The draft begins tonight and for the first time it is available on TV in Canada, if you get Sportsnet One. The Jays first pick is a mystery still and we won't know who the lucky guy is until around 8pm tonight. The Bachelorette is on TV tonight too but that is a different group of guys trying to get lucky.
The mock drafts and predictions are coming hot and heavy' let's see if there is any consistency this week.
The top three picks appear to be reaching consensus now. Gerrit Cole; Anthony Rendon; and Trevor Bauer should be the first three names called, after that it gets fuzzy.
Keith Law has a new mock draft out for subscribers. He still has the Jays taking Levi Michael, a shortstop from North Carlolina. Law also notes that the Jays are interested in lefty pitcher Andrew Chafin who they hope to get in the sandwich round. The next three players taken would be Taylor Guerrieri, Brian Goodwin and Kolten Wong.
Jonathan Mayo at milb.com has the Jays taking Guerrieri. Here is his comment:
There's still a chance the Blue Jays could go the college route with a guy like Michael, but there certainly has been a lot discussed about the Jays and projectable high-school pitching
The next four players taken, after the Jays, per Mayo areWong, Mike Mahtook, Brandon Nimmo, and Michael.
Bob Elliott has a draft round-up that seems to rely on third party sources rather than any inside scoop:
Both Baseball America and Perfect Game USA scouting service predict the Jays will select North Carolina Tar Heels shortstop Levi Michael. What makes him so attractive, aside from his 6.6 speed and skills with the bat is, that he graduated high school in January of 2009. He is 20, or a year younger than most college players.
Michael then played three seasons for the Tar Heels, 2009 at second, 2010 at third and this season at short. This spring, he has hit .300 in 59 games with 13 doubles, three triples, five homers and 48 RBIs, while going 15-for-16 stealing bases.
1pm - Law is now tweeting that the Rockies, who pick before the Jays are not taking CJ Cron, more likely Michael or Wong.
1:05pm - Baseball America has the Jays taking Michael.
1:05pm - Our own Marc Hulet has the Jays taking Michael as well.
1:30 Kevin Goldstein at BPro stays on Jed Bradley for the Jays.
We will add other news, as it happens.
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20110606122356190