The MLB Draft is less than two weeks away. Around this time, the media usually starts to streamline the mocks with the same players going to the same teams. However, that’s not the case this year.
Mike Elias keeps everything close to the vest regarding the Draft. While this may be due to gamesmanship, Elias likes to consider his options and the money for the prospects, and he can’t do that unless he keeps all the rumors quiet. Surprisingly, Elias even told us how many players they were considering for that number one pick.
This is why we are no closer to finding out what the Orioles will do, even with under two weeks until the Draft. We should have more clarity on the situation, but we don’t because of how Elias operates.
It would be wise to make a pivot at this time. The Orioles have to whittle down the board at some point. I think they are seriously considering two prospects for the first pick: Druw Jones and Termarr Johnson.
So I thought it would be fun to write an article comparing the two. It will be broken up like this: Hit tool, Power, Speed, and Defense.
So with all that said, let’s get started and see who comes out on top.
Hit
There is no competition in this category. Termarr has been one of the best pure hitters in the prep rankings. He has an uncanny ability to put a barrel on a baseball and drive it. He uses his left-handed swing to make contact and put the ball in play. He also possesses a very patient approach and won’t give in to the pitcher’s plans for him. He is a pest to deal with offensively, and pitchers will be frustrated with him daily because he just won’t go away. Johnson’s bat is special, and it deserves the egregious amount of praise it’s receiving.
That doesn’t mean Jones’s hit tool is bad. Druw understands the strike zone and knows how to attack it when barreling up baseballs. While his swing isn’t as pretty as Termarr’s, he has shown an ability to make contact without being outmatched by higher-level pitching. Druw is also disciplined and can be pesky at times. He clearly understands how to hit, and I feel like some scouts are underrating his bat right now.
While I like Jones’s hit tool, Johnson’s is just on another level and could be considered elite.
Score: Termarr 1 Druw 0
Power
I came into this section expecting Termarr to run away with it again, but I was surprised with what I saw from Druw. Jones has really fast hands and the ability to launch baseballs. This is important because those hard-hit balls will start turning into home runs as he gets stronger. Druw also has a pretty finish when he uses both hands. His swing is long, but he uses it very well, generating loud contact. Most scouts describe Jones’s power as more “ gap to gap,” but I think he has a lot of juice in his swing and has much more potential for power when he gets into an MLB training program and starts to put weight on his 6’4″ frame. I am much higher on his potential here than most scouts because he still has to grow into his lean body and already has some power.
Johnson’s power is something else. For someone listed at a generous 5’10, his power is more like 6’3. That bat speed is something that needs to be seen. The ball explodes off his bat, and he swings his bat like a water noodle. Despite looking like he is swinging with nothing in his hands, the ball travels 400 ft every time. Termarr is one of the most unique prospects I have evaluated. He isn’t big at all, yet that bat is something to behold, man. His bat carries his value, and the bat lived up to the hype. Johnson’s power is special with his lighting-fast hands and ability to put the baseball in play with so much authority.
Score: Termarr 2 Druw 0
Speed
If you thought Termarr would run away with this, that ends here. It doesn’t make sense, but he is not fast. I see a lack of athleticism from Johnson, which confuses me. And unfortunately, it isn’t getting any better. An MLB development team can’t make someone more athletic, so this weakness is here to stay. Termarr does have some quickness in his feet on the bath paths, but it can’t ultimately make up for his lack of speed and athleticism.
So take everything I just said about Termarr ad switch it for Druw. Jones is a rare athlete and has crazy speed. He also has a long stride, but he is just so athletic that he glides on the bath paths and the field. Druw is in another dimension compared to Termarr regarding speed.
Score: Termarr 2 Druw 1
Fielding
I expected Druw to blow Termarr away, but I don’t think the latter is bad here. Johnson has soft hands for an infielder. For someone with average speed, he does possess decent fielding ability, thanks to his quickness which is better than his natural speed. Combine this with his soft hands and glove, and you have a guy who is decent enough at second base. The issue is his lackluster throwing arm. Johnson fits best at Second, where he will play average defense, but that was better than I expected, so good on him for proving me wrong.
You know, being the son of one of the best defenders of all time is going to leave some huge shoes to fill. Druw Jones fits into that shoe just right. He uses his athleticism to glide all over the outfield and makes incredible plays in center. His reaction time is always great, and he also has a great throwing arm. His athletic ability and great throwing arm have even led some scouts to say he could play shortstop instead of center. I wouldn’t prefer this change, because I think Druw can be special in Center.
While Termarr did surprise me and did show smoothness at second, Druw clears him.
Score: Termarr 2 Druw 2
Final Verdict
We have a tie. What was the point if Druw and Termarr ended up tied in the end? I wanted to show how difficult it can be to make this pick. While it can be easy for us non-GMs to sit on Twitter and complain if the Orioles don’t take the player we want, just know that it isn’t as easy as it seems. Johnson has a potentially generational bat and will probably cost a lot less than Jones, so the Orioles could accept a bit less upside at #1 if it allows them to get another high-upside player later.
In my mind, these two really do match one another with their strengths and weakness. Jones has the athletic upside and elite potential when he gets stronger, but you know what you are getting with Johnson, and that is a potential .300 hitter with 25 to 30 home run power and average defense at second. With that said, I do think Druw is slightly better despite their skills coming in a “tie” above. He already has the athletic upside; he needs to get stronger. As for Termarr, I love the bat, and if he did allow the Orioles to get another high upside player or two, that pick would be amazing.
The thing is that I just want the Orioles to take Druw Jones. I get it; Johnson would allow Elias to do what he wants, leaving him more flexibility later, but you have the number one pick, and you need the number one player. This will probably (hopefully!) be the last time Elias has the first overall pick with the Draft Lottery coming in next year, and the team is playing too well right now to compete for it.
In conclusion, both players have their upside, but the Orioles need to take Jones, money be damned.
So please, Mike Elias, resist the urge to go under-slot and just give me Druw Jones. I would live with Johnson if we got a couple of huge upside guys, but Jones should go number one.
Thank you for reading, and come back next week for my mock draft. T-minus ten days until the Draft.
