MLB Draft 2020: Yankees select Trevor Hauver in the third round

With their second pick in the 2020 MLB Draft the Yankees selected Arizona State Outfielder Trevor Hauver 99th overall. The pick was announced as a second baseman, but the pre-draft scouting reports list Hauver as an outfielder.

At 6 feet tall and 205 pounds, Hauver is ranked as the 130th best draft prospect by MLB Pipeline and 201st by Baseball America. He put up good number against Pac-12 competition posting a 1.007 OPS in 57 games as a sophomore in 2019. He was off to an even better start this season, slashing .339/.494/.695 through 17 games when the season was cancelled.

After playing shortstop in high school, Hauver found himself in the outfield during his time in college, as Arizona State boasts one of the best infields in the country. Hauver could land at either second base or third base moving forward, where scouts think he has a chance to be an average defender at best.

Hauver’s bat will have to carry him, but it has big potential as seen in his Baseball America scouting report “...the biggest step forward for Hauver, who already had a good approach at the plate and good barrel control, was his improved pitch selection, walking more than he struck out during the abbreviated 2020 college season while still hitting for both average and power.”

Havuer has the chance to be a solid bat. If he can handle the defense at either second base or third base he has a path to the majors as neither position is exceptionally deep in the Yankees system. The Yankees have chosen two left-handed hitting players with big on-base profiles.

The Yankees will now look to finish their draft strong with their final pick in the fourth round.