The Mets took youngster Pete Crow-Armstrong with their first of six picks to kick off the 2020 Major League Baseball Draft on Wednesday night. The No. 19 pick is receiving high praise from the Mets organization and many other outlets covering the draft.

Crow-Armstrong, 18, hit .514 and struck out once in 42 at-bats as a senior for Harvard-Westlake High School. The same school that first rounders Jack Flaherty, Max Fried, and Lucas Giolito attended.

Defense in center field is currently his calling card and it received high praise from Mets vice president of amateur scouting Tommy Tanous, “I called him the left-handed magician in center field….He’s one of the rare players you would watch batting practice to watch him play defense.”

Mets amateur scouting director Marc Tramuta was impressed with Crow-Armstrong’s defense as well, “The anticipation element to his game is a good as I’ve seen in a really long time in an amateur center fielder. There’s such a natural glide and ease to what he does in center field. It’s just different than everybody else.”

Offensively, Crow-Armstrong has plus speed and an above average hit-tool. The Vanderbilt commit is listed at 6’1”, 180 pounds and did show more pop this season before it was shut down.

Tanous noted the Mets excitement about Crow-Armstrong’s offensive ability as well, “He has such advanced bat-to-ball skills, great barrel feel. He’s a high-contact guy with some power behind it, and it’s increasing power since he was 15 years old. He keeps getting stronger. He has all the makings of the hitters we’ve drafted in the past.”

While you certainly don’t draft for need, going into the draft you could say pretty easily that the outfield position was the worst in the Mets system. Crow-Armstrong immediately becomes the Mets best outfield prospect and I would have him ranked No. 7 overall.

Mets general manager Brodie Van Wagenen was pleased that PCA was still available, “Pete stood out so far up the board that, regardless of position, regardless of college or high school, it didn’t matter.”

The Mets enter Thursday with five picks left and coverage starting at 5 p.m. on MLB Network. For more on Crow-Armstrong, make sure to read Teddy Klein’s profile on the talented outfielder.