Q&A with Greg Amsinger, studio host of MLB Network's MLB Draft coverage

Greg Amsinger, who will host the MLB Draft for the 15th year on MLB Network, shared his thoughts with the Tribune-Review on the evolution of the event, his favorite draft-day stories, the top prospects in the Class of 2023 and which player he believes the Pirates will select with the No. 1 overall pick.

What has it been like to watch the MLB Draft become a major event?

It’s been a wild ride. I think the MLB Draft is the ultimate symbol of the youth baseball movement initiative led by baseball commissioner Rob Manfred. Since he took over, he wanted this event to evolve, he wanted young people to engage it. We’ve added an MLB Draft Combine, which three years in is becoming a jewel event for the sport. I always call the draft a time capsule show. To see footage of Mike Trout at the age of 18 at Studio 42, Aaron Judge walking around at the age of 21 at Studio 42, a 17-year-old Carlos Correa sitting at our set, this is stuff we’re going to look back on 20, 30, 50 years from now as just unforgettable moments that we get to be part of at MLB Network. Everyone’s got so much groundswell excitement surrounding the draft. The ceiling, we haven’t come close to yet. It grows every year. The live audience eats it up. It’s heading in a direction where it’s going to be massive 10 years from now. I hope I’m still part of it. In 15 years, to see how much it’s grown, it’s ridiculous how much it’s grown already.

What has been your favorite moment from previous drafts?

I remember Andrew Heaney was in our building. He got drafted by the Marlins out of Oklahoma State (ninth overall in 2012). His emotional reaction with his family sitting in the dugout, I’ll never forget that. The fact that Mike Trout in year one (2009) was the only player there — the first year we had ever aired the MLB Draft on the MLB Network — and this kid from Jersey shows up with the courage to maybe not get drafted. The Angels had two first-round picks. They went with a toolsy high school outfielder in Randal Grichuk with the first pick, and we were panicking because this kid that we thought was going to go to the Angels, there’s no way they’re going to take two toolsy high school right-handed hitting outfielders. Thank goodness they did draft Mike Trout, and the rest is history. To watch all these youngsters come through and have their careers evolve right before our eyes, there’s something about the youngsters like Termarr Johnson, to get up in his interview and now he has a chip on his shoulder for the teams that passed on him. He wants them to understand that they missed out on a future perennial All-Star. You’re seeing kids with immense confidence show up at the draft and really let the world know how good they are. I can’t get enough of that stuff.

Do you like that MLB Draft is held on All-Star weekend, and should there be games on draft day?

That was a little dream of mine. Obviously, scheduling is so difficult — and I understand the folks at the commissioner’s office have a lot on their plate when it comes to scheduling. They recognize that to grow jewel events, you can’t compete with yourself. They understand that. But there are only so many days you have to work with. That’s completely understandable why there are games on the Sunday of the draft. That would be the end-game dream, that there’s no games going on and that all 30 teams need to be locked into and all 30 fan bases must recognize that next face of your franchise could be entering your organization by tonight — and that’s a big deal. We have seen so many quick-to-the-big-league stories, I think people need to recognize that this is a very important event for the future of the organization. Would I like everyone’s undivided attention to focus on the draft? One hundred percent I would. But I’m glad the schedule is a puzzle that I’m not paid to put together because it’s so convoluted.

There are many different ideas as to when the draft should be held. I like it kickstarting All-Star week. The young men that decide to attend the draft, they are at the Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game the next day. They’re going to all the events. It’s a big celebration of Major League Baseball. They’re entering professional baseball, and they all just glow about their experience. I’m only siding on the viewpoint of the players, the youngsters that get drafted. Anybody that is going to be in the mix that’s going to be a first-round pick, it is one of the great experiences of their life.

Who is your favorite story of this draft class?

There are numerous kids that I absolutely love. One comes to mind who I think is the best two-way player in this draft class, and that’s Bryce Eldridge (from James Madison High School in Vienna, Va.). When you’re this big and you’re a right-handed pitcher and then watch this kid play shortstop, I think this kid’s an ace but I want a team to draft him and allow him to be a two-way player. I think he has all the capabilities of being the next Ohtani — and I know Ohtani is a cut above everyone else. Will (Eldridge) hit 31 home runs in the first half of the season? I don’t think so. But could he be a player that you dream on and you let evolve with the bat in the minor leagues and do his own thing every fifth day on the mound. I sure hope so. I hope Bryce Eldridge gets drafted as a two-way player. We need kids to be drafted that way because this is a cool story. Ohtani is the No. 1, A-list player in our sport and I’m hoping we see more and more two-way stars. I believe we will. I think the Ohtani effect will begin to happen in this draft, but I believe Eldridge needs to be the first guy who is selected in the first round as a two-way player.

What do you think of LSU pitcher Paul Skenes saying he wants to be a two-way player?

It could happen but Skenes, to me, I’m sorry, this is one of the great pitching draft prospects of all time. It’s going to be hard if I’m the Pittsburgh Pirates to pass on this guy. He’s quick to the big leagues, wasn’t a travel ball kid so he doesn’t have the wear and tear pitching so he could win an eighth-grade championship. He went to Air Force and was a two-way guy, but let’s put the bat away when you get a guy that’s this special. He’s 6-6, commands three pitches, unique arm slot, incredible velocity — there’s upticks since he went to LSU — I think he is clear-cut No. 1. He’s No. 1 to me. The money’s going to be a question because he’s that special. I’d put him right neck and neck with Stephen Strasburg as the two best pitching prospects I’ve ever seen. That’s how talented he is. I know he wants to dream, like Hunter Greene wanted to dream, of being a two-way player but when your stuff is so special on one side that bat better be good when you’re on the mound. Skenes is a 1 of 1, and his stuff could be perennial All-Star good. That’s how special he is on the mound.

How do you approach the Paul Skenes/Dylan Crews decision when both LSU stars are considered worthy of the No. 1 overall pick?

Money is always in play, but both kids want to sign. Dylan Crews is as polished of a position player and a young guy that’s going to stay in center field for a long time. My comp for him is that if Dansby Swanson was a Gold Glove center fielder with a bit better of a bat. That’s what this young man is. He’s a gamer. He’s going to play every single day. You’re going to see a guy make incredible defensive star plays. I think he’s a .300 hitter. Great pop. Great baserunner. He’s as safe as it gets from a position player standpoint.

Whereas with Skenes, you can get to a different level. You can literally look at a guy who is over 200 strikeouts a year. The spin rate, the velo, the unique arm slot. The physicality of being that big. I just think, to pass it up, you’ve really got to think that you’ve got Plan B and you’re saving up for something you’re doing later that’s going to rock your franchise’s world. If you’ve got 1 of 1, you’ve got to take Skenes No. 1, to me. He is just that special and an organizational changer.

How did Skenes, in your eyes, pass Crews as top prospect?

It’s the command. When you watched him on that big stage and you’re not seeing four or five walks. I don’t think he reached 30 walks on the year. His command is so incredible for the movement of the stuff coming out of his hand. When you hit 103 mph and your fastball is not your best pitch, go ahead and find another draft prospect that you can say that about. I’ve never heard of anyone you can say that about. This is a unique talent. What he was able to do to command both sides of plate in the College World Series, he looked like it was a varsity scrimmage against JV opponents in the College World Series. That’s how good he looks. I just think that physical dominance and the polish and the mentality of being an Air Force transfer and the things he wanted to do away from the field, as well, the discipline it took to do what he was doing at Air Force, I think he checks every single box. If you sit in a room with this kid, you want to draft him. If you look at him on the mound, you want to draft him 1 of 1.

What is it like on set when there’s a surprise No. 1 overall pick?

Carlos Correa was a money-saving pick. Carlos Correa was a top-five guy, but we were expecting Mark Appel to go No. 1 clear-cut. He was ranked above everybody else. The year Royce Lewis went 1 of 1 (2017), that was a bit of a surprise. There were many college arms and college bats in play to be in that top spot. So for a toolsy high schooler to go 1 of 1 was really surprising. You’ll see that throughout. Because of the financial structure of the draft, it lends itself to that this year. I think there could be five players in the mix to go No. 1. I wouldn’t be shocked to see the Pirates take Max Clark. The LSU kids are incredibly talented. No doubt about it. But when it comes to negotiating, you’re not really seeing a dramatic drop-off in talent with the top five kids in this class. That’s how special they all are.

You made your case for Skenes but who do you think the Pirates will take No. 1 overall?

I am 50/50 right now that either they cut a deal with Paul Skenes that he becomes the No. 1 pick, that he’s the best overall talent and they give him money he wants and Pirates fans are so excited that they have the future ace that they’ve been clamoring for. If they don’t go in that direction, I think they go with Max Clark, the Indiana sensation at No. 1, save money and then play with that money to go big with next pick because this is the deepest draft class I’ve ever seen. You can negotiate down. I’m in love with 38 different players in this class, that I believe could be a perennial All-Star type of player. That’s how special this group is. The Pirates have options. If negotiations don’t go well with Skenes, I think Max Clark. If we’re obsessed with Corbin Carroll, Max Clark’s Corbin Carroll the sequel in the state of Indiana. He could go 1 of 1. You could save some money and play with it down the draft. That’s how I see their game plan. Skenes is where they’re leaning. Go big. But when you look at where the Pirates are, you can’t avoid the highest-upside guy. If you can get a high school outfielder who can fly around the bases, is already putting up power numbers, I don’t think there’s a major talent drop-off one through five. If Max Clark went 1 of 1, Pirates fans should not frown. He is a sensational baseball talent.

What were your first impressions of the Pirates’ first-round picks under Ben Cherington?

All three guys were considered the best at something. Termarr Johnson was the best overall hitter in that draft class. As a high schooler, that’s a hard moniker to grab. He was the best pure hitter in the draft class. Nick Gonzales was the best college bat, quickest to the big leagues of his draft class. What he did in college, those numbers were staggering. You’re seeing that play out now. Henry Davis is that bulldog leader that you want to build a championship team up the middle with. Coming out of the University of Louisville, he’s got all the Realmuto leadership skills that you want behind the plate and the bat-to-ball skills that look like Will Smith of the Dodgers. He looks like a perennial .300 hitter. So the Pirates are not missing. I don’t believe they are missing with who they’re taking with their first pick. I don’t think they can miss with how deep this draft class is this year. It’s a good spot to be in if you’re Ben Cherington.