The Blue Jays used the 21st selection of the Rule 4 Draft to take T.J. Zeuch, a righthander from the University of Pittsburgh. You can follow the draft right here.
Round 1, 21st overall - RHP T.J. Zeuch, University of Pittsburgh - 6-foot-7, 217 pounds. Born August 1, 1995 in Mason, Ohio. (Slot Value - $2,285,100)
Scouting Report from MLB.com:
After a very strong showing in the Cape Cod League last summer, scouts were very excited to see T.J. Zeuch in action as a junior at Pitt. A groin injury kept him out the first month of the season, but upon his return, Pittsburgh became a popular destination for scouts. Zeuch has a four-pitch mix, all thrown with steep angle from his 6-foot-7 frame that could add more strength. He uses a relatively easy delivery to fire fastballs that have touched 96-97 mph since his return. He'll sit in the 92-94 mph range and his fastball has good run and sink to it. Zeuch will use both a slider and a curve effectively, with his breaking stuff occasionally flashing plus, though it's been inconsistent. He tinkers with a changeup in the bullpen, but doesn't have a ton of feel for it and doesn't use it much in games. He throws strikes with all of his offerings. With the weather warming in Pennsylvania and the chance to see Zeuch start against ACC competition, he was getting a lot of looks as the spring progressed. There's some helium here, with his name coming up often in first-round conversations. Video here.
T.J. Zeuch established himself as a prospect to follow with a strong freshman campaign, and then he develop into the ace of Pitt’s staff as a sophomore. He missed the beginning of this spring with a groin injury, but got off to a strong start when he did take the mound. Zeuch’s best pitch is his fastball, which sits at 92-94 and sometimes touches higher. Zeuch’s extra large, 6-foot-7 frame allows him to generate solid extension towards home plate, making his pitches even more difficult for hitters to pick up out of his hand. His fastball also shows both sink and arm-side run, making it an effective ground ball-inducing pitch. His offspeed pitches, a slider and changeup, receive fringe-average grades from scouts, but he has solid command of his arsenal and repeats his delivery well. The development of his offspeed pitches will dictate his ultimate ceiling. Twitter handle: @tjbigz2zeuch
@pittnewssports Pitcher T.J. Zeuch is Pitt baseball's highest draft pick ever, selected No. 21 overall by the Toronto Blue Jays.
@JesseBarfield29 TJ Zeuch reminds me of Adam Wainwright big strong kid has a huge upside. Congratulations TJ and to the @BlueJays 21st pick overall.
@JimBowden_ESPN The Toronto Blue Jays with 21st overall pick select TJ Zeuch 6-7 frame plus FB secondary stuff not special but arm angle is....Jack McDowell type size...high risk high reward type pick here
@MLBNetworkRadio AUDIO: TJ Zeuch (@TjBigZ2zeuch) said playing in the @Official_CCBL helped prepare him for the @BlueJays #MLBDraft https://soundcloud.com/mlbnetworkradio/tj-zeuch-tells-blue-jays-what-they-can-expect-from-him …
@VanCity_Chris So Keith Law didn't like the #BlueJays 1st round pick today. Called it one of the biggest reaches of the round - 6'6" RHP TJ Zeuch.
J.B. Woodman might have gone in the top five rounds of the 2013 Draft based on talent, but signability dropped him to the Mets in the 40th round. After a late-season surge left him leading the Southeastern Conference with 14 homers entering NCAA tournament play, he should go around the third this time around. He doesn't have a true plus tool but he's at least average across the board and can play up the middle, claims few college players in this Draft class can match. Woodman hit .284 with a total of nine homers in his first two seasons at Mississippi, and he struck out in 37 percent of his plate appearances and slugged just .344 with wood bats in the Cape Cod League last summer. He's doing a much better job of recognizing offspeed pitches and making contact this spring. He employed more of a line-drive approach in the past but is driving the ball more consistently now and has the bat speed and strength for at least average power. His solid speed and instincts should allow Woodman to remain in center field, where his arm is stronger than most at the position. His quickness should enable him to steal a few bases but he needs to refine his technique. Video here.
@BennettHipp Bennett Hipp Retweeted Adam J. Morris. Doesn’t have them taking him, but mentions Nats have been tied to JB Woodman at pick 29 overall. (Have 28-29 b2b).
@T_Italiano_OHT Ole Miss OF JB Woodman goes 2nd RD 57th overall to the Blue Jays. Same team as former Rebel safety Anthony Alford
@ARebelKuffner Adam Kuffner Retweeted Ole Miss Baseball. Highest Rebel taken in the draft since @DrewPomeranz in 2010 (1st round). Congrats @jb_woodman! #RebsBSB #MLBDraft
@ARebelKuffner @jb_woodman is also the highest @OleMissBSB outfielder taken in the #MLBDraft since Seth Smith (2nd round, 50th overall) in 2004.
@Swayze_CrazyBSB Gonna miss @jb_woodman as he was a great Rebel. Helped lead us back to Omaha and led SEC in HR this yr as a captain! Top notch!
The son of former big leaguer Dante Bichette, and brother of Yankee farmhand Dante Bichette Jr., Bo Bichette clearly has some serious baseball bloodlines. Like the others in his family, he does things in a less than conventional way, but he has had some success against good competition. Over the summer, Bichette showed the ability to square up quality pitching and his raw power was on display when he won the Under Armour All-American Game Home Run Derby in Chicago. This spring, he was still hitting the long ball, but also was getting tied up on mid-range fastballs inside. While he doesn't have the same exact leg kick setup as his father and brother, there are a lot of moving parts to his swing which concerns some scouts. He does have more bat speed than his brother did coming out of high school. A below-average runner, he's probably best suited for second base defensively, or perhaps left field. Bichette has been a bit of a polarizing prospect this spring, with some unsure his unorthodox setup will work at the next level. But the bloodlines and the power potential could still have the Arizona State commit off the board in the early stages of the Draft. Video here.
@lynden_o Boom! Lakewood stud @boknows1919 (Bo Bichette) selected 66th overall in 2nd Round by the Toronto Blue Jays. Well deserved.
@TBHomeTeam Bo Bichette says he will bypass college and sign with Toronto. http://www.tampabay.com/sports/baseballpreps/lakewoods-bo-bichette-drafted-65th-overall-by-blue-jays/2281094 … @Spartans_LHS @Baseball_ELHS
@BaseballFactory Big time power from @boknows1919, headed to the @BlueJays, No. 66 overall. Won last yr's HR Derby at #UAALLAMERICA.
@RealJuanHillman @boknows1919 to the 6ix!! Congrats bro! Your Power fits the @BlueJays just right!
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20160609122833370