ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Rays made a bit of a bold move in taking 17-year-old right-handed pitcher Nick Bitsko with the 24th pick in the MLB draft Wednesday.
Bitsko was considered the top-ranked high school player for the 2021 draft, according to Baseball America, but with a plan to graduate early from Central Bucks East High in Doylestown, Pa., then to enroll at the University of Virginia, he moved into this year’s draft.
Bitsko has a pitcher’s body, 6 feet 4 and 220 pounds, and a big-time fastball, clocking in the mid-90s, with a strong curveball.
MLB Network analyst Al Leiter, a longtime big-league pitcher, was impressed.
“I think (his) upside is tremendous,” Leiter said on the network broadcast. “This guy does move the needle for me, he does. I think he’s going to be special.”
If Bitsko signs, with a slot value of $2,831,300, he will join the Rays’ top-ranked farm system that is deep with pitching prospects.
Bitsko pitched only two seasons of high school baseball as a freshman and sophomore, and none this year due to the coronavirus shutdown, which made him difficult to evaluate.
Bitsko was ranked 14th overall in the draft class by mlb.com, 15th by ESPN, 18th by The Athletic, 19th by Baseball America.
The draft was changed extensively due to the coronavirus pandemic, most significantly slashed from 40 rounds to five in a cost-cutting move. In-person scouting was limited due to the few college, and even fewer high school, games played, forcing scouts and analysts to make assessments from previous observations and video.
The Rays had two picks Wednesday and six total, having been awarded a competitive balance round selection they swapped in trade with St. Louis to move up to No. 37, which is the final pick Wednesday. On Thursday, the Rays have four picks, Nos. 57, 96, 125 and 155.
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