iPod Classic and MacBook 2020
From what Apple has posted, if you are using Catalina you will no longer be syncing with iTunes, you will be syncing with Finder.
See:  https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201253

I believe that the new separated style wont work for syncing an iPod Classic....Does anyone have any solutions that doesn't involve having to keep the old hardware just to sync an iPod.

It's best to work with actual, solvable problems.  In this case, there's nothing to solve.  I did a quick Bing search and the very first video Will it Sync? The Original iPod and macOS Catalina provided the information to your question:
Catalina Finder will sync with the 1st Generation Original iPod