Batter's Box Interactive Magazine - Blue Jays 2016 MLB Draft

Blue Jays 2016 MLB Draft - Day 2

The Blue Jays have the 102nd pick in the third round to begin Day 2 of the 2016 Rule 4 Draft. Rounds 3-10 will be held today and rounds 11-40 will be done Saturday. You can check out all the proceedings right here.

Round 3, 102nd overall - RHP Zach Jackson, Arkansas - 6-foot-3, 200 pounds. Born December 25, 1984. (Slot Value - $585,100).

Scouting Report from MLB.com...

Jackson contributed immediately in Arkansas' bullpen as a freshman, then took over as closer in 2015 and pitched the Razorbacks to the College World Series. Despite an inconsistent junior season that has included some time in Arkansas' rotation, he figures to be one of the first relievers drafted in June. Jackson's best pitch is a hammer three-quarters breaking ball with curveball break and slider velocity in the low 90s. He usually operates at 93-95 mph with his fastball and can hit 97, though it can get straight at times. Jackson doesn't need a changeup much as a reliever, but he has shown some aptitude for throwing one. While Jackson has the size and athleticism to make it as a starter, scouts question whether he has the mechanics to pull off the transition. There's a lot going on with his delivery, which features a long arm path and a deep shoulder tilt, and it hampers his control and command. If Jackson can't cut it in the rotation, at least he can fall back on having the upside of a closer. Video here.

Twitter Reaction

@jjcoop36 Blue Jays take high upside, high risk Arkansas RHP Zach Jackson. 2 of best pitches in draft with horrendous control.

Round 4, 132nd overall. OF Joshua Palacios, Auburn. Bats Left, Throws Right - 6-foot-2, 190. Born July 30, 1995. (Slot Value - $438,100).

Scouting Report from MLB.com...

The nephew of former big league catcher Rey Palacios, Joshua Palacios couldn't make Xavieran High's (Brooklyn) team as a sophomore but emerged as the 2013 New York City player of the year as a senior at the crosstown High School of Telecommunication Arts and Technology. He spent the fall of his freshman college season at Stony Brook before transferring to San Jacinto (Texas) JC and turning down the Reds as a 31st-round pick in 2014. After moving on to Auburn this spring, he was hitting .408 and challenging for the Southeastern Conference batting title before injuring his right wrist diving for a ball in early April. Palacios went just 2-for-13 during the Tigers' final 26 games but showed enough early to sell scouts on his hitting ability. A switch-hitter in high school who has hit exclusively left-handed in college, he has a quick swing and makes consistent hard contact. He manages the strike zone well and focuses on producing line drives, though he shows occasional power to his pull side. Most scouts grade Palacios as a plus runner, though some rate him closer to average, and he can steal a few bases. He tried catching at San Jacinto before settling in the outfield, and he played left field this spring because Auburn had the quicker Anfernee Grier in center. Whoever drafts Palacios likely will try him in center field, but his instincts are suspect and will land him back in left. His arm is average. Video here

Round 5, 162nd overall. 2B Cavan Biggio, Notre Dame. Bats Left, Throws Right - 6-foot-2, 190 pounds. Born April 11, 1995. (Slot Value - $328,100).

Scouting Report from MLB.com...

The second of Hall of Famer Craig Biggio’s sons, Cavan Biggio hit .311/.473/.454 with four homers and two doubles for the Irish this season. He has good instincts but little pop and needs to improve defensively. Video here

Twitter handle - @doinitBIGgio23

Twitter Reaction

@MLBDraft Cavan Biggio, son of Hall of Famer Craig, selected by @BlueJays, announced by brother Conor: http://atmlb.com/1tndxVM

‏@MLBPlayerAnalys I'm a Jays fan so watched the video linked at the MLB Draft Tracker for Cavan Biggio. It's just him popping up and making outs.

@jjcoop36 Blue Jays' pick Craig Biggio's son Cavan. Walk-first approach meant huge OBPs at Notre Dame. Scouts want to see more pop/defense.

@jeffMLBdraft Cavan Biggio has been a bit of a disappointment, been on radar as a possible first round guy since HS. He strikes out a lot, but lots BB

@Jaypers413 The @BlueJays are chasing legacies in this draft. First Bo Bichette, now Cavan Biggio. #MLBDraft

Round 6, 192nd overall. OF D.J. Daniels, Ralph L. Fike HS, North Carolina. Bats Right, Throws Right. 6-foot-3, 210 pounds. Born December 17, 1997. (Slot Value - $245,600).

Round 7, 222nd overall. RHP Andy Ravel, Kent State. 6-foot-1, 165 pounds. Born October 12, 1994. (Slot Value - $186,900).

Round 8, 252nd overall. RHP Kyle Weatherley, Grayson CC. 6-foot-4, 200 pounds. Born October 3, 1994. (Slot Value - $174,700).

Round 9, 282nd overall. RHP Nick Hartman, Old Dominion. 6-foot-1, 185 pounds. Born October 24, 1994. (Slot Value - $163,100).

Round 10, 312nd overall. LHP Kirby Snead, University of Florida. 6-foot-0, 200 pounds. Born October 7, 1994. (Slot Value - $156,600).

Posted by #2JBrumfield on Friday, June 10 2016 @ 01:02 PM EDT.

Blue Jays 2016 MLB Draft - Day 2 | 28 comments | Create New Account

The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.

Mike Green - Friday, June 10 2016 @ 01:58 PM EDT (#324539) #

The Blue Jays pick pitcher Zach Jackson. 12 years later, history repeats.

finch - Friday, June 10 2016 @ 02:01 PM EDT (#324540) #

Let's hope not....

Mike Green - Friday, June 10 2016 @ 02:08 PM EDT (#324541) #

Not to worry, this ZJ is right-handed.

As for her husband the first time he opens his clam to me I will haul off and bust him one in the jaw but I guess he will know more than to start trouble with a man of my size and who is going to be one of their stars while he is just holding down a job because they feel sorry for him. I wish he could of got the girl I married instead of the one he got and I bet she would of drove him crazy. But I guess you can't drive a left-hander crazyer than he is to begin with.

Yogi Berra and Ring Lardner in one day. I'm feeling good!

uglyone - Friday, June 10 2016 @ 02:16 PM EDT (#324542) #

SI had zach as one of the top 5 guys available on day two, but provided no details.

jerjapan - Friday, June 10 2016 @ 02:17 PM EDT (#324543) #

Six kids named Zach in BA's top 100 draft prospects. Lot's of people had Jackson as a solid 3rd rounder - the baseball draft report had this to say:

"First round stuff + fifth round command/control = ultimate third round landing spot?"

They also added this enticing nugget: "I don’t think this college class has a pitch better than his curveball at its best."

Mike Green - Friday, June 10 2016 @ 02:26 PM EDT (#324544) #

You can watch the video on MLB draft tracker to get a pretty good sense of the break and velocity of that pitch. More velocity than a curveball, more break than a slider. It is very impressive if he has any control of it; the control does come and go. His mechanics are, um, unique.

I don't see him as a "fast mover". It might happen that he gains consistent control suddenly (as happened with Sam McDowell famously), but counting on that is not a great idea. I wonder if the club sees him as a straight ace relief prospect or as a relief-to-start conversion project.

Thomas - Friday, June 10 2016 @ 02:47 PM EDT (#324545) #

I haven't yet seen the video of Jackson's curve, but I like the sound of that. I think people can sometimes get overly excited about one good trait to the detriment of the players who don't have the extremes but have more consistency in these rounds, but there's something to dream on with a pitch like that and some degree of consistent control. Even if he doesn't have anything else other than a fastball.

jerjapan - Friday, June 10 2016 @ 02:48 PM EDT (#324546) #

CF Joshua Palacios is the next pick. Drafted by the Reds in the 31st round out of HS, he went from a Juco to division I this season. Good example of why some kids are better off going to college!

P-Lo as he apparently likes to be called seems like a good guy according to this piece:

http://www.oanow.com/sports/college/auburn/baseball/josh-palacios-adjusting-to-auburn-ready-for-sec-opportunity/article_13e264cc-d5d5-11e5-8c30-e31787d51e48.html

Mike Green - Friday, June 10 2016 @ 02:49 PM EDT (#324547) #

Joshua Palacios is their 4th round pick. He more than held his own in the SEC at age 20 until a wrist injury in April. He sounds like a Ben Revere type although not quite as fast.

Mike Green - Friday, June 10 2016 @ 03:33 PM EDT (#324549) #

Cavan Biggio was drafted in the 5th round. He's a second baseman who walks a lot and gets hit by pitches a lot. Hmm, sounds vaguely familiar.

CeeBee - Friday, June 10 2016 @ 03:39 PM EDT (#324550) #

Must be genetics.

Mike Green - Friday, June 10 2016 @ 04:01 PM EDT (#324551) #

Palacios, by the way, is the nephew of Rey Palacios. I'll grant that it isn't the same as being the son of Biggio or Bichette.

katman - Friday, June 10 2016 @ 05:21 PM EDT (#324553) #

R6 #192 David Daniels, OF
Ralph L Fike HS
R/R
6'3" 210lbs DOB: 12/17/97

R7 #222 Andy Ravel, RHP
JR Kent State
R/R
6'1" 165lbs DOB: 10/12/94

jerjapan - Friday, June 10 2016 @ 05:28 PM EDT (#324554) #

Bluebird Banter has this on Daniels: In the 6th round of the 2016 Draft, selected David (D.J.) Daniels 192nd overall, a 6'3", 210 pound outfielder from David Fike High School in North Carolina. This pick is more typical of the Blue Jay playbook in recent years, as he's a off the board pick having not appeared on either Perfect Game's or Baseball America's top 500 lists, or even appearing on Baseball America's North Carolina state list which went 58 deep (25 in the top 500).

He is a very accomplished football player, committed to James Madison University to play both baseball and football so safe to say he's an elite athlete with plus tools, which is something the Jays have focussed on in the draft.

Ravel seems to be a slender, fast working college starter, with 4 pitches and a lack of velocity. Arizona drafted him out of HS in 2013 and he's only added 10 pounds since HS, bringing him up to 175. At 6 ft 1, hopefully he can add some muscle. Says he loves to pitch fast.

Mike Green - Friday, June 10 2016 @ 05:32 PM EDT (#324555) #

Here's an interview with D.J. Daniels. A two-sport guy who also plays the piano.

jerjapan - Friday, June 10 2016 @ 05:35 PM EDT (#324556) #

Another Juco guy in Kyle Weatherly, BA had this to say in January about their 4th ranked Juco prospect:

4. Kyle Weatherly, rhp, Grayson (Texas) JC: Weatherly will move to the rotation after a dominating freshman year as a reliever. Weatherly’s 92-94 mph fastball gets extreme run thanks to his low arm slot and he has a plus slider. But it’s the development of a potentially above-average changeup that gives the Louisiana State commit a chance to start.

scottt - Friday, June 10 2016 @ 06:27 PM EDT (#324557) #

Thank you to everybody who helped get to where I am today. And thank you to the @BlueJays for the opportunity of a life time #dreamscometrue

Easy signing.

scottt - Friday, June 10 2016 @ 06:29 PM EDT (#324558) #

That was from Andy Ravel...

John Northey - Friday, June 10 2016 @ 07:02 PM EDT (#324559) #

For the first 10 rounds signability is important and for the first 3 rounds high ceiling is also important. Rounds 11 and beyond are for 'what the heck' picks. Guys who have talent but seem reluctant to sign or who have one or two great tools and big question marks otherwise.

Tellez was one of those 'what the heck' picks. Years upon years ago Jeff Kent was too as was Orlando Hudson. Those picks you normally need years to know if it was a useful pick but anything you get after round 10 is a bonus.

I could see the draft being cut down quite a bit in the new MLB player contract next year. Maybe 20 rounds or something like that. Also teams will try to make it automatic money for rounds 1-10 I suspect - IE: if you are picked #1 overall you get $x and that is that. I like the fun right now where teams can use different strategies for picks do you punt rounds 4-10 to have more money for picks 1-3 and 11 and beyond? Do you overdraft guys in rounds 1-3 so you have more money for later rounds? AA was creative we'll see how the new crew is.

scottt - Friday, June 10 2016 @ 07:06 PM EDT (#324560) #

Why would they cut the draft? Wouldn't that just bring in more international players?

PeterG - Friday, June 10 2016 @ 08:02 PM EDT (#324562) #

if they cut the draft, it would be nowhere near that drastic. Tellez was considered an almost impossible sign. The past administration did very well in mid and later rounds and very poorly in early rounds imo.

scottt - Friday, June 10 2016 @ 09:27 PM EDT (#324566) #

The PA wanted limitations on the draft to make sure more money was spent on the players, less on the draftees.
Cutting the draft would have zero impact on that. There's always places to spend excess dollars, like the Asian market.
Having fixed slot money would be bad for the player agents and I can't imagine why the PA would go after the agents.

John Northey - Friday, June 10 2016 @ 10:48 PM EDT (#324572) #

Oh the players wouldn't push for hard caps for each player drafted but the owners might as it would make it impossible to negotiate and would cut the legs out from some of the super-agents who many owners hate. The PA might allow it as it doesn't affect current members only future ones and most current ones would not be adverse to seeing less money to rookies and more to long term vets via a higher minimum salary or earlier free agency or no compensation for signing free agents or even being given a cookie I suspect. Same with an international draft and limits on bonuses for those players.

If the PA is smart they'll push for expansion (2 more teams = 50 more jobs) and an increase in minimum salary. If it takes an international draft and hard caps on rule 4 draftees then so be it.

Richard S.S. - Saturday, June 11 2016 @ 05:22 AM EDT (#324576) #

People forget half the people drafted and signed are Seniors. There are a lot of jobs for experienced players to fill and they fill them.

scottt - Saturday, June 11 2016 @ 05:30 AM EDT (#324578) #

Two more teams would requires more minor teams as well, so more draftees, not less.

John Northey - Saturday, June 11 2016 @ 09:26 AM EDT (#324580) #

Well for day 3 there are 2 top 50 picks left - Jared Horn (34) RHP out of high school, Drew Mendoza (36) 3B in high school. 6 more top 100 guys still on the board too. 3 LHP, 2 RHP, and a catcher. Only 1 wasn't in high school this year. These are probably all hard to sign guys who I hope the Jays chase down today with rounds 11-40 as losing them only costs the pick, not bonus money. Rounds 11-40 tend to be low risk as in the 11th round the Jays have only ever picked 2 guys with positive WAR lifetime, none reached 3. Round 12 is highlighted by Doug Mientkiewicz who wasn't signed. 13th is Ted Lilly (DNS), and Alex Gonzalez the first, 14th is Brandon Lyon, 15th has two interesting guys in Drew Hutchison and Danny Ainge (yes, the basketball player who did reach the major with the Jays and sucked). 16th best is Dalton Pompey. 17th Reed Johnson, 18th Kris Bryant (DNS), 19th Bob File, 20th has the 'holy crap' player of this batch in Jeff Kent. So swinging for the fences in rounds 11 and beyond is a very good idea as some quality is there but not a lot.

jerjapan - Saturday, June 11 2016 @ 11:26 AM EDT (#324582) #

The past administration did very well in mid and later rounds and very poorly in early rounds imo.

Because of the unsigned picks? That idea was debunked earlier in the thread. Just a quick comp of ALE fWAR produced in the 2010-2015 drafts (the AA years) in the first five rounds. The ALE has had some of the best front offices in the game over this period.

BOS - 16.4 - betts, bradley, swihart
BAL - 24.7, Machado and Gausman
NYY- 1 - greg bird, rob refsnyder
TAM - -.3 - tyler goeddel
TOR - 16.7 - dyson, stroman, sanchez, thor

Boston and Toronto both have a lot of good minor league prospects in their system (or other teams systems, in the case our our drafts- Norris, Woj, Nicolino, Musgrove, Hoffman, etc).

Time will tell on his last two drafts, but the AA regime was exceptional at deriving value from all avenues in the draft - early / mid / late rounds, FA comp, overslot signings, trade resources.

Most heartening to me about our current draft is it seems that Brian Parker's team has been largely left to do their thing. Props to Shapiro / Atkins for not messing with a strength.

jerjapan - Saturday, June 11 2016 @ 02:18 PM EDT (#324587) #

Already seeing the tough sign picks on day 3 - Travis Hosterman at 11th has a commitment to central Florida.

The baseball draft report has this to say about 12th round and awesomely named catcher Ridge Smith: " I’m not sure Ridge Smith is a catcher over the long haul, but he’s got the athleticism to give it a go as a pro. Failing that, he could still put that athleticism (and above-average speed) to good use at either third or an outfield spot."

6 ft 4 HS righty Chris Lincoln is 13th, another guy with a commitment to college - Santa Barbara in this case.

Rest of the top 20 featuring lots of pitching and a few position players, although unless you think Bichette can stick at SS, there's isn't a single SS yet.

Blue Jays 2016 MLB Draft - Day 2 | 28 comments | Create New Account

The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.