Keith Law’s mock draft projects the Cincinnati Reds land Cade Cavalli

Keith Law projects the Reds to take Cade Cavalli with the No. 12 overall pick.

The 2020 Major League Baseball Draft will take place on June 10 and 11. The draft is limited to just five rounds this seasons and will be done virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic. Keith Law’s latest mock draft has the Cincinnati Reds adding another pitcher to their farm system in Oklahoma right-hander Cade Cavalli.

If the draft falls the way Law predicts, Cavalli would be a very nice pick up with the 12th overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft. Formerly a two-way player, Cavalli proved in the limited time he played in 2020 that the belongs on the pitcher’s mound.

Adding Cavalli would follow Cincinnati’s recent history of drafting college players over high schoolers in the first round. With their first pick in the past four drafts, the Reds have taken a college player. Hunter Greene’s selection in 2017 was the lone exception. Last year, Dick Williams and Nick Krall added left-hander Nick Lodolo.

With two of the team’s top starters scheduled to enter free agency next winter, bulking up on potential starting pitchers is probably a very good idea. Anthony DeSclafani and Trevor Bauer are both slated to become free agents in the offseason, and with the current economic state of most teams, it’s hard to see the Reds offering multi-year contracts to either player.

Cincinnati’s top two prospects, according to MLB Pipeline, are both starting pitchers. Lodolo and Greene are at the top of the Reds farm system, but there’s a big gap between them and former Top 5 prospect Tony Santillan.

Wade Miley’s contract is up after next season, potentially leaving Cincinnati’s starting rotation with just Sonny Gray and Luis Castillo. Tyler Mahle has shown flashes, and the front office hopes for Santillan to be a frontline starter. However, Mahle has been inconsistent and Santillan lacks control and command in 2019.

Cavalli pitched in just four games and totaled only 23.2 innings, but the struck out 37 batters while walking only five. The right-hander does come with some injury concerns, as he missed most of his senior year of high school due to a back injury and Cavalli missed a few games in 2019 with a stress reaction in his arm.

Cade Cavalli has a smooth, effortless delivery and can easily keep his fastball in the mid-to-upper 90s. If Keith Law’s prediction is correct, the Reds coaching staff could have a player similar to Lodolo that they can fast track to the big leagues.