Indians select right-hander Ethan Hankins as compensation for Santana
With the 35th pick in the 2018 MLB amateur draft, the Cleveland Indians selected high school right-hander Ethan Hankins. He is a compensation pick for Carlos Santana, who signed with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Hankins had the potential to be the No. 1 overall pick, but shoulder issues contributed to his stock falling. When he's healthy, the 18-year-old is considered to have the best fastball in the draft, which sits between 92-96 mph and has reached 98 mph.
Bio
Age: 18
Position: RHP
Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 200 pounds
Bats/Throws: R/R
School: Forsyth Central
NCAA commit: Vanderbilt
Pick value: $2,016,400
MLB.com prospect rank: 21
MLB.com money quote: "Radar-gun readings alone don't make his heater special, as it also has electric life and he can spot it to both sides of the plate, and he could dominate amateur hitters while relying almost entirely on his fastball if he wanted."
Scouting Grades
| Fastball | Curveball | Slider | Changeup | Control | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80 | 50 | 50 | 55 | 55 | 50 |
Take a look ...
(Video courtesy: MLB.com)
(Grades courtesy: MLB Pipeline)