Canadian Idol?

Tuesday, May 27 2008 @ 09:30 AM EDT

Contributed by: Pistol

The Jays have taken a High Schooler with their top pick two years in a row. Who might be on the radar this year?

There's a couple HS bats at the top of the draft. Tim Beckham, a SS from Georgia and Eric Hosmer, a 1B from Florida. They'll both be off the board before the Jays select at #17 and almost certainly in the top 10 (and if Hosmer is around it's a signability issue and the Jays would very likely pass as well on him). After that a catcher, Kyle Skipworth has a chance to go in the top 10 and not much further if he doesn't.

There's two HS pitchers are in the mix in the 10-20 range: Tim Melville and Ethan Martin. The Jays have yet to show that they're willing to take a HS pitcher and I don't see that changing this year.

Aaron Hicks is a toolsy OF that might be available to the Jays in the first round. When I read the linked scouting report I think of Cam Maybin.

Canadian Brett Lawrie wasn't looked at as a first rounder (as far as I could tell) as recently as a month ago. Now he's almost certain to be a first rounder, with a very real possibility that he could be selected by the Jays. In BA's first mock draft on May 16th they had him going 27th to the Twins. Jon Mayo's mock draft as of 5/21 had him going 19th to the Cubs. His biggest asset is his 'plus, plus raw power' generated from 'strong hands and bat speed'. Works for me. The issue with Lawrie is where he'll play. I've actually seen him listed just about everywhere: C, 2B, 3B, CF. So it appears he has at least decent athleticism. And I imagine that he's Canadian gives him a bit of an edge if the Jays have him as a similar player to others that they are considering.

Other HSers in the first round mix are: SS Anthony Hewitt, SP Jake Odorizzi, SS Casey Kelly, OF Zach Collier, and SP Gerritt Cole.

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Of the players listed above, I think the only ones the Jays are considering at #17 is Brett Lawrie. And I think they would only take him if the premium college hitters that might make it to them (Alonso and Wallace) are already selected.

Next week we'll have a community mock draft with bloggers of each team, organized by Future Redbirds, making picks so we'll see how the draft might shake out next Thursday.

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