Several ’Canes hope to hear their names called in draft

An MLB draft shortened to five rounds from the usual 40 begins on Wednesday night, and the Miami Hurricanes have multiple prospects that should hear their names called.

A couple of them, right-handed pitchers Chris McMahon and Slade Cecconi, could be first-round picks as UM looks to add to its storied history of 28 first rounders and 295 draft picks in total.

While MLB is yet to put a plan in place to return to play from the coronavirus pandemic, the draft goes on in this year’s truncated format, airing

on ESPN and MLB Network at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.

“It’s all new territory for us. We’ve never had a draft like this,” said Miami baseball coach Gino DiMare in a phone interview with the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “Common sense would tell you: You only have five rounds; you’re probably going to have more players showing up on campus [next season].”

Seniors being granted an extra season of college baseball eligibility, incoming recruits, plus juniors who would’ve gone pro this summer but now won’t in a shortened draft could lead to deep college rosters next season.

But that shouldn’t change how the elite prospects maneuver.

“Players that were going to go high,” DiMare said, “that hasn’t changed.”

For the Hurricanes, that’s McMahon and Cecconi. McMahon, a junior, is ranked No. 29 on MLB.com’s top-200 draft prospects while Cecconi, a sophomore, is No. 31. They can each realistically go on Wednesday in the draft’s first 37 picks between the first round and Competitive Balance Round A. The slot values for signing bonuses within that range go from $2 million to about $3 million.

Both McMahon and Cecconi easily throw their fastball in the mid-90s and have improved their off-speed pitches.

“Their abilities stand out. They’re high-velocity guys. They’re both strike throwers,” DiMare said. “They both got high ceilings, meaning they haven’t even reached their potential. These are guys that have a lot more in the tank because, in terms of arm action, it’s not a max-effort velocity that they’re throwing. So, when you see that, you know there’s going to be more that comes out of them.”

Although prospects usually have to spend at least three seasons in college once they don’t sign with a pro team out of high school, Cecconi is draft-eligible as a sophomore because he turns 21 within 48 days after the draft.

Following Wednesday, rounds two through five start on Thursday at 4 p.m. Junior shortstop Freddy Zamora, who is recovering from a knee injury, could be next off the board for Miami. He’s ranked No. 100 by MLB.com.

“There’s a lot of pro teams that are still high on him because, first of all, the shortstop position is probably the hardest position to find. There’s not a lot of good shortstops out there,” said DiMare, who feels Zamora could’ve been a firstround choice before the injury. “The injury thing, they’re aware of it, but they’re willing because that position is so hard to find. “

Junior first baseman Alex Toral is the next current Hurricane on MLB.com’s rankings at No. 185.

DiMare feels there’s a chance of getting the

power-hitting lefty bat back next season if he doesn’t go too high.

“I don’t think Alex has a problem coming back,” he said. “He’s got a decision to make. He’s kind of right on that bubble possibly of going, not going, not sure. The money thing, I think he’s a guy that doesn’t have a problem with coming back to school and finishing his education.”

DiMare also noted third baseman Raymond Gil as a possibility to sneak into the draft’s five rounds.

The shortened draft also impacts high school prospects. UM recruits that are ranked in MLB.com’s top 200 are right-handed pitchers Alejandro Rosario from Miami Christian (No. 71) and Victor Mederos of Westminster Christian (99) and infielders Yohandy Morales of Braddock (131) and Sammy Infante from Pace (149).

“The recruits that we signed, we have a handful of guys that could possibly go, so we have to see what happens,” DiMare said.

The final pick of this year’s draft (160) has a slot value of a $324,100 signing bonus. Players can still sign as undrafted free agents, but, this year, they would only get a maximum $20,000 bonus.

DiMare feels that senior pitchers in starter Brian Van Belle and reliever Tyler Keysor should exercise that extra year of college eligibility because, with no minorleague season this year regardless of what MLB does, they still wouldn’t be reporting to their pro teams until next year.