Batter's Box Interactive Magazine Batter's Box Interactive Magazine Batter's Box Interactive Magazine
The 2016 Major League Baseball Draft is set to go Thursday evening at the MLB Network studios in Secaucus, New Jersey. The Blue Jays are picking 21st overall.


The Blue Jays selected righthander Jon Harris from Missouri State with the 29th pick of the 2015 draft.

Baseball America believes the Jays will select a college pitcher with their first round pick, tabbing Pittsburgh righthander T.J. Zeuch in its latest mock draft. Their earlier mock drafts had them picking Stanford righty Cal Quantrill, son of Paul, or Virginia catcher Matt Thaiss. In its Draft Preview issue, righty Zack Burdi of Louisville was predicted to be taken by Toronto. Though his dad works for the Jays, speculation is the younger Quantrill will not last until the 21st pick as he is being targeted by San Diego, who hold the eighth overall pick.

Vanderbilt righthander Jordan Sheffield, high school hurlers Joey Wentz and Matt Manning and high school outfielder Taylor Trammell are other players the Jays may consider according to MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo and Jim Callis.

In addition to the 21st pick, they will also pick at 57, 66 and 102 over the first three rounds before picking 26th in rounds 4 through 40. The 57th pick is compensation for the Jays being unable to sign pitcher Brady Singer, who spurned Baseball North to go to the University of Florida. The Blue Jays will have a bonus pool of just over $6.6 milliion to work with.

Here are more draft links from The Toronto Star and Sportsnet.
2016 MLB Draft Preview | 40 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
ComebyDeanChance - Wednesday, June 08 2016 @ 11:57 PM EDT (#324421) #
Thanks for this. The links were informative. I tend to get more excited about HS pitchers with high upsides than the college pitchers who remain after the top few picks, but I guess it depends on the draft and the state of your minor league system. Sounds like they're looking at college pitchers in the 21 spot. Quantrill sounds more interesting than I'd though - at first I thought the rumours tying him to Toronto were merely because of his father.
85bluejay - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 09:23 AM EDT (#324428) #
With a weak system, this is an important draft - whether HS or College, playing in this division and a team that doesn't often sign top FA, the jays need to draft for upside - nothing is more deflating for me than hearing low ceiling names like David Cooper, Chad Jenkins or Deck McGuire - I read somewhere that Baseball America expects the Jays to go college & conservative, so I'm not optimistic - hope I'm wrong.
Gerry - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 09:35 AM EDT (#324430) #
Keith Law and BA have posted their final mock drafts. With the Jays picking at 21 it is hard to predict who they will get due to so many uncertainties in the 20 picks before them. Both Law and BA say they hear the Jays are focused on selecting a college pitcher. BA suggest it could be TJ Zeuch a RHP, while Law suggests Anthony Kay, a LHP.
Beyonder - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 11:01 AM EDT (#324437) #
Really looking forward to seeing who the Jays select to not sign with their first round pick this year.
finch - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 11:05 AM EDT (#324438) #
I'm not buying into this notion of the Jays drafting a College arm. I'm still in the belief that with the scouts remaining from AA's tenure, we'll see the same drafting strategy, with taking high potential and risks later on in the rounds.

Matt Manning is a prep arm I like; probably will go in the 15-20 range but could fall.

The pick I would LOVE is Delvin Perez, who just tested positive for a banned substance. Was a Top 5 pick but now will fall. Hopefully to the Jays at 21. Great SS prospect.
jerjapan - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 11:36 AM EDT (#324439) #
"I read somewhere that Baseball America expects the Jays to go college & conservative, so I'm not optimistic - hope I'm wrong."

Totally agree 85, but not sure why the org would change course when they've been so successful drafting over the AA regime - and the Shapiro drafts, were, uhh, not.

This is an interesting read on 1st rounders and WAR.

http://www.hardballtimes.com/searching-for-biases-in-the-first-round-of-the-draft/
#2JBrumfield - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 12:03 PM EDT (#324441) #
The Toronto Sun has a list of the top Canadians who could be selected in the Rule 4 Draft over the next three days.
#2JBrumfield - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 12:18 PM EDT (#324442) #
Here is the latest mock draft from the MLB.com duo of Callis and Mayo.
ComebyDeanChance - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 12:30 PM EDT (#324443) #
Really looking forward to seeing who the Jays select to not sign with their first round pick this year.

Is next year projected to be a better draft year? Is that what you mean?
Gerry - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 12:34 PM EDT (#324444) #
The MLB guys say the Jays will take a high school player while the others say college. It will be interesting to see who is right.
Beyonder - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 01:40 PM EDT (#324445) #
No. That was just a lame dig at the team's spotty record of signing its first rounders (Paxton 2009, Beede 2011, Bickford, 2013 all failing to sign). I don't think there was another team in that period who failed to sign more than one of their first round picks.
finch - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 03:11 PM EDT (#324449) #
Paxton wasn't a first rounder, 2nd of a supplemental player. Beede and Pickford haven't been on fire as prospects. Not a huge loss. The trade of Joe Musgrave though, to Houston for Happ, that might hurt.
ayjackson - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 03:11 PM EDT (#324450) #
Presented without comment, but just for the record, Paxton, Beede and Bickford turned into Syndergaard, Stroman and Pentecost.
Mike Green - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 03:47 PM EDT (#324451) #
FWIW, the one that I like (who may or may not be available) is Thaiss. 
uglyone - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 03:56 PM EDT (#324452) #
any interesting first round power bat types?
Mike Green - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 04:06 PM EDT (#324454) #
Thaiss is more of a pure hitter with a well-rounded set of skills.  Will Craig is the power college bat with less than optimal plate control.. 
scottt - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 06:37 PM EDT (#324463) #
When I hear "optimal plate control", I think of Travis Snyder, but you're probably talking about home plate.
CeeBee - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 06:39 PM EDT (#324464) #
I think of Panda or Prince myself.
Spifficus - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 06:47 PM EDT (#324466) #
While Panda has the exploding belt buckle and Prince has the clip stealing a nacho from the stands after missing a catch, they don't have the iconic Snyder quote "Meats don't clash."
ComebyDeanChance - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 07:39 PM EDT (#324471) #
Through the first five picks, it appears teams are drafting who Jim Callis expects them to. That might be a good strategy.
hypobole - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 08:08 PM EDT (#324478) #
Snyder? Are you guys talking about Travis Snider?
scottt - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 08:10 PM EDT (#324479) #
Yeah, Sorry about that.
Spifficus - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 08:12 PM EDT (#324480) #
Bah! Well, for on-topic clarity, I'll go with Lunch Box Hero.
scottt - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 08:13 PM EDT (#324481) #
The Padres took Quantrill at number 8. Nowhere close.
scottt - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 08:27 PM EDT (#324483) #
Red Sox took a high ceiling 6'6" HS lefty for the 12 pick. The kind of pick that would made a lot of people here salivate...
ComebyDeanChance - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 08:37 PM EDT (#324485) #
And people at BA as well. They had him as the third best player in the draft.
85bluejay - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 08:43 PM EDT (#324486) #
The Red Sox got a real boom/bust prospect - 6'6" lefty usually take time to develop - jays are still waiting on Matt Smoral.
Spifficus - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 08:48 PM EDT (#324488) #
Well, Groome has a wee bit better of a track record than Smoral, both in quality and quantity. That's a bit of an apples and oranges comparison.
ComebyDeanChance - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 08:50 PM EDT (#324489) #
Blake Rutherford may fall to Toronto.
scottt - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 08:54 PM EDT (#324490) #
Angel took Matt Thaiss at 16. Lots of position players being taken. I'm pretty sure the Jays will take a pitcher.
ComebyDeanChance - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 09:01 PM EDT (#324492) #
Or not.
Mike Green - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 09:14 PM EDT (#324494) #
Zeuch with a zed.  I hope he turns out better than Zosky...
CeeBee - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 09:15 PM EDT (#324495) #
big righty that throws hard.... that's about all that I know about him.
vw_fan17 - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 09:15 PM EDT (#324496) #
The Jays took Zeuch. An interesting tidbit for a pitcher: the german word Zeug, which is often pronounced the same way you would pronounce Zeuch (may be a regional thing, I don't know), means "stuff". So, let's hope Zeuch has a lot of Zeug..
ayjackson - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 09:20 PM EDT (#324497) #
and TJ means Tommy John.

Tommy John Stuff

I wonder in what sense.
scottt - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 09:21 PM EDT (#324498) #
He's big. Has a decent fastball. We'll see.
hypobole - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 09:22 PM EDT (#324499) #
Bold prediction - we're not going to have any trouble signing this guy.
Shoeless Joe - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 09:27 PM EDT (#324500) #
At the very least it looks like an upside pick even if he is a college pitcher. You like the frame, velocity and command.
scottt - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 09:34 PM EDT (#324503) #
He turns 21 in August. Apparently can touch 97 mph, but sits around 91-94.
Above average curve and slider and a decent BB/K ratio.

ayjackson - Thursday, June 09 2016 @ 10:04 PM EDT (#324505) #
Opinions seem to vary on his secondary pitches, but he's young a projectable for a college arm.
2016 MLB Draft Preview | 40 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.