Phillies MLB Draft: Five players worth considering at No. 14

RHP Jackson Rutledge, San Jacinto (Texas) JC

While Baseball America mocked Kirby to the Phillies, they noted that if Rutledge is on the board at No. 14, he will likely be the pick. However, they mocked the Rangers to pick Rutledge eighth, so he may not get all the way down to where Philadelphia will pick.

Rutledge pitched his freshman year at Arkansas in 2018, but a season-ending hip injury ultimately led him to transfer to junior college for a year. He wasn’t expected to declare for the draft until next year, but now he is a potential top-ten pick this year.

Rutledge was named a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes award, given to the top amateur baseball player in the nation. He led all Division I junior college pitchers with a 0.87 ERA as of May 15, striking out 134 batters and holding a 9-2 record.

While Kirby places more emphasis on his command, and Rutledge has dominating stuff. His long arms help him generate a fastball velocity into the high 90s. Despite his size, he still uses a short compact delivery on the mound that is praised for the deception it creates.

Rutledge pairs with his fastball three average or better secondary pitches in his changeup, slider, and curveball. The key will be honing his command against higher levels of competition, as he hasn’t needed it too much against JuCo players.

BA’s scouting report on Rutledge says he could become a No. 2 pitcher. That upside comes with some risk of ending up as a reliever thanks to his issues with command. He may be worth taking a swing on and potentially ending up with a top-of-the-rotation starter.