major Leagues. Nationals slugger Josh Bell is a Jesuit alum, too — that’s where the Pirates drafted him from in the second round in 2011.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Lawlar has met with Bell more than once, and the two have talked about hitting, the mental side of baseball and life in general.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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“It shifted away from baseball and we just talked about life and the kind of men we want to be,” Lawlar told The Athletic’s Jamey Newberg<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Bell even started sharing audiobooks with Lawlar — but not baseball books — like Paulo Coelho\u2019s “The Alchemist,” Tim Ferriss’ “Tools of Titans,” and Christian D. Larson’s “The Optimist Creed.” But those books helped influence Lawlar’s approach to baseball, from his pre-at-bat routine to the way he tries to block out all the noise around him when he steps to the plate.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\ud83d\udca3 #5 pic.twitter.com\/YYUjbQ0sYo<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2014 Jordan Lawlar (@jordanlawlar) May 1, 2021<\/a><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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And he’s learning from Vernon Wells<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Bell isn’t the only Major League influence on Lawlar. Three-time All-Star Vernon Wells, who played 15 seasons in the big leagues, has been one of Lawlar’s advisers since last year.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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And Wells couldn’t sing Lawlar’s praises more highly.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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“There are a few people that I played with that he reminds me of as a person,” Wells told the Detroit Free Press’ Jeff Seidel<\/a>. “One is Mike Trout, who always has a smile on his face and enjoys being around his teammates, enjoys the game. And I think the other is Derek Jeter — just the presence that he has.”<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Jordan<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Jordan Lawlar’s RBI triple<\/strong><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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He played for Clayton Kershaw’s old travel team<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Lawlar played for the Dallas Tigers, a youth player development team that plays in tournaments and showcases around the country, starting from when he was nine years old.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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A lot of star baseball players are Tigers alumni<\/a>. The biggest of all is Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw. The three-time Cy Young Award winner was in the program’s graduating class of 2006.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Other notable Dallas Tigers? Yankees pitcher and two-time Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber (class of 2004) and White Sox flamethrower Michael Kopech (class of 2014).<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\ud83d\udca3 #3 pic.twitter.com\/e0OKVYg1ZQ<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2014 Jordan Lawlar (@jordanlawlar) April 2, 2021<\/a><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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He’s drawing comparisons to Bobby Witt Jr. \u2026 and Derek Jeter<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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When it comes to player comps for Lawlar, the most natural is Bobby Witt Jr., the No. 2 overall Draft pick by the Royals in 2019 and the current No. 7 prospect in baseball.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Lawlar and Witt are both five-tool shortstop prospects who came from Dallas-area high schools. And according to MLB Pipeline’s scouting report, Lawlar is an even more polished hitter than Witt was coming out of high school.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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But there are other, even loftier comparisons for Lawlar. MLB.com prospect expert Jonathan Mayo recently surveyed scouts and executives<\/a> about who Lawlar reminded them of. The results?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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“Carlos Correa, Xander Bogaerts, even 2019 Texas high school shortstop draftee Bobby Witt Jr., all came up, but the most complimentary comp was to Derek Jeter, not just with his actions, but with how he carries himself and his demeanor,” Mayo reported.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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One American League scouting director told Mayo of Lawlar: “Don’t call me crazy, but he’s a poor man’s Jeter. Not sure he will hit enough to be Jeter, but the kid has that kind of presence to him when you meet him. I was extremely impressed.”<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Jordan<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Jordan Lawlar’s two RBI hits<\/strong><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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And he draws Hall of Fame scouts<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Major League scouts have been showing up to watch Lawlar since he was on Jesuit’s JV team. And some of those teams’ representatives would know a star shortstop when they see one.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The Tigers? They sent Hall of Fame shortstop Alan Trammell (who also scouted Detroit’s No. 1 overall Draft pick and current No. 3 prospect in MLB, Spencer Torkelson).<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The Rangers? They sent seven-time All-Star shortstop Michael Young, who’s in the team’s Hall of Fame.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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And…… \ud83d\udca3 #2 pic.twitter.com\/uJMwsdRlak<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2014 Jordan Lawlar (@jordanlawlar) March 19, 2021<\/a><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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He has superstar shortstop role models \u2026 and one other superstar role model<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Jeter and Correa aren’t just players others are comparing Lawlar to. They’re the players Lawlar himself looks up to the most as a shortstop.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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With Jeter, Lawlar told Newberg, it’s “the way he carried himself \u2026 I’ve never heard anything bad said about him, and obviously what he did on the field speaks for itself.”<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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With Correa, it’s about the finer points of hitting: “his hitting tool: nice and easy, picks his foot up, hands separate a little bit, just throws his hands at it, and it goes.”<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Is Lawlar on the right track to play like his on-field role models? Let’s go back to Wells one more time. He said about Lawlar: “He\u2019s a perfect mix of those.”<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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But the biggest influence on Lawlar of all? That would be his mom, Hope, who raised him as a single parent.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Mets \u2018got a steal\u2019 by selecting Kumar Rocker in MLB Draft With The 10th Selection<\/strong><\/h1>\n

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At one point not so long ago, Kumar Rocker was rumored to be the potential No. 1 pick in the 2021 MLB Draft.<\/strong><\/p>\n

But the hard-throwing Vanderbilt right-hander fell \u2014 all the way into the Mets\u2019 lap at No. 10 \u2014 in the first round of the draft Sunday night.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rocker was second in the country in strikeouts, after teammate and second overall pick Jack Leiter<\/a>, with 173 strikeouts in 117.2 innings. He helped the Commodores reach the College World Series.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Kumar<\/strong>
Kumar Rocker<\/strong><\/figcaption>
\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A source said there were whispers of high money demands and his velocity was slightly down this year, which could have contributed to Rocker sliding down the draft board.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Still, Rocker went 14-4 and compiled a 2.73 ERA. MLB.com rated him as the sixth-best prospect in the draft.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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What do you think?\u00a0Be the first to comment.<\/a><\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cI think New York really got a steal at No. 10,\u201d MLB Network draft analyst Jim Callis said shortly after the selection.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The 6-foot-5, 245-pound Rocker became the first college pitcher the Mets have taken in the first round since David Peterson in 2017.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Mets select Kumar Rocker with 10th pick in MLB draft<\/strong><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n

A surprise to be sure, but a welcome one.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"2021\u00a0<\/picture><\/span><\/span>
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In a shocking and very exciting development, the Mets<\/a> selected Vanderbilt right hand pitcher Kumar Rocker with the tenth pick of the first round. Rocker was often in the conversation for the first overall pick earlier in the year before his stock slipped a bit, but was still well inside the top-10 across most draft lists (7th on Fangraphs<\/a>, 8th on Baseball Prospectus<\/a>, 5th on Baseball America<\/a>). A couple teams chose to reach down the draft board ahead of the Mets, allowing Rocker to fall into their lap.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Needless to say, this is a great get for the Mets. Throughout the pre-draft process, they\u2019ve mostly been connected with lower-ceiling college arms or bats (Ty Madden, Sal Frelick, Matt McClain, among others), with rumors about an underslot deal for prep hitter Colson Montgomery also coming on strong late. Instead, the Mets got one of the most electric arms in the draft in Rocker, who has sky-high upside despite some issues with holding velocity during the 2021 NCAA season. Rocker will likely require an overslot bonus, so it will be interesting to see how this unexpected development affects the rest of the Mets\u2019 draft strategy.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Kumar Rocker falls to New York Mets and every team that passed on him ‘will forever regret it’<\/strong><\/h1>\n
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Vanderbilt pitcher Kumar Rocker<\/a>\u00a0was projected at times as the No. 1 pick in\u00a0the 2021\u00a0MLB Draft. But when the draft happened\u00a0Sunday night, Rocker\u00a0fell to\u00a0 to the New York Mets at No. 10<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

There was a mixed response to the pick\u00a0from baseball fans and experts on social media, including confusion when the Angels selected\u00a0right-hander Sam Bachman out of Miami (Ohio) at No. 9.<\/strong><\/p>\n

But there also was this from Vanderbilt alumnus Skip Bayless:<\/strong><\/p>\n

“Those who passed on (Rocker) will forever regret it,” Bayless tweeted.<\/strong><\/p>\n

ANALYSIS:Kumar Rocker could be paid like ‘top-five pick’ after falling to New York Mets in 2021 MLB Draft<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Here’s a snapshot of what others had to say:<\/strong><\/p>\n