The Rangers select second baseman Justin Foscue 14th overall in the 2020 MLB Draft

With the 14th pick in the 2020 MLB Draft, the Rangers have selected second baseman Justin Foscue out of Mississippi State.

On draft day, the one demographic whose draft stock often rises more than any other are college hitters with track records of performance in top conferences and that is exactly what Justin Foscue brings to the table. While he doesn’t have the raw athleticism and projectability of some of the bats in this draft, his skill as a hitter is greater than the sum of its parts. After posting a .338/.402/.582 line with 14 home runs during his sophomore year, he was on his way to a very similar campaign in 2020 (.302/.449/.491 with a pair of homers) before the shutdown.

While there is a lot to like about Foscue, there are some that question his upside particularly with his power and physical upside. No one doubts that he has performed as a college hitter, but there are differing reports on his in-game power which is fine if the hit tool continues to be good and he is relegated to second base. If he has to move off of second base for some reason to a corner outfield spot, that would put a lot more pressure on the bat to succeed.