Jared Shuster
Photo by: Brian Westerholt/Four Seam Images
Deacons Ready For MLB Draft
6/8/2020 9:12:00 PM | Baseball
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Major League Baseball Draft will be held on Wednesday and Thursday of this week and like many aspects of society, it will look remarkably different than past events.
Instead of 40 rounds, the draft has been reduced to just five rounds in 2020. The signing bonus structure has changed significantly as well.
Wake Forest will have a number of prospects who can expect to be part of the 2020 MLB Draft.
The Draft is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, June 10 at 7 p.m. EDT. The first night's coverage on both the MLB Network and ESPN2 will include the first round as well as Competitive Balance Round A, a total of 37 picks. The draft will continue at 5 p.m. EDT on Thursday, June 11 and will cover the second through fifth rounds.
The Detroit Tigers have the first pick followed by the Baltimore Orioles and the Miami Marlins.
Among the Demon Deacons who could hear their name called are lefthanded pitcher Jared Shuster, first baseman Bobby Seymour, and outfielder Chris Lanzilli.
Shuster is rated the 77th-best available prospect by MLB.com while Keith Law of The Athletic rates Shuster as the No. 21 prospect available in the draft.
"I think Jared's going to go in the top 50 picks," said Wake Forest head coach Tom Walter. "He really came on in his last three to four starts of the year, culminating in the Louisville game where he struck out 13 in seven and one-third innings. There were a ton of scouts and cross-checkers at that game because Louisville was throwing (Bobby Miller) who is also projected among the top 50 picks. Jared had his best day when he needed to and that really shot him up the draft boards."
If Shuster is among the top 50 picks, it would mark the fifth time in five years that a Deacon has been selected that high.
Shuster posted a 2-1 record in 2020 after a 4-4 season in 2019. In his four starts this year, he threw 26.1 innings and had an incredible 43 strikeouts to just four walks. He was tied for third in the ACC in strikeouts when the season came to a halt in mid-March. In his three seasons as a Deacon, Shuster went 6-9 and struck out 169 hitters in 128.1 innings.
Seymour, from St. John, Ind. was the ACC Player of the Year as a sophomore in 2019 and a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy. A first team All-American by Collegiate Baseball, Seymour led the nation with 92 RBIs, the most by a Division I player since Buster Posey had 93 in 2008. He led the ACC in batting with a .377 average and hit .326 in his three seasons with 17 homers and 135 RBIs. Seymour's 92 RBIs are the most in college baseball during the BBCOR era
Lanzilli was a 39th round pick of the San Francisco Giants in 2019 but opted to return to Wake Forest. He led or tied for the team lead in home runs in each of his three seasons including a career-best 16 round-trippers in 2019. In his three seasons, Lanzilli hit .314 with 31 home runs and 112 RBIs in 123 games.
"Seymour and Lanzilli are the same story," said Walter. "If 2019 was their junior year, they're probably talking about Seymour in the second round. But because he had his appendix removed last summer and missed time playing in the Cape Cod League and with Team USA, and then with our season being cut short, he probably slipped into the third to fifth round. Some team is going to get a steal because he is a second round talent that is likely to go in the third to fifth round.
"If Bobby Seymour wasn't the ACC Player of the Year (in 2019), Lanzilli would have been. I think he's probably in that fourth or fifth round range but he's a proven hitter. He hit last summer on the Cape, he was off to a good start this year. He has always gone out and hit and he will be a steal in the fourth or fifth round."
Wake Forest has had six first round draft picks in school history starting with Bret Wagner in 1994. Mike MacDougal went in the first round in 1999, Kyle Sleeth in 2003, Matt Antonelli in 2006 and Alan Dykstra in 2008. The Deacons' most recent first round pick was infielder Will Craig who went to the Pirates in the first round in 2016.
Wake Forest has had 33 players drafted since Walter became the head coach prior to the 2010 season. Wake Forest has had a player drafted in 26 consecutive seasons and a player or incoming recruit drafted in 40 straight seasons.
With players eligible to be drafted after their junior year, many players selected in the 10th to 20th rounds have faced a decision on whether to sign a pro contract or return to school. With just five rounds in this year's draft, that decision may be simplified.
"In years past, you'd have guys like Pat Frick and Morgan McSweeney who were drafted in the 11th, 12th or 13th round. Teams would give them $125,000 (signing bonus) and a year of school on full scholarship," said Walter. "As a junior, especially in baseball which is a partial scholarship sport, those kids are getting a full year of their school paid for so they're getting a full scholarship for their senior year from the pro team plus $125,000 vs. coming back for their senior year when they won't have any leverage and would sign for $5,000. For those kids, it's a pretty easy decision. But this year they can come back with an extra year of leverage.
"This year, anybody who signs after the fifth round will only get $20,000 (bonus). In my mind, why sign now when a year from now, with a 20-round draft, you will be worth more."
Other Deacon players who could be drafted include pitchers Will Fleming and Antonio Menendez, catcher Shane Muntz, second baseman/outfielder D.J. Poteet along with Cole McNamee and Michael Ludowig.
"I think with Will, he's likely to be back because if he gets drafted, it's likely to be in the fourth or fifth round," said Walter. "It would make sense for him to come back because he could be one of the top 50 picks next year. I think he could be a guy that they're talking about in the same way they're talking about Shuster now. If the season had continued, he might have done that this year because he was on the right track, getting better and better each week. Unfortunately, with the season cut short, he's likely to come back to school but he's a top 50 in talent.
As for Muntz, "There are a few teams that have Shane projected as early as the third round," Walter said. "We could lose him to the draft. I think it's a matter of whether those teams (that have him projected high) need a catcher when they get to the third round. If a team has him rated high and they take a catcher in the first round, they're probably not going to take a catcher in the third round. With Shane, it's a matter of whether the right team needs a catcher in the right round."
"Menendez, Ludowig, McNamee, Poteet and even (Michael) Turconi, who is a draft eligible junior, I think those guys will be back," said Walter. "It doesn't make sense for any of those guys to sign for $20,000 after the draft."
Will Simoneit, a graduate transfer from Cornell, was Wake Forest's top hitter in 2020 with a .377 average. The catcher/third baseman is expected to be a highly-sought after free agent following the draft.
Instead of 40 rounds, the draft has been reduced to just five rounds in 2020. The signing bonus structure has changed significantly as well.
Wake Forest will have a number of prospects who can expect to be part of the 2020 MLB Draft.
The Draft is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, June 10 at 7 p.m. EDT. The first night's coverage on both the MLB Network and ESPN2 will include the first round as well as Competitive Balance Round A, a total of 37 picks. The draft will continue at 5 p.m. EDT on Thursday, June 11 and will cover the second through fifth rounds.
The Detroit Tigers have the first pick followed by the Baltimore Orioles and the Miami Marlins.
Among the Demon Deacons who could hear their name called are lefthanded pitcher Jared Shuster, first baseman Bobby Seymour, and outfielder Chris Lanzilli.
Shuster is rated the 77th-best available prospect by MLB.com while Keith Law of The Athletic rates Shuster as the No. 21 prospect available in the draft.
"I think Jared's going to go in the top 50 picks," said Wake Forest head coach Tom Walter. "He really came on in his last three to four starts of the year, culminating in the Louisville game where he struck out 13 in seven and one-third innings. There were a ton of scouts and cross-checkers at that game because Louisville was throwing (Bobby Miller) who is also projected among the top 50 picks. Jared had his best day when he needed to and that really shot him up the draft boards."
If Shuster is among the top 50 picks, it would mark the fifth time in five years that a Deacon has been selected that high.
Shuster posted a 2-1 record in 2020 after a 4-4 season in 2019. In his four starts this year, he threw 26.1 innings and had an incredible 43 strikeouts to just four walks. He was tied for third in the ACC in strikeouts when the season came to a halt in mid-March. In his three seasons as a Deacon, Shuster went 6-9 and struck out 169 hitters in 128.1 innings.
Seymour, from St. John, Ind. was the ACC Player of the Year as a sophomore in 2019 and a semifinalist for the Dick Howser Trophy. A first team All-American by Collegiate Baseball, Seymour led the nation with 92 RBIs, the most by a Division I player since Buster Posey had 93 in 2008. He led the ACC in batting with a .377 average and hit .326 in his three seasons with 17 homers and 135 RBIs. Seymour's 92 RBIs are the most in college baseball during the BBCOR era
Lanzilli was a 39th round pick of the San Francisco Giants in 2019 but opted to return to Wake Forest. He led or tied for the team lead in home runs in each of his three seasons including a career-best 16 round-trippers in 2019. In his three seasons, Lanzilli hit .314 with 31 home runs and 112 RBIs in 123 games.
"Seymour and Lanzilli are the same story," said Walter. "If 2019 was their junior year, they're probably talking about Seymour in the second round. But because he had his appendix removed last summer and missed time playing in the Cape Cod League and with Team USA, and then with our season being cut short, he probably slipped into the third to fifth round. Some team is going to get a steal because he is a second round talent that is likely to go in the third to fifth round.
"If Bobby Seymour wasn't the ACC Player of the Year (in 2019), Lanzilli would have been. I think he's probably in that fourth or fifth round range but he's a proven hitter. He hit last summer on the Cape, he was off to a good start this year. He has always gone out and hit and he will be a steal in the fourth or fifth round."
Wake Forest has had six first round draft picks in school history starting with Bret Wagner in 1994. Mike MacDougal went in the first round in 1999, Kyle Sleeth in 2003, Matt Antonelli in 2006 and Alan Dykstra in 2008. The Deacons' most recent first round pick was infielder Will Craig who went to the Pirates in the first round in 2016.
Wake Forest has had 33 players drafted since Walter became the head coach prior to the 2010 season. Wake Forest has had a player drafted in 26 consecutive seasons and a player or incoming recruit drafted in 40 straight seasons.
With players eligible to be drafted after their junior year, many players selected in the 10th to 20th rounds have faced a decision on whether to sign a pro contract or return to school. With just five rounds in this year's draft, that decision may be simplified.
"In years past, you'd have guys like Pat Frick and Morgan McSweeney who were drafted in the 11th, 12th or 13th round. Teams would give them $125,000 (signing bonus) and a year of school on full scholarship," said Walter. "As a junior, especially in baseball which is a partial scholarship sport, those kids are getting a full year of their school paid for so they're getting a full scholarship for their senior year from the pro team plus $125,000 vs. coming back for their senior year when they won't have any leverage and would sign for $5,000. For those kids, it's a pretty easy decision. But this year they can come back with an extra year of leverage.
"This year, anybody who signs after the fifth round will only get $20,000 (bonus). In my mind, why sign now when a year from now, with a 20-round draft, you will be worth more."
Other Deacon players who could be drafted include pitchers Will Fleming and Antonio Menendez, catcher Shane Muntz, second baseman/outfielder D.J. Poteet along with Cole McNamee and Michael Ludowig.
"I think with Will, he's likely to be back because if he gets drafted, it's likely to be in the fourth or fifth round," said Walter. "It would make sense for him to come back because he could be one of the top 50 picks next year. I think he could be a guy that they're talking about in the same way they're talking about Shuster now. If the season had continued, he might have done that this year because he was on the right track, getting better and better each week. Unfortunately, with the season cut short, he's likely to come back to school but he's a top 50 in talent.
As for Muntz, "There are a few teams that have Shane projected as early as the third round," Walter said. "We could lose him to the draft. I think it's a matter of whether those teams (that have him projected high) need a catcher when they get to the third round. If a team has him rated high and they take a catcher in the first round, they're probably not going to take a catcher in the third round. With Shane, it's a matter of whether the right team needs a catcher in the right round."
"Menendez, Ludowig, McNamee, Poteet and even (Michael) Turconi, who is a draft eligible junior, I think those guys will be back," said Walter. "It doesn't make sense for any of those guys to sign for $20,000 after the draft."
Will Simoneit, a graduate transfer from Cornell, was Wake Forest's top hitter in 2020 with a .377 average. The catcher/third baseman is expected to be a highly-sought after free agent following the draft.
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/ BaseballFootball Media Availability (10/21/25)
Tuesday, October 21
Wake Forest Head Coach Jake Dickert Weekly Press Conference (10/20/2025)
Monday, October 20
Wake Forest Postgame Press Conference vs. Virginia Tech (Oct. 4, 2025)
Monday, October 20
Coach Jake Dickert Postgame Press Conference vs. NC State (Sept. 11, 2025)
Monday, October 20