Surprise leaders in the AL Central after finishing 59-103 last year, the Twins spent their No. 1 pick on speedy Royce Lewis, a slick-fielding shortstop out of JSerra Catholic High School in California.
“We know he’s going to be a leader the second he steps on the field,” Minnesota chief baseball officer Derek Falvey said.
CBSSports.com reports that Lewis becomes the Twins’ third-ever No. 1 overall pick. In 2001, they took Joe Mauer with the top overall pick, and in 1983 they drafted Tim Belcher with the first overall selection.
Greene was next to come off the board – and until he did, many wondered where he would fit as a pro.
The right-hander from California also played an impressive shortstop at Notre Dame High School, but a fastball that can reach 100 mph has the Reds projecting him as a future ace.
Featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated this season and labeled the big star baseball needs, Greene was the first of four prospects in attendance at the draft site to be selected.
“If there was ever a young man who could live up to a Sports Illustrated cover at age 17, I think Hunter’s that young man,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said.
Greene was asked to give a scouting report on himself as a pitcher.
“Man, I’m a monster,” he said, chuckling. “I’m different on the field than I am off the field. I’m just going to go out there and compete and challenge and pound the zone and go after guys like I know I can and like everybody else knows I can.”
And while the Reds drafted him as a pitcher, Greene sounded as though he still might have designs on playing the infield, too. Already there is talk he could be a designated hitter in the low minors when he’s not pitching.
“I don’t even know yet,” Greene said, wearing a Cincinnati cap and jersey. “I still love doing both and I think the ballclub is excited for getting two players for one. So I think they’re pretty pumped up for that, so we’ll see how it works out.”
At No. 3, the San Diego Padres selected North Carolina prep left-hander MacKenzie Gore, marking the first time since 1990 that the top three picks were all high school players.
Then it was McKay, another two-way star from Louisville, going fourth to the Rays as a first baseman.
McKay had teams considering whether they should draft him as a pitcher, hitter – or both. The Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year is batting .343 with 17 homers and 56 RBIs for the College World Series-bound Cardinals. He’s also 10-3 with a 2.34 ERA and 140 strikeouts in 104 innings on the mound.
He sounded happy to have a chance to keep hitting, and the Rays said they plan to give him an opportunity to pitch in the minors as well.
“It’s just awesome, getting to swing it every day, play every day,” McKay said in an interview with MLB Network. “It’s going to be fun to be involved, and being on the field a lot.”
McKay told the Tampa Bay Times that Minnesota made him an offer to be the first overall pick, but he thought he “could get a better offer from another team.”
It was the third time the Twins were up first – the previous year was 2001, when they grabbed hometown high school catcher Joe Mauer with the top choice.