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Even with the Major League Baseball draft cut to five rounds, recent Phoenix Mountain Pointe graduate Carson Tucker could hear his name called.

The shortstop, who signed in November with Texas, didn’t need a full high school season for scouts to know how good he is.

He’s been on the radar of teams for some time with his athleticism, glove, arm, speed, bat, power and range.

The draft runs Wednesday and Thursday.

With the Major League Baseball season still on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic, Carson has received great help from home. His older brother Cole, also a Mountain Pointe graduate, who made his major league debut last season at shortstop for the Pittsburgh Pirates, has been at home training with Carson.

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“Obviously, having Cole help me through the process is something I don’t take for granted,” Carson said. “I thank him every day for helping me through it. Draft day should be fun.”

Cole Tucker signed with the Pirates in 2014, after finishing his Mountain Pointe career and being taken in the first round of the draft.

Carson, 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, about an inch shorter than his brother, possesses the tools that make him an attractive major league prospect.

Mountain Pointe coach JJ Sferra, a 2004 Mountain Pointe graduate who played at Arizona State and in pro baseball, worked with Cole when he was in high school. He feels Carson is the better prospect at the same age.

He said he has talked to major league scouts at length about Carson Tucker over the last couple of months.

“He is probably the most talented player I ever coached,” Sferra said about Carson. “He can hit, run. He’s got good feet. He had a great feel for the game. He has every skill set it takes.

“I feel like he should be a first-round pick.”

Even without baseball games since mid-March, Carson Tucker said he didn’t feel that hurt him in the eyes of the scouts. He said it won’t really impact him that 40 rounds got reduced to five rounds this year.

“I’ve been just going day by day waiting for the draft to come,” he said. “From what I’m hearing, it sounds good so far, so with the draft being five rounds, it didn’t change me and where I go.

“It should be exciting. I’m just enjoying the moment and waiting for whatever to happen.”

MORE: Arizona’s 37 first-round MLB draft picks include Bob Horner, Paul Konerko, Gary Gentry

Meanwhile, Scottsdale Christian left-hander Ronan Kopp, 6-foot-6, 225 pounds, who had his fastball top out at 96 mph last fall, could also be taken in the five-round draft.

Kopp signed in the fall with Arizona State.

“I was hoping to have a whole season to show what I can throw,” Kopp said last month. “My goal was to be in the first five rounds.”

To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at [email protected] or 602-316-8827. Follow him on Twitter @azc_obert.

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