Mariners sign 3 draft picks, including top selection, right-hander Emerson Hancock
The Seattle Mariners announced Thursday they have signed three of their six picks from the 2020 Major League Baseball Draft, including their top pick, Georgia right-hander Emerson Hancock.
Seattle also signed Texas A&M outfielder Zach DeLoach, their second-round selection, and Cal Poly right-hander Taylor Dollard, their fifth-round pick.
“Emerson Hancock fits everything we’re doing with the Seattle Mariners, both in terms of his ability as a player and his character as a person,” Mariners director of amateur scouting Scott Hunger said in a release. “He is a true power arm who has the tools and the drive to pitch at the top of the starting rotation.
“We believe that Zach DeLoach was one of the best hitters in this year’s draft after a stellar Cape Cod League season in 2019. He is a complete hitter. He controls the strike zone and has a pure left-handed hitting swing.
“Taylor Dollard just dominated the Cape Cod League last year. He has excellent command and control, misses bats and has a pure feel for pitching.”
Because of the shortened draft — Seattle had six picks in five rounds — the Mariners were confident in the signability of each of the selections they made. McLennan Community College right-hander Connor Phillips (Competitive Balance B round), Oklahoma State second baseman Kaden Polcovich (third round) and third baseman Tyler Keenan (fourth round) are also expected to sign with the club.
Hancock, Georgia’s 21-year-old ace, was the third consecutive college pitcher the Mariners have selected in the first round when they took him at No. 6 overall earlier this month, joining Stetson’s Logan Gilbert (No. 14 overall in 2018) and Elon’s George Kirby (No. 20 overall in 2019), who entered the year as the club’s top pitching prospects.
He is a 6-foot-4, 215-pound power right-hander with a four-pitch mix that includes a mid-to-upper 90s fastball, and plus slider, curveball and changeup.
“I like to attack hitters,” Hancock told local reporters via Zoom after he was selected. “I like to go right after them. I don’t like to walk people. I try to be efficient with my pitches.”
Hancock entered the year in the discussion as a possible No. 1 overall pick, but his draft stock dipped slightly following a lat strain in 2019, and an uneven final four starts with Georgia in a shortened 2020 season.
Hancock made 33 appearances — all starts — in his career at Georgia, collecting 206 strikeouts while walking just 55 in 192 innings.
He made four starts for the Bulldogs before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down college baseball, allowing six runs in his opening start, and four in his third. But, he pitched 14 1/3 scoreless frames in his other two starts, including his final college start on March 6, when he fanned a career-high 12 batters in 7 1/3 innings.
Hancock signed for $5.7 million (slot value was $5,742,900), according to MLB.com’s Jim Callis.
DeLoach, who the Mariners selected in the second round at No. 43 overall, significantly boosted his draft stock by winning the Cape Cod League’s batting title in 2019.
The 21-year-old left-handed hitter had a slow start at the plate his first two seasons with the Aggies, but commanded attention in summer ball, slashing at .353/.428/.541 with eight doubles, a triple, five homers, 23 RBI and eight stolen bases in 37 games.
DeLoach caught Seattle’s attention there, and kept it, hitting .421/.547/.789 with three doubles, six homers, 17 RBI and six stolen bases in his shortened junior season at Texas A&M.
The Mariners see DeLoach as a center fielder to start, but he could move into a corner outfield spot.
Deloach signed for his full slot value of $1,729,800, according to Callis.
Dollard was Seattle’s final selection in the draft at No. 137 overall, and was another Cape Cod standout for the club, posting a 1.56 ERA with 27 strikeouts and just one walk in 11 relief appearances, while also logging five saves.
The 21-year-old was a trusted reliever for Cal Poly his first two years of college, but converted into a starter for his shortened junior season, and the Mariners plan to continue developing him in a starting role.
Dollard made just four starts before it was cut short, but his velocity and command translated well, and he posted a 1-0 record and 1.67 ERA with 36 strikeouts and four walks across 27 innings.
He never lost a game in three seasons at Cal Poly, finishing with a perfect 9-0 record and career 2.43 ERA.
This story was originally published June 25, 2020 at 2:01 PM.
