MLB Draft: Cubs fifth-round pick Koen Moreno intends to sign, bypass college

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With only five rounds in the 2020 MLB Draft, there's an added level of importance this year in teams signing as many draft picks as possible.

The Cubs drafted pitcher Koen Moreno in the fifth-round out of Panther Creek High School (North Carolina). Moreno has the option to bypass pro ball for a few years — he's committed to East Carolina University — but he told High School OT's Kyle Morton he believes he's going to sign with the Cubs.

RELATED: 2020 MLB Draft: Breaking down the Cubs' second-day selections

Moreno is a 6-foot-2 right-hander with a fastball sitting between 87-93 mph, according to Baseball America. Their scouting report says his fastball velocity has steadily climbed and will continue to do so.

The Cubs are also excited about his changeup, which sits 81-85 mph, and sweeping slider. They project him as a starting pitcher.

"He’s a player that, despite being a high school right-handed pitcher, sort of the demographic that is least associated with analytics," Cubs scouting director Dan Kantrovitz said this week, "he’s someone that we’ve identified some really special traits in, whether that’s the arm pop, whether that’s how his different pictures move."

Moreno is slotted for a $367,900 signing bonus.

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