Chicago Cubs: Looking ahead to the 2020 Major League Baseball draft

The 2020 Major League Baseball Amateur draft is still ten months away. It may seem like an eternity. However, it isn’t too early to look at the direction of Theo Epstein and the Chicago Cubs could go come next June.

Of every major professional sports draft, Major League Baseball is the most difficult to predict. The event encompasses a whopping 40 rounds and over 1,200 prospective players. Unlike the National Football League, there is a far less guarantee of any guys, even the number one overall selection, panning out.

The Cubs have seemingly struck gold the past couple of seasons. This year, the club selected right-handed pitcher Ryan Jensen out of Fresno State University with their first-round pick at number 27 overall. Jensen is currently with the Low-A Eugene Emeralds where he carries an impressive 2.25 ERA through his first six games.

In 2018 it was Nico Hoerner at number 24 overall in the first round, a shortstop from Stanford University. Hoerner tore through rookie ball and Low-A before his promotion to Class-A South Bend last season. While there, he slashed .400/.471/.667 before earning another promotion. Currently at Double-A Tennessee this season, Hoerner has a respectable 115 wRC+. As we near the draft, what will Epstein and company do for an encore?