There's not much we know right now about the MLB Draft.
It might take place as scheduled as June 10, it might be delayed until late July. It might be trimmed to 10 rounds, it might be slashed to five. It might be held at a central location, it might go down via Zoom. MLB hopes to have some answers sometime week.
Here's what we do know: the draft is deep, and it's rife with bats at the top. That's good news for Al Avila and the Tigers, who have the No. 1 pick and a glaring need for premium position players as they try to get this rebuild off the ground. And it's good news for the club's director of amateur scouting Scott Pleis, who told reporters Tuesday that 'talent' is his only concern.
"Obviously there's been a lot of talk and a need for a bat. We have a lot of really good arms -- and knock on wood, they all continue to stay that way -- but if you start thinking need more than anything else, you’re going to pass on a guy that might be quite a bit better," Pleis said. "So you have to be really careful when you do it.
"My job is to give the Tigers the best player and best impact we can get. I’ve been with Al a long time, I want to give him exactly what he needs. But I can’t throw everything away and say, 'Al, I know you need this one the most. Let’s do that.' And then two years later we’re watching this other guy and he’s like, 'Holy cow, why did we do that?'"
For the Tigers, it's probably a debate between Arizona State 1B Spencer Torkelson and Vanderbilt SS Austin Martin. Don't sleep on New Mexico State 2B Nick Gonzales either. Torkelson and Martin aren't just the two best hitters on the board. They're widely considered the two best players.
The challenge will be coming to an answer without the benefit of any recent data. When the sports world came to a stop in mid-March due to the coronavirus, college baseball was only about a third of the way through its season. That will hurt every organization in the draft.
"We, picking first, may probably get hurt the most by that," Avila said Tuesday.
The Orioles, who pick second, don't really have to fret. Assuming they have Torkelson and Martin at the top of their board, their decision will hinge on Detroit's. It's the Tigers who have to make the hard call, and Torkelson and Martin -- and Gonzales, for that matter -- didn't make it any easier by collectively torching opposing pitchers this spring.
Not that Detroit is feeling sorry for itself. This is a good problem to have.
"Here’s the deal," said Pleis. "We will have all the information, we will have had all the conversations. We constantly communicate with each other. It’ll just be different, that’s all. As soon as we get word from MLB, 'This is how it has to go down,' we’re ready to proceed."
In terms of sheer hitting ability, Torkelson is probably the pick. And boy if a slugging first baseman isn't just what the Tigers need. In terms of all-around talent, Martin is your guy. He's the kind of five-tool player Detroit hasn't seen since ... Curtis Granderson? In terms of raw production, uhm, did you see Gonzales' numbers this spring? He led the country with 12 homers and 36 RBI ... in 16 games.
Point is, the Tigers can't go wrong. And it's not like they haven't been tracking Torkelson, Martin and Gonzales for more than a few months. They have a wealth of a first-hand knowledge to supplement the film, the analytics and everything else. Their process has always been simple, and it's simpler still when picking first overall.
"You have to take the best guy, that’s number one," said Pleis. "And then hopefully it falls into your needs and everybody’s happy."
Let's get this show on the road.