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Mets Select RHP J.T. Ginn From MSU With Second Pick

By Matt Mancuso

June 11, 2020 No comments

In the second round of Major League Baseball’s amateur player draft, the Mets have selected J.T. Ginn, a RHP from Mississippi State University.

Ginn is a right-handed starting pitcher, who has been regarded highly on multiple prospect pundits. Baseball America has him as the 23rd highest prospect while MLB.com ranked him as the 44th best prospect on the Board.

Here’s an excerpt from Baseball America on his skills:

” After being selected by the Dodgers in the first round out of high school in 2018, Ginn entered the 2020 season as a draft-eligible sophomore with a chance to double up on the accomplishment. However, he made it through just three innings of his first start of the season against Wright State before exiting the game. It was later announced the Ginn would need surgery on his right elbow and that he would miss the season. While the rest of the college season was canceled due to the novel coronavirus, Ginn’s status is more up in the air after being considered a top-15 caliber player in the 2020 draft class. He has plenty of prospect pedigree going back to his high school days, when his pure stuff stacked up among the best arms of a loaded 2018 prep pitching class. As a high schooler, Ginn ratcheted his fastball up to 99 mph and buried a mean, wipeout slider as well. Rather than sign with Los Angeles at the back of the first round, he had a strong freshman season at Mississippi State and proved he could be a dominant starter. He posted a 3.13 ERA over 17 starts and 86.1 innings, while striking out 105 batters and walking 19. When healthy, Ginn possesses two potentially double-plus pitches. His fastball has impressive velocity, but the pitch’s life and running action makes it even more impressive. His slider has also been graded as a future plus-plus offering by some evaluators, and he has a solid changeup as well. Ginn showed he could hold his stuff over longer outings, repeat his delivery consistently and throw enough strikes to start, but now teams will have to decide whether to take the risk on his health. He could again be a difficult sign because of the additional leverage that comes with being a draft-eligible sophomore.”

Fangraphs says about Ginn:

“Ginn had some relief and age-related risk coming out of high school (the Dodgers picked him in the back of round one but couldn’t get a deal done) but he began to quell the bullpen concerns during his freshman season at Mississippi State, and his age was not only to become irrelevant but arguably a point in his favor as a draft-eligible sophomore. His first year in Starkville, Ginn was up to 96, flashing the same plus slider he had in high school, but more imporanyl he walked just 19 hitters in 86 innings. He entered his draft-eligible sophomore year in the middle of a crowded group of first round college arms, but tore his UCL during his first start and needed Tommy John. He’ll be back late in 2021 and projects as a no. 4 starter.”

Ginn is the third MSU player that the Mets have snatched up over the last two years.

Here’s some video of the newest Met:

Here’s some more info on Ginn:

The slot value of the 52nd pick is 1.40 million dollars.

The Mets added Pete Crow-Armstrong in the first round last night and have four more selections in this year’s draft. Stay tuned to MMO/MMN for more draft coverage.