I wonder who the mystery position player is. Clint Frazier, maybe?

Bickford was ranked (at best) the number 26th prospect in the Draft

BA had him at like #18 in their last-minute draft day Top 50 they released.  Al Skorupa of BullpenBanter/Fangraphs had him at #11 on his personal draft board.  BullpenBanter wrote this in their final summary of Bickford:

A few more words on Bickford since I’ve seen him three more times since the first round of comments. He struck out 18 in the CIF Championship Game, against an completely overmatched team. I think the 15 punchouts against a much better Bonita team may have been more impressive, but the 18 K’s in the spotlight of the championship is impressive, although the game got out of hand. There were quite a few scouts in attendance, and one scout with a team drafting in the bottom half of the draft said he wasn’t sticking around, “he won’t last til us.” I’ve heard others linking him in the 8-15 range too.


Going early was luck, not skill.

In your invalid opinion, maybe.  It seemed like Kansas City was going to draft him at #8 before he told them something ridiculous like $4.25 million and then declined to speak with their executives before the draft.  I am under the impression that his camp got word about KC's complete inability in pitcher development and spooked them away on purpose.

Thank you metafour for your help with the draft. The info you've been able to find has been a fantastic resource for us interested in the draft and all its peculiarities.

Thank you Gerry as well for passing this info about signings along. Much appreciated.

Checking an earlier thread to get an idea about these guys...

3rd rounder — Murphy, Patrick Hamilton HS (AZ) RHP R/R HS 6’04″ 195lbs
Had Tommy John surgery and hasn't pitched in over a year. Was expected to be out of the top 10 rounds, but the Jays must've seen something and got him to agree to a lower bonus.

4th rounder — Smith, Evan Mary G Montgomery HS (AL) LHP R/L HS 6’05″ 190lbs
Just saw an increase in velocity shortly before the draft by 4-5 MPH.  Someone who scouts would've been vital on much like Murphy.

5th rounder — Lietz, Daniel Heartland CC (IL) LHP L/L J1 6’02″ 200lbs
Has 3 potential ML calibre pitches, but his fastball was in the 80's until, you guessed it, he saw a jump in velocity this year to 92.  Many think he can do even better.

7th rounder — Greene, Conner Santa Monica HS (CA) RHP R/R HS 6’03″ 165lbs
Command issues, but 3 potential ML pitches.  165 lbs and 6'3" - a real beanpole thus loved by scouts who think 20 lbs of muscle can easily be added I suspect.

10th rounder — Custons, Garrett Air Force (CO) C R/R SR 6’00″ 200lbs
A 'lets get an extra $100k to spend elsewhere' pick.

12th rounder — Mayza, Tim Millersville University (PA) LHP L/L JR 6’03″ 205lbs
Lots of issues, but has a 93 MPH fastball thus worth a shot.

No notes on the rest in the earlier thread at least in the main article.

However, 13th rounder — Locastro, Timothy Ithaca College (NY) IF R/R JR 6’01″ 175lbs did have his stats listed and they included 27 HBP (!!) 22 BB 9 SO 436/553/663.

I won't rest easy until Rowdy is under contract.

;)

Rowdy Tellez wants 1st round monies, and chances are he's not signable.  Jacob Brent, Eric Lauer and Sam Tewes might be signed from that sum and they are the toughest signs A.A. will have.

Just looking around the net to see who might be a tough sign.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1665339-2013-mlb-draft-results-every-mlb-teams-biggest-draft-steal-reach/page/30 says the biggest steal is  Jacob Brentz, LHP, Parkway South Senior HS (MO), No. 325 overall due to his 97 MPH fastball - thus odds are he'll be a tough sign. 11th round pick so he doesn't hurt the budget if not signed, but will hurt it if signed as odds are he'll want big money.

Compared to BA top 500 rankings...
Phil Bickford drafted #10, ranked #20
Clinton Hollon drafted #47, ranked #95
Daniel Lietz drafted #145, ranked #254
Matt Boyd drafted #175, ranked #178 - now that is matching up nicely
Conner Greene drafted #205 ranked #446
Kendall Graveman drafted #235 ranked #470
Jake Brentz drafted #325 ranked #80 - matches Bleacher Report for 'tough sign'
Eric Lauer drafted #505 ranked #125 - another tough sign LHP out of HS
Mike Reeves drafted #625 ranked #456 - catcher in university - ranked low enough that might sign anyways
Sam Tewes drafted #655 ranked #175 - RHP HS, listed as a scouts dream
Rowdy Tellez drafted #895 ranked #59 - 1B would be very nice to get into the system but will be extremely hard to sign
Dane Dunning drafted #1015 ranked #490 - RHP HS

So they went a bit weak early on, probably hoping to build up some cap space to use to sign one of those tough signs later in the draft.  Brentz and Tewes would be the two to chase post top 10 rounds as both are top 100 talent (top 3 rounds) who fell due to being tough signs.  Given both are top 3 round talent would it be worth breaking the rules and losing a first round pick to sign them?  10% over budget (allowed up to 5%) costs a first round pick, 11%-15% over costs a first and second round pick, 16%+ over is 2 first rounders.  Given the talent these two have it would be worth going 10% over and losing a first rounder, maybe even 14.99% and losing a first and second, but not more than that I'd say.  The Jays budget is $6,398,200 - add 5% for 'free' (costs a bit in cash) = $6,718,110.  The next 5% costs a pick, that is $319,910.  So the Jays have (over slot values) just shy of $640k available if they are willing to sacrifice next years first round pick.  Mixed with a bit of savings by drafting guys higher than their rank I suspect they can crack $1 million.  Would that be enough to sign Tellez or Brentz?  Maybe.  But to get both (and a few others) the Jays would have to lose 2 first round picks and a lot of cash (each dollar over 15% costs an extra dollar to MLB head office).  If they had more top 50-100 talents I'd say go for it, but only if you have the equivalent of 3 or more first round picks.

"Rowdy Tellez wants 1st round monies, and chances are he's not signable. "

Given the mostly underwhelming crowd in front of him, I'd give it to him.

do we really need another Kris Bryant scenario?

The Jays look like they will have some money left after the agree to a deal with Bickford.  I assume they will take the cash, let's call it $1M and they will go to Brentz, Lauer and Tellez and say here is $1M, the first one to say yes gets it.

I'm no draft expert, so I've been reading much of the commentary here and elsewhere with interest.  How do Bauxites feel about this years draft overall? 

IMO, not as unique as last year's draft strategy, nor as sexy as some of the compensation pick drafts, but overall I like the aggressive targeting of high upside pitchers. 

I am no draft expert either, but I do think that most opinions on drafts are as good as coin flips.  Teams with high picks, or extra picks, are rated highly.  Teams that drafted a player lower than expert A thought they should have been drafted means that team got a bargain.  That ignores the fact that 10, 15 or 20 other teams passed over that player too.  Expert A is essentially saying that the drafting team and the expert, know more than the 20 teams that passed over the pick.

Now if you use your cash pool creatively to get more talent than your money would normally give you, that deserves a good draft rating.

A couple comments in response to those above.  Kris Bryant and Tellez are two very different propositions.  Bryant coming out had/has a very athletic body/frame.  He had/has a plus arm and enough athleticism to play a corner outfield position.  He was not a clogger and none of his tools really graded out below average.  He had questions about his swing and whether his power was influenced by metal bat use--that ladder of which I find/found ridiculous.  Bryant went second in this draft.  Tellez is a one trick pony.  He has fantastic power, but he doesn't do anything else and he has more tools that grade out below average than those that grade out above average.  His body isn't great either, and at 18 that does not spell well down the line.  Watching video of him too and you see he has a very long swing, much longer and slower than Bryant did in high school.  In my mind then you're not dealing with a Bryant situation as Bryant has the ability to play a premium position and has plus hit and power tools.  There are some industry questions from what I can gather about Tellez's makeup.  His comments after the draft wreak of entitlement and will likely not be taken well by front office types who are looking for guys who want to play irregardless of draft position.  In video I've seen of him he doesn't look to play the game hard and on multiple occasions he has shown the other team up.  We get it, you're a talent and 99% of all those high school guys you face aren't.  These are my opinions and you may have your own, but I would strongly disagree that this will be a "Bryant situation."  The more likely comp (geography and school) might be something like Ricky Oropesa.

I'm not too thrilled with this draft, but think there are encouraging signs here.  Obtaining high ceiling pitching is a priority and something I think the Jays should have done better in recent drafts.  Young pitching is a real commodity and the life blood of any organization.  Bickford was a reach at 10 and should not get an over-slot bonus.  If guys with one pitch are getting top-5 money and the Jays have in past years refused to pay guys with a lot more going for them, than there's an issue.  With that being said, there's real potential for him to pitch in the mid-upper 90s and spin an average slider and be a successful starter in the big leagues.  It's a clean arm and I see him as a Matt Garza type pitcher when he was with the Rays during those years where he threw something like 75% fastballs.  There's faith, either rightly or wrongly, in Dane Johnson to get the most of these kids.  Clinton Hollon is another projectable kid.  He's going to need some time and I wouldn't be surprised if you don't hear his name on a full season team for another two years.  He looks like a kid that needs the full course "this is how you be a professional."  They need to get him eating well, working out well, acting like a pro--the whole monty.  On the mound he comes out of his delivery way too much and has relied simply on his strong arm.  He'll be a project, but he's got the unteachables--arm strength and feel for how to spin a breaking ball.  Smith and Murphy can be compared a bit to Nicolino.  Projectable kids who will need time to let their body's adjust to the pro game.  The college guys are nice.  Boyd and Girodo look like they can pitch in a ML bullpen.  Graveman has pitchability, but no velocity.  Nice to have guys like him in the system who can possibly move quick, but also demonstrate to the guys who can't throw strikes that look here's a guy who can and doesn't have half your stuff and he's getting outs.  Brentz is a must have.  He hasn't pitched much and is the definition of wildcard, but that arm is to die for.  It's clean, it's powerful, like I said earlier, he reminds me of Matt Moore. 

So it's a so-so draft at the moment that can go either way with how these guys come along.  I was encouraged by AA's comments that going forward the Jays will look to target a few hitters early, but if they're not available just go pitching.  A lot easier to develop projectable pitching than hitting prospects and a lot of those guys can be found in Latin America. 

Shi Davidi has a notes column up at Sportsnet and here is his take on the draft:

Third-rounder Patrick Murphy signed for $150,800 below the No. 83 spot’s assigned value of $650,800, while fourth-rounder Evan Smith went $96,100 under the $446,100 slot for pick No. 115. Tenth-rounder Garrett Custons went for either $1,000 or $5,000, a source said, providing savings of at least $131,800 on the $136,800 earmarked for No. 295.

That’s nearly $400,000 in the bank and unlike last year, where the Blue Jays built up a war-chest of $2 million to lock down left-hander Matt Smoral, their targets this season appear to be beyond the 10th rounder.

The money could be spent on any of Jake Brentz, chosen in the 11th round, fellow lefty Eric Lauer, taken in the 17th, righty Sam Tewes, chosen in the 22nd, and slugging first baseman Rowdy Tellez, chosen in the 30th round, and the Blue Jays strategy may be to create the cap room and see which of those players decides to take it.

 

I thought the money is targeted to Bickford.

I doubt Bickford signs above slot. Hollon is rumoured to be at slot but is considered an easy sign. I don't believe he signed at slot. I figure he signed for $1M but below slot allotment.

All these punted picks amongst all teams is amazing. I can't wait until one of those guys actually makes the MLB and sticks around. I see the story being written already...

One thing of note is how many guys the Jays will have become useful in the majors.  What is the track record?  5+ WAR is what another site used, so I'll use that instead of the 10 I normally use.
1988: 4 guys led by Woody Williams 30.9 then Scott Erikson (DNS)
1989: 3 guys, but top 2 are 'wow' in Olerud (58) and Jeff Kent (55.2)
1990: 1 guy, Steve Karsay
1991: 4 guys led by Shawn Green's 34.5 (FYI: he was a comp pick for losing one month Jay Buddy Black who cost the Jays 3 pitching prospects who never did much). 
1992: 3 guys led by Shannon Stewart's 24.7 (comp pick for losing Tom Candiotti who cost Denis Boucher, Glenallen Hill, Mark Whiten)
1993: 1 guy, Chris Carpenter 34.5, a comp pick for losing Tom Henke (geez, quite the trend in the early 90's eh?)
1995: 3 guys, Halladay #1, Ted Lilly also of note at 27 but didn't sign (he is one of the 3)
1996: 3 guys, Orland Hudson #1 but DNS (30.6) and Casey Blake had 24.9 (Jays got 0 of that, lost him on waivers...razzen frazzen Ash)
1997: 3 guys but all 'wow' in Hudson (who did sign at 30.6), Wells (29.3), and Michael Young (25...razzen frazzen Ash)
1998: 2 guys but sub 10's
1999: 3 guys led by Rios at 27.9
2003: 3 guys led by Hill at 24
2004: 2 guys under 10 (Lind & Janssen)
2005: Rickey Romero (9.8 and dropping)

All other years (1994, 2000-2002, 2006 and up) have no one at 5 WAR.  So the best the Jays have done since 1988 was the 4 in that year.  2 near HOF guys in 1989 has to be viewed as the best, while 1997 had 3 all-stars.

What is clear is that getting 2-3 guys who are really useful is hard to do and the Jays rarely have done it.  Plus the last 2 Ash drafts and most JPR drafts were poor ones.

TamRa - you are right about Randy "Rowdy" Tellez.

BA had Rowdy rated as the 2nd best 1st baseman. They say about him..."prodigious power, feel for hitting, patient approach, excellent hand eye, rarely swing and missing, keeps hands back, tracks pitches well, drives off-speed pitches to the opposite field, worked hard to tighten up body, moves well for 6' 5" and 235 pounds, played in outfield as well but profiles as a solid 1st baseman, THEN THEY SAY THIS:"Tellez is committed to Southern California, but will be drafted high enough to forgo that commitment." Unfortunately, we took him in the 30th round - sigh!

The only guy we took in the draft that has even a reasonable chance of being a real offensive force and there is NO chance we'll sign him. If I'm wrong and we can sign him - AA for Pope, Prime Minister or Pimp - or what ever other prestigious position he wants!!

I can't wait until one of those guys actually makes the MLB and sticks around. I see the story being written already..

Mike Aviles was drafted by the Royals and all he got was $1000 for his signing bonus.

Bickford and Hollo have $4,089,600.00 available to sign them - and no more. Lietz, Boyd, Greene, Graveman and Girodo are/will sign(ed) with numbers ($1,074,900.00 available) yet to come. Possible savings of up to $250,000.00 available to use on picks 11-40. Savings from Murphy, Smith and Custons ($378,700.00) will be used on picks 11-40.

To the best of my knowledge, Jacob Brentz wants 3rd/4th found monies. Sam Tewes might need more. Eric Lauer wants to play on the same Team as his 'dream' Coach, and may not come for any sum (without the coach). And Tellez wants 1st round monies and still might not sign.

Until more numbers are available, it's just guesswork.

The Official Blue Jays site is useless.  The only way to find out who has signed is closely examine Short-Season Rosters.   The site: http://www.bluebirdbanter.com/2013/6/10/4414442/2013-mlb-draft-signing-table is much more helpful, especially the comments.