By: Will Farlow

The Chicago Cubs went into the 2020 MLB Draft with needs in pitching, infield, and outfield as they retool their farm system. Cubs rookie scout Dan Kantrovitz was thrilled did a good job of making some smart picks in his first Draft for the Chicago Cubs. Cubs fans should be excited with the five new players headed to the North side of Chicago . Here is my overall draft grade for the Cubs and some info on each of the new Chicago Cubs players.

Round 1: Pick 16 – Ed Howard  SS  Mount Carmel High School  (Illinois)

The high school shortstop is staying home in Chicago with this pick by the Cubs. This is a first round pick Cubs fans will be happy with for many years to come. Scout Dan Kantrovitz following the pick was quoted saying the team was “holding their breaths each pick from 10 to 16”. This is a smart pick by a team that can possibly lose Javier Baez, Kris Bryant, and key infield pieces in free agency in the next few years. Howard is a great defensive , contact hitting shortstop seen by many scouts as one of the best picks from the 2020 MLB Draft.  

Round 2: Pick 51 - Burl Carraway  LHP  Dallas Baptist 

I like this pick in Round 2 for the Cubs as they start to add pitching they can develop in their farm system. Scouts see Carraway as a good lefty in a MLB rotation in the future. Carraway has a nasty combination of a fastball and a curve ball sure to annoy hitters in the NL Central once he is up in the majors. I like the potential for Carraway in a future Cubs rotation.  

​Round 3: Pick 88 - Jordan Nwogu  OF  Michigan

​This is a good pick by Chicago in Round 3 as they need more outfield prospects to develop to the major league team. Nwogu is a play Kantrovitz and the rest of the Cubs front office was happy fell to them I Round 3. Scouts from the Cubs say Nwogu has a rare combo of power and good plate discipline. I think this kid could be a good piece in the Cubs farm system.  

​Round 4: Pick 117 - Luke Little  LHP  San Jacinto College

The Cubs take another left hander here in Round 4 with a development pitcher. Cubs fans will enjoy his ability to throw 105 MPH shown in a video last month of the left hander's bullpen session. Little is a tall 6'8 size , but scouts in Chicago feel improving his pitch design and mechanics properly is vital to his development.  

​Round 5: Pick 147 - Koen Moreno  RHP  Panther Creek High School  

The Cubs grab another good arm here in Round 5 taking high school right hander Koen Moreno. I like Moreno as he brings a good pitch combo of a curve ball, slider, and a mid-90s fastball. Cubs scouts feel he can be a starter in the MLB. This is a good final pick for a Cubs team in need of young pitchers to develop with an aging major league rotation.  

By: Will Farlow

The Chicago White Sox went into the 2020 MLB Draft with needs of left handed pitching and continuing to develop their farm system for the future as the team is heading into contention. White Sox rookie scout Mike Shirley did a good job of making some smart picks in a pitcher heavy MLB Draft. As in any professional sports draft some players fell at picks to Chicago that they prepared for in a good strategic approach. Here is my overall draft grade for the White Sox and some info on each of the new Chicago White Sox players.  

Draft Grade: A

​Round 1: Pick 11 - Garret Crochet  LHP  Tennessee

​After lefty Reid Detmers went to the Anaheim Angels at pick 10 the White Sox select lefty Garret Crochet. Crochet is a very good left handed pitcher drawing comparisons to Madison Baumgartner and former White Sox star pitcher Chris Sale. Mike Shirley and GM Rick Hahn were excited following the pick and believe this left hander can be a starter . Scouts believe Crochet can be in a Sox bullpen this season and follow a Chris Sale style path to the rotation. I like Crochet's command and effectiveness in his pitches . I love this pick for Chicago as they fill a need of left handed pitchers.

​Round 2: Pick 47 - Jared Kelley  RHP  Refugio High School  (Texas)

​The White Sox take another good pitcher here selecting Jared Kelley here in Round 2. Kelley is a good high school pitching prospect that was a steal falling to Chicago at this pick as he was projected at #12 of all MLB Draft prospects. Looking at some scouting reports, Kelley is someone that can be a top rotation piece bring his strong fastball and change up. Kelley is praised by Sox scouts for his character and how good his pitch delivery and command are for a high school pitcher. Sox fans should be excited for this steal of a Round 1 draft prospect going to the South side here in the second round.

​Round 3: Pick 83 - Adisyn Coffey  RHP  Wabash Valley College  (Illinois)

I like this pick of Adisyn Coffey by the White Sox in Round 3. Shohei Ohtani to Anaheim a few seasons ago has started the trend of two way players, and Adisyn Coffey falls under this category. Coffey is a pitcher that can also play shortstop, third base, and center field making him a good prospect for the White Sox farm system. I like the trend of two way players as it shows you can do a lot in baseball regardless of your position which makes me like this pick for the Chicago White Sox.

​Round 4: Pick 112 - Kade Mechels  RHP  Grand Canyon University

​The White Sox continue to take advantage of a pitching heavy 2020 draft class by selecting Kade Mechels. Mechels is another unexpected pick for the White Sox given he is recovering from Tommy John surgery since last month. Mechels has good pitching tools and as he recovers in the Sox farm system look for Pitching Coach Don Cooper to help develop this prospect after his injury.  

Round 5: Pick 142 - Bailey Horn  LHP  Auburn

The White Sox took all pitchers in this year's draft as they finish off with their last pick in taking another left handed pitcher in Bailey Horn. Horn is another good prospect for Chicago to build in their farm system. The Auburn left hander previously recovered from Tommy John surgery, and scout Mike Shirley likes how well this kid progressed and grew after the injury during his college career. The White Sox make a good pick here to finish off an impressive pitching dominant draft class sure to give them well improved pitching depth in an organization already featuring young arms like Dylan Cease and Michael Kopech.  

By: Will Farlow 

​The Chicago Cubs finished the season third place in the NL Central with a record of 84-78. Cubs fans are worried at this point as the team is facing tough competition in a division with teams like the Brewers, the rival Cardinals, and a improving Cincinnati Reds team. The Cubs organization faces a difficult decision as star players like Kris Bryant, Javier Baez, and Anthony Rizzo could be headed out the door with the next few years of free agency looming. The Cubs need improvement in scouting pitchers, and with a good class of pitchers in this year's draft look to see a lot of new pitchers in the Cubs farm system. The Northsiders will leave it to scouting director Dan Kantrovitz to put their retool for the future hopefully on the right foot here in the MLB Draft. These five picks are my takes on players Kantrovitz should select for the future of Cubs Baseball on the North side.  

Round 1

Round 1: Pick 16

​Garrett Mitchell  OF  UCLA

​With outfield prospects like Brennan Davis only in Single A this is a smart pick by Theo Epstein and the Chicago Cubs. Garret Mitchell brings a good left hander that can be a great defender in center field along with good speed and hitting for average. Scouts are concerned about his power developing , but with the smart pick in Round 1 expect him to soar through the Cubs farm system.  

Round 2

Round 2: Pick 53

​Cole Henry  RHP  LSU

​The Cubs fill their need in pitching with this pick in the second round as they take the right hander Cole Henry. Henry brings to Chicago a strong IQ of pitching which is a great trait to have as a future MLB pitcher. The LSU right hander also features a good three pitch mix of a solid fastball , a 12-6 curve ball, and a good fading change up. This is a good pick for the Cubs in Round 2.  

Round 3

Round 3: Pick 88

Taylor Dollard  RHP  Cal Poly

​The Cubs have needs at the pitching position , and they hit a home run with this pick by taking Dollard the right hander. The Cal Poly junior takes his talents of command and good consistency at the pitcher's mound. Theo Epstein hears the cries of Cubs fans for better pitching prospects to aid the aging MLB club rotation .  

Round 4

Round 4: Pick 117

​Casey Schmitt  3B  San Diego State  

​Cubs star third baseman Kris Bryant could be out the door in the next few years as a free agent , and the Cubs take Schmitt as a long term developed option for third base This is a smart pick as Schmitt can develop under Bryant and be ready if the Cubs have a hole to fill if Bryant leaves Chicago.  

Round 5

Round 5: Pick 147

Brainden Ward  OF  Washington

​The Cubs finish off the draft by taking another college outfielder they hope can make it to the major league club in a few years. Brainden Ward can do just that as the left handed hitter brings good defensive skills and a bat with average contact hitting. Ward has time once he joins Chicago to develop his hitting and lowering that strikeout rate to eventually be a good piece in the Cubs organization.  

The Chicago White Sox finished the season on an improved note in 2019 in the rebuild with a record of 72-89. The Southsiders saw growth from corner stone pieces like Yoan Moncada, Tim Anderson, Eloy Jimenez, and starter Lucas Giolito . The White Sox had a busy off season in free agency bringing in players such as LHP Dallas Keuchel , power hitting catcher Yasmani Grandal, a trade for outfielder Nomar Mazara, power hitter Edwin Encarnacion, RHP Gio Gonzalez, and RHP reliever Steve Cishek. The White Sox have a new director of scouting in Mike Shirley as former scouting director Nick Hostetler is now a GM special assistant for major league scouting . Shirley is now given the keys to driving the White Sox into greener pastures of contention with these next five future Sox players to be taken in the first five round MLB Draft. These next five picks are my takes on players that Shirley could select for the White Sox in the 2020 MLB Draft.

The White Sox take a talented high school pitcher here in Round 2 as they select Dax Fulton. Fulton is a good left handed pitcher that brings the comparison of star left hander Clayton Kershaw. The Mustang high school left hander in my opinion can be a possible two way player with his solid hitting ability paired with good 6'6 size and command at the mound. I like this pick for the Southsiders in Round 2.  

The White Sox take the smart approach here in Round 3 by taking the left hander form Virginia Tech. Many scouts believe Seymour would return to the Hokies for another season but Hahn trusts his gut with this pick as the White Sox need more left handed pitching in the farm system. The six foot left hander brings the command to strike out a lot of batters and someone Don Cooper will look forward to working with in the future. I like this prospect's work ethic as talked about by his coaches and it makes this a good pick for Chicago in Round 3.  

The White Sox go best player available in Round 4 by taking the switch hitter from Edmond, Oklahoma. Kaden Polcovich is a great pick due to his ability to also play second and shortstop giving him the chance to become a good utility player for the White Sox. Polcovich is a good hitter for average with decent defense. This is a good pick for Chicago as a future player that can be useful in the lineup or off the bench in game situations.

The White Sox finish off the draft with another college left hander in Levi Prater. Prater is a good average sized college pitcher as the junior brings many intangibles the Southsiders could use in a pitcher. The Sooner junior is known by scouts as the pitcher that gets strikeouts consistently and barely gives up a run. This is a good pick for a White So team that adds to the need for left handed pitchers in the farm system.