Batter's Box Interactive Magazine Batter's Box Interactive Magazine Batter's Box Interactive Magazine
It is Day 2 of the 2019 MLB Draft with Rounds 3-10 with the Blue Jays picking 88th. You can follow the draft right here. #LetsGoBlueJays

The Jays stayed on the mound with their first two picks, selecting West Virginia righthander Alek Manoah with the 11th pick before snagging IMG Academy righty Kendall Williams 52nd overall.

Image from insidehalton.com

Round 3 - 88th overall. OF Dasan Brown. Abbey Park HS, Oakville, ON. 5-foot-11, 170 lbs. Bats Right, Throws Right. Born September 25, 2001. Slot Value $678,600.

MLB Scouting Report - For the past five Drafts, there has been a high school hitter from Ontario taken in the top two rounds, two being the first-round Naylor brothers. Brown, a super-athletic and a bit raw outfielder from North of the Border, may not go quite that early in June, but he is the best Canadian prospect in this class by far. Most evaluations on Brown are projections for far off in the future, with interested teams knowing they will have to be patient. He does have solid contact skills from the right side of the plate and he should grow into some raw power. He needs to add strength and has trouble impacting the ball at times as a result, though some scouts point out that Brown was most heavily scouted while facing pro competition this spring. The Texas A&M commit has close to top-of-the-scale speed, which makes him a threat on the basepaths and helps him cover a ton of ground in center field, where he should be a plus defender down the road. Teams that love players with premium athleticism and a ton of ceiling are likely going to look at Brown in the first three or four rounds. It might take some time, but the payoff could be huge. Video

Baseball America Scouting Report - Scouting Report: One of the fastest players in the 2019 class, Brown is an 80-grade runner who routinely posts sub 4.1-second home-to-first times from the righthanded batter’s box. With centerfield athleticism and instincts, Brown has tremendous upside as a defender in the middle of the outfield, tracking balls well with dynamic athleticism that will allow him to make plays other outfielders wouldn’t dream of getting to. Brown has average raw arm strength, but he needs to improve his throwing accuracy. Offensively, Brown is incredibly raw, and scouts believe he would be a two-year Rookie-ball player who you would need to teach how to hit. He has some bat-to-ball skills that he showed off with the Canadian national team against pro competition this spring, but he’s mostly a fastball hitter who has a line-drive approach and rarely elevates the ball. When he does, it’s with little impact ability as Brown has well below-average raw power in his 5-foot-11, 170-pound frame. A Texas A&M commit, Brown could be a player who teams prefer to see go to school, develop physically and prove he can hit. But if he does figure out the offensive game and takes the next steps, he has exciting upside and is one of the more impressive athletes in the class.

Twitter Reaction

@BlueJaysAcademy He's a #T12 Alumnus, and the newest member of our @BlueJays family. Congratulations @Dasani_Brown3! #MLBDraft #BlueJays

@KPeterson813 With the 88th overall selection, the @BlueJays select OF, Dasan Brown. A bit of a spring pop up. ++ bat speed and run. Room for physical development. #MLBDraft #BlueJays

@FG_Prospects Jays 3rd rounder Dasan Brown is one of the youngest and fastest players in the draft. Big physical projection, bat has come on the last few months.

@CarlosACollazo Dasan Brown has an argument as the fastest player in the class. He absolutely flies. It's a light bat now, but he has some bat-to-ball skills and could be an exceptional defender in center field. #MLBDraft #BlueJays...Brown is an 80-grade runner for us.

@vcervinoPG Dasan Brown is really toolsy: plus run, plus bat speed, with a chance to stick. Here's my full report from earlier this year #BlueJays

@B_Sakowski_PG Blue Jays take the native Canadian in prep OF Dasan Brown. Elite speed, really rose up boards this spring, pot. impact in CF, contact skills project well, scouts think there's power in there eventually too

@SNETCampbell #BlueJays select 🇨🇦 Dasan Brown in 3rd round, 88th overall. He's from Oakville, Ontario ... so I approve.

Image from perfectgame.org

Round 4 - 117th overall. OF Will Roberston, Creighton. 6-foot-2, 215 lbs. Bats Left, Throws Left. Born December 26, 1997. Slot Value $492,700.

MLB.com Scouting Report - As a junior, Robertson hit an extra-inning home run to give Fatima High (Westphalia) the 2015 Missouri state Class 3 baseball championship, but he otherwise drew little attention at his small-town school. After a modest freshman season at Creighton, he made a run at the Big East Conference triple crown in 2018 and continued to produce in the Cape Cod League during the summer. He has been streakier at the plate this spring, costing him a chance to join Chad McConnell (No. 13 overall in 1992) as the only Blue Jays position players ever selected in the first round. Omaha's TD Ameritrade Park is one of the toughest places to hit a home run in college baseball, yet it hasn't been able to contain Robertson, whose short, quick left-handed stroke and strength give him some of the best power in the 2019 college crop. He lets his home runs come naturally rather than swinging for the fences, making repeated contact that could allow him to hit for average as well. To do so, scouts believe he'll need to get more upright in his stance like he was in the past before getting too spread out as a junior. Robertson has below-average speed out of the batter's box but is closer to average once he gets going. He needs to improve his defensive instincts and his arm is merely average, so he could shift from right field at Creighton to left field in pro ball. His all-around profile is similar to that of College World Series hero Trevor Larnach, whom the Twins drafted 20th overall out of Oregon State last June, though Larnach had a more impressive junior season. Video

Baseball America Scouting Report: Since Creighton moved to TD Ameritrade Park on a full-time basis in 2012, home runs have been very hard to come by for the Blue Jays. In 2015, Creighton hit nine home runs as a team. Robertson is one hitter whose power has played even at TD Ameritrade. His 12 home runs in 2018 were the most by any Creighton hitter since moving to the new stadium, topping future major league Mike Gerber’s 11 in 2014. Robertson reached double digits home runs again in 2019, showing a level, line-drive swing from the left side that provides plenty of contact and some power because of his innate strength. Robertson impressed evaluators last summer in the Cape Cod League, where he hit .300/.380/.435. He has plus raw power to go with an average hit tool. Robertson is more solid than spectacular. He’s a left fielder who can provide average defense in the corner outfield spots with a fringe-average arm. He’s also an average runner. There are a lot of 45 and 50 grades on Robertson’s scouting report. That, combined with his power production and his impressive stint on the Cape Cod League, should help him land a spot in the third to fourth round.

Twitter Reaction

@ZackMatt4 Will Robertson is honestly not too dissimilar to Griffin Conine, who the Jays took last year. Big power bat who performed on the cape but he's been streaky at Creighton, potential to be an impact hitter in the best case scenario

 @_robanderson Before Will Robertson, the only other Creighton Bluejay picked by the Toronto Blue Jays was Peyton Lewis in 1999.

Image from virginiasports.com

Round 5 - 147th overall. SS Tanner Morris, Virginia. 6-foot-2, 190 pounds. Bats Left, Throws Right. Born September 13, 1998. Slot Value $367,900.

MLB.com Scouting Report - Morris was a solid prospect who played for former closer Billy Wagner in high school, albeit one who was 19 years old and with a strong commitment to the University of Virginia. After a solid first season as the starting shortstop for the Cavaliers, Morris' All-Star turn in the Cape Cod League raised his profile, and he's continued to hit extremely well as a Draft-eligible sophomore. Morris has a very good track record for hitting and most scouts believe he'll continue to hit for average at the next level. The left-handed hitter sends a lot of line drives the other way and controls the strike zone extremely well. Virginia's home park is not conducive to power, nor is Morris' current approach, but as he continues to learn how to turn on pitches on the inner half of the plate as well as fills out his 6-foot-2 frame, there could be more pop coming in the future. There's less belief in Morris' ability to play shortstop than there is in his bat. While he has decent hands and enough arm, he's not a runner, with most thinking he'll profile better at second base as a pro. Virginia has a good track record of producing players with a strong foundation for hitting, with many of them going on to add power as they developed. That's the hope for Morris, who could be a solid offensive-minded second baseman when all is said and done. Video

Baseball America Scouting Report - A draft-eligible sophomore, Morris has one of the more complete hitting approaches in the class dating back to his days as a high schooler, when he showed impressive barrel control and a contact-oriented look at the plate. He’s hit for high averages in both of his seasons at Virginia, but he’s filled out more physically and started to tap into more extra-base power in 2019. Morris’ swing is naturally suited toward hitting the ball the opposite way and into the left-center field gap, although he’s become a bit more pull-happy as he’s tried to hit for more power. Right now, he has a hit-over-power profile, but scouts believe more power will come in the future. Morris plays shortstop for Virginia, and he’s been fine thanks to a strong arm and high baseball IQ, but he lacks the first-step quickness and short actions necessary to handle the position in pro ball. A well below-average runner, Morris is likely better suited for third base or a corner outfield position, although a team high on his defensive ability might try to keep him in the middle infield at second base. Wherever he winds up defensively, Morris’ hit tool is his carrying trait. He has a strong track record of hitting in the ACC and a productive Cape Cod League appearance in 2018, when he hit .331/.404/.449 in 35 games.

Twitter Reaction

@CarlosACollazo Tanner Morris has excellent pure feel for hitting and good wood bat track record. He even brought out the wood bat back in his high school days. Hit tool is the biggest for him, but he has a strong arm. Not a SS at the next level.

@martyhudtloff #UVa baseball standout Tanner Morris has been drafted in the 5th round by the Toronto Blue Jays. The Crozet native still has the option to return to Virginia for his junior season.

Image from calbears.com

Round 6 - 177th overall. SS Cameron Eden, California. 6-foot-1, 180 pounds. Bats Right, Throws Right. Born March 31, 1998. Slot Value $275,900.

Baseball America Scouting Report: A three-year starter for Cal, Eden broke out as a freshman and quickly took over the team’s starting shortstop job and hit .315/.361/.472 in 54 games during his first stint against Pac-12 pitching. He continued to start at shortstop during his sophomore season, but his offensive numbers fell off in a big way. Eden has moved off of shortstop and played left field and center field this spring, while starting to swing the bat again. Through his first 48 games, Eden was hitting .365/.434/.563 with eight home runs, though he has always struck out at close to a 20-percent rate. Eden has a strong arm and solid range at shortstop and could probably play the infield, though scouts think he profiles best in a utility role. He’s an above-average runner whose speed plays on the bases and in the outfield.

Image from d1baseball.com

Round 7 - 207th overall. 2B LJ Talley, Georgia. 6-foot-2, 203 pounds. Bats Left, Throws Right. Born February 15, 1997. Slot Value $218,500.

MLB.com Scouting Report - Talley has always had the tools, and he put them together in a very good senior season at Georgia, leading the Bulldogs to the No. 4 national seed and an NCAA Regional host berth. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound left-handed-hitting second baseman entered the tournament batting .327 with eight home runs. He's shortened up his swing and taken a better approach at the plate, and he's gotten stronger and more versatile, too.

Baseball America Scouting Report - A four-year starter for the Bulldogs, Talley is a 6-foot-2, 203-pound infielder who was known for his sure hands defensively, but had a breakout offensive campaign in the SEC this spring. Through 56 games, Talley hit .356/.459/.512 with a career-high eight home runs and more walks (15.7 percent rate) than strikeouts (11.8 percent rate) for the first time in his career. Talley’s offensive improvement puts him on the radar as a senior sign, as he’s routinely hit the ball hard and is now seeing that power translate to games. Defensively, Talley is reliable with the glove and has the defensive actions for the left side of the infield, but below-average arm strength makes him a better fit for second base.

Twitter Reaction

@jeffMLBdraft LJ Talley a senior sign for the Blue Jays who improved every single year at Georgia very high walk rate

@vcervinoPG #BlueJays grab a notable senior in LJ Talley. Performed very well this year with a .332 average and more walks than strikeouts. 2B fit.

Image from youtube.com

Round 8 - 237th overall. 3B Angel Camacho, Jacksonville University (FL). 6-foot-3, 200 lbs. Bats Right, Throws Right. Born June 13, 1997. Slot Value $175,000.

Twitter Reaction

@baseballexis #BlueJays eighth-round pick Angel Camacho graduated with a kinesiology degree after three years, before earning his master’s of business administration while playing for the @JAX_Dolphins. Colour me impressed.

Image from d1baseball.com

Round 9 - 267th overall. C Philip Clarke, Vanderbilt. 5-foot-11, 190 lbs. Bats Left, Throws Right. Born March 24, 1998. Slot Value $154,900.

MLB.com Scouting Report - Clarke had more offensive upside than most of the high school catchers in the 2017 Draft, but the Nashville product resisted seven-figure overtures from big league clubs in order to stay home and attend Vanderbilt. He still is known more for his bat, though he has gotten better behind the plate this spring after spending most of his freshman season at DH. Whether he'll be signable this time around as a sophomore-eligible remains to be seen. Clarke stands out as a lefty-hitting catcher with the ability to handle the bat. He regularly puts the barrel on the ball, uses the entire field and manages the strike zone well. He has more strength than bat speed and possesses solid raw power, though he's more concerned with making quality contact than swinging for the fences. If Clarke can continue to improve his defense, he has a chance to become a big league regular. He looks quicker and more agile than he did in high school, though his receiving skills are fringy and need more work. He has similar arm strength but his quick release helps him keep the running game in check. Video

Baseball America Scouting Report - Clarke ranked No. 166 on the BA 500 coming out of high school, with plenty of scouts appreciating his lefthanded swing and power potential. But he was a strong commitment to Vanderbilt and there were plenty of questions about whether he would stick at catcher long term. Clarke didn’t allay those concerns in an impressive freshman season, when he filled the DH role while junior Stephen Scott was the Commodores’ primary catcher. Clarke caught only 13 games that year, but this spring Scott moved back to the outfield and first base while an improved Clarke has been the team’s regular backstop. Clarke is more consistent as a receiver and he’s more durable this season. A below-average receiver in high school, Clarke now is an average receiver. He has a below-average throwing arm, but he has thrown out 37 percent of basestealers in 2019. Clarke’s bat has long been his calling card. His swing can get a little long at times, but he has solid bat speed and power potential, giving him a chance to be an average hitter with average power. If Clarke can catch, he would make a very valuable bat-first catcher. But if he has to move off the position, he’s not ideally suited for first base because he’s only 5-foot-11. Clarke is a draft-eligible sophomore, giving him plenty of leverage this June.


Round 10 - 297th overall. SS Glenn Santiago, International Baseball Academy (Puerto Rico). 6-foot-0, 165. Bats Right, Throws Right. Born December 14, 2000. Slot Value $145,500.

2019 MLB Draft - Day 2 | 59 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
Shoeless Joe - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 08:22 AM EDT (#374965) #
I really like Will Robertson and Tanner Morris is round number three. An interesting name to watch today is Jake Sanford, who had an interesting path from Nova Scotia to demolishing Conference USA.

Glevin - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 01:24 PM EDT (#374980) #
Jays take Dasan Brown from Oakville. Fangraphs says "One of the youngest players in the draft has plus speed and twitch but is still raw now."
uglyone - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 01:29 PM EDT (#374981) #
interesting pick. tons of speed and defense. I don't like that there's no real power there - really limits his avenues of making it.

big thing to look at when he hits the pros are his strikeout numbers - could be a quick non-prospect like DJ Davis if he's having serious swing and miss issues right off the bat. not much to hope on if he's not showing a natural feel for making contact early on.

I am always hopeful on canadian kids just because I think they get mostly looked over due to being canadian.
Kelekin - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 01:38 PM EDT (#374982) #
Agreed. There are maybe 15 other players I'd prefer there, but I definitely rather have the DJ Davis type in the 3rd round than the 1st.
Mike Green - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 01:41 PM EDT (#374983) #
Watched video of Dasan Brown earlier today, and like the pick.  He's very young- won't turn 18 until September 25.  He's a 5 year project, and that's fine. 
Marc Hulet - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 01:41 PM EDT (#374984) #
I'm not a huge fan of the Brown pick but he has a much shorter swing path than Davis, as well as a much quieter swing. It's really about pitch recognition and body maturation/strength for Brown.
Kelekin - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 01:47 PM EDT (#374986) #
Oof...Sanford to the Yankees.
uglyone - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 01:54 PM EDT (#374987) #
"but he has a much shorter swing path than Davis, as well as a much quieter swing"

thanks Marc, that's an encouraging 1st step. hopefully that 2nd step of pitching recognition you mention shows itself relatively quickly too.
Mike Green - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 02:01 PM EDT (#374990) #
Got your wish, Shoeless.  Will Robertson.
Marc Hulet - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 02:17 PM EDT (#374991) #
Robertson is a solid 4th round pick. I like it. Say what you will about drafting for need but the Jays have been addressing org weakness so far with pitchers and outfielders. Now, more pitching... options:
Jake Agnos
Ricky DeVito
Josh Burgmann
Ken Waldichuk

Or outfielder Bryant Packard.
Shoeless Joe - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 02:20 PM EDT (#374992) #
I was a round off in my prediction, but I like the power from the left side with Robertson. He is also fairly young for a college player as a draft eligible sophomore.

I will root for Dasan Brown as a Canadian, but I have bad memories of the Jays taking players like Kenny Wilson, Eric Eiland and DJ Davis and trying to teach them how to hit. Athleticism, speed and players who play a legit CF was an org need I guess.

Shoeless Joe - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 02:31 PM EDT (#374993) #
Bryant Packard would be great, and I also think its time for Will Holland to come off the board.
Kelekin - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 02:31 PM EDT (#374994) #
Red Sox take my favourite remaining player in Song. I think that's easily a high 2nd round pick in the 4th round.
Shoeless Joe - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 02:32 PM EDT (#374995) #
I was expecting AA to take Song at some point,
Marc Hulet - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 02:37 PM EDT (#374996) #
Song has to spend two years in the Navy before he can play pro ball, though.

Tigers nabbed Packard.
hypobole - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 02:41 PM EDT (#374997) #
Blue Jays take a Canadian and a Blue Jay.
Kelekin - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 02:42 PM EDT (#374998) #
I understand the trade off is you lose two years, but I don't think that's such a big deal when we're talking the type of talent involved.
Shoeless Joe - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 02:43 PM EDT (#374999) #
Well I can't complain about this draft, as they drafted the two players I wanted at the start of day 2!
Kelekin - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 02:44 PM EDT (#375000) #
You're killing it Joe! I guess they liked you more than me today. ;)
Shoeless Joe - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 02:45 PM EDT (#375001) #
Holland goes two picks later to the Twins
uglyone - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 02:48 PM EDT (#375002) #
oh hey I really like this Morris pick. fave pick of the day.
Shoeless Joe - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 02:50 PM EDT (#375003) #
He is a young college player and handled high level pitching, I think he is a great 5th round pick. He needs to show a bit more power maybe as a pro.
Marc Hulet - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 02:51 PM EDT (#375004) #
Morris is a very nice grab... draft-eligible sophomore which tells us a couple of things... Jays think he will sign if they took him here and they must feel they have Manoah and Williams signed ok because they're not taking cheap options yet. The round 3-5 guys are all likely full slot signs.

I also wonder if the Jays willingness to pay their minor league players more is also helping a little bit? Yeah, will give you the slot bonus and you'll also make twice (?) as much as playing in another system.
Kelekin - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 03:09 PM EDT (#375007) #
So much for getting the elder Groshans.
Mike Green - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 03:12 PM EDT (#375008) #
Nice mix of talents so far.  No catchers, but that's understandable! 

A left-hander would be nice, and another Cal Stevenson type (a college centerfielder). 
Shoeless Joe - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 03:13 PM EDT (#375009) #
It seems like a lot of catchers are still on the board
Shoeless Joe - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 03:16 PM EDT (#375010) #
Matthew Barefoot would be a nice grab for the OF
mathesond - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 03:29 PM EDT (#375011) #
I can't say that I'm surprised that Shoeless Joe likes Matthew Barefoot.
Mike Green - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 03:29 PM EDT (#375012) #
Yep, shoeless. 
Glevin - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 03:37 PM EDT (#375013) #
Looks like Jays are finally going cheap. I really like their picks 1-5 and no discounts there so they probably need to pick up some money elsewhere. I think the Jays got five of the best 100 prospects or so in the draft and five interesting players to follow.
bpoz - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 03:41 PM EDT (#375014) #
Dashan Brown: Very young. Incredible speed. Young pitchers gain velocity as the mature so maybe his arm improves as he matures.

Will Robertson has good power. This is his strength.

Tanner Morris is a "control the strike zone" type. Cavan Biggio's calling card. We have a few guys that have a great bb/k ratio in the system. So we seem to look for that.

Shoeless Joe - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 03:41 PM EDT (#375015) #

Shoeless Joe - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 03:45 PM EDT (#375016) #
Ha! Don't rob this from me Steve Saunders! Barefoot is still on the board!
bpoz - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 03:59 PM EDT (#375019) #
Is EriK Miller still available. A lefty pitcher with good stuff.
Mike Green - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 04:05 PM EDT (#375020) #
Barefoot is no longer (socked?).  The Astros have him.  It's a fit. 
bpoz - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 04:09 PM EDT (#375023) #
Mike Green. Cheers!!
Spifficus - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 04:11 PM EDT (#375024) #
That's a change. I thought he was a match for the white sox.
lexomatic - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 04:17 PM EDT (#375025) #
Who's Talley?
Shoeless Joe - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 04:18 PM EDT (#375026) #
A four-year starter for the Bulldogs, Talley is a 6-foot-2, 203-pound infielder who was known for his sure hands defensively, but had a breakout offensive campaign in the SEC this spring. Through 56 games, Talley hit .356/.459/.512 with a career-high eight home runs and more walks (15.7 percent rate) than strikeouts (11.8 percent rate) for the first time in his career. Talley’s offensive improvement puts him on the radar as a senior sign, as he’s routinely hit the ball hard and is now seeing that power translate to games. Defensively, Talley is reliable with the glove and has the defensive actions for the left side of the infield, but below-average arm strength makes him a better fit for second base.
Kelekin - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 04:18 PM EDT (#375027) #
Love the Talley pick. Great plate discipline in the SEC.
Mike Green - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 04:23 PM EDT (#375028) #
Talley didn't hit well in his last six games for Georgia- his season line is .326/.432/.478.  He just turned 22. 
Shoeless Joe - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 04:43 PM EDT (#375030) #
Alek Manoah
Kendall Williams
Dasan Brown
Will Robertson
Tanner Morris

That is a fairly strong 5 round draft, and they have addressed a lot of needs. I think any of these players you could see on top 20-30 lists in the next few years. I don't have a lot of faith in Dasan Brown, but hopefully Robertson and Morris have good enough debuts in Vancouver to get challenged in the FSL next year.

Kelekin - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 04:46 PM EDT (#375031) #
Definitely not a bad list. I can add Corbin Carroll to my "outfielders the Jays didn't pick" salt pile. Move over Josh Bell!
Shoeless Joe - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 04:49 PM EDT (#375032) #
I guess my 5 round shadow draft looks like:

Corbin Caroll
Jimmy Lewis
Will Robertson
Morris Tanner
Will Holland

Kelekin - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 05:04 PM EDT (#375033) #
I have mine on my laptop, I'll have to go back and take a look after work.
dan gordon - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 05:58 PM EDT (#375034) #
Would be great to see Brown succeed - always like the idea of developing a strong Canadian big leaguer. You can add Reggie Pruitt to that list of fast CF types the Jays have drafted who "need to learn how to hit". Pruitt wasn't taken until round 24, but he was ranked #200 by mlb and was considered a tough sign due a Vanderbilt commitment. Four years later, he still hasn't shown that he can hit. It's tough to teach somebody how to hit, no matter how athletic they are. Anyway, good luck to him, let's hope he fares better than the DJ Davis's and Kenneth Wilson's of the world.
hypobole - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 06:16 PM EDT (#375035) #
Seems to me if hitting issues are more mechanical or approach, they may be somewhat fixable than if the issues are pitch recognition.
Nigel - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 06:58 PM EDT (#375036) #
hypobole - that's exactly it - Woodman was the draft pick that I will remember forever as someone who just didn't begin to have the pitch recognition skills to succeed. For several years now I have thought that the next "breakthrough" in scouting and analytics will be to develop some metrics to figure out which prospects show promise in pitch recognition. I'm not sure its possible to improve some players' pitch recognition skills. Just as I'm not sure that you can improve some players' flight path recognition skills for improving OF defence.
uglyone - Tuesday, June 04 2019 @ 07:11 PM EDT (#375037) #
Yeah I agree.

As long as pitch recognition is there, there's always a chance to fix/change the swing.
Kelekin - Wednesday, June 05 2019 @ 12:32 AM EDT (#375042) #
Alright based on my notes mine would've been:

Carroll
Allan
Sanford
Song
Groshans

Though who would've expected Allan to drop like that. Lucky fantasy-us.

Solid Day 2. On the surface, hopefully a good Jays draft. Love that they weren't scared to take a high school pitcher.
Kelekin - Wednesday, June 05 2019 @ 12:50 AM EDT (#375043) #
Although if the assumption was Allan would've gone in the 1st, my 2nd was Isaiah Campbell. Almost all my 2nd rounders were picked in the 1st or early 2nd.
Glevin - Wednesday, June 05 2019 @ 03:42 AM EDT (#375044) #
"Say what you will about drafting for need but the Jays have been addressing org weakness so far with pitchers and outfielders."

I think this is an interesting point. There is a difference between drafting for specific needs or major league needs and general organizational needs especially when those needs are pretty easy to fill (i.e. you're not trying to get a 2Bman with OBP skills, but just get some starting pitchers). I would have been shocked had the Jays taken a catcher anywhere high because the system is absolutely stacked. They also have a surplus of middle infielders and 3B prospects. OF prospects are very weak (although I assume some of the SS/3B types can/will move to OF). I wouldn't call pitching an organizational weakness per se as the Jays have some good pitching prospects but they definitely can use more depth and talent there.

Interesting to see where the new draftees will end up on the Jays prospect list. At first glance, I have Manoah #4 ahead of Pardinho (very close), Williams and Robertson in around the #12-15 range, and Morris and Brown near the back end of the top-30 or just off.
scottt - Wednesday, June 05 2019 @ 08:03 AM EDT (#375048) #
2 pitchers in the first rounds, then 2 outfielders.
This is when we figure out if drafting for need can actually work.

Decent mixture of bats and gloves in the next rounds.
I think they succeeded in going for guys with upside.

Today is when you try to find some arms that could end up in the pen.

John Northey - Wednesday, June 05 2019 @ 08:15 AM EDT (#375049) #
Interesting on the final day to still have the guy ranked #29 on the board. Maurice Hampton a CF who was offered $1.8 million but chose to go to college anyways. Wonder if anyone will draft anyways in case he changes his mind. 33, 34, 37 all also are on the board. 53, 66, 71, 80, 86, 93, 94, and 96 also are still there. Tellez was once one of those, a guy who everyone was sure was going to college but the Jays took a chance with a late pick and it worked. Lets hope the current administration has some inside info on guys who might be willing to sign then goes out and drafts them. After all, at this point few ever reach, let alone star so why not risk it?

Jays right now have 5 of the top 105 picks drafted. Plus #139 in the 9th round which seems odd as if he was signable you'd think he'd have gone higher than pick #267 and if he is hard to sign that is taking a big risk with the cash available.

IMO drafting the best talent you can find today who has given any hint they might sign is the best route. Yeah, there is the odd Jeff Kent out there who no one sees as likely to be what they can be but for every one of them there are probably 1000 who never reach the majors.
hypobole - Wednesday, June 05 2019 @ 09:44 AM EDT (#375050) #
Assuming Sanders is competent and picks 4-10 all have agreements, I don't see too much money left over for upside plays today, but that's speaking as someone with no clue whatsoever.
Shoeless Joe - Wednesday, June 05 2019 @ 10:00 AM EDT (#375051) #
At this point you still take at least one high priced guy later on in case one of your earlier picks backs out.
mathesond - Wednesday, June 05 2019 @ 11:12 AM EDT (#375059) #
"At this point you still take at least one high priced guy later on in case one of your earlier picks backs out."

If you don't sign a player, you lose the player's slot value from your draft budget.
Shoeless Joe - Wednesday, June 05 2019 @ 12:27 PM EDT (#375074) #
Yes, but for example we had a few cheap senior signs in rounds 6-10 to build enough to go overslot on rounds 1-5. If you don't sign all of your players then that excess saved from 6-10 can be added to a player you drafted form 10+.
Kelekin - Wednesday, June 05 2019 @ 01:51 PM EDT (#375094) #
I'm not sure I agree with this draft being "drafting for need" just because they happen to be pitchers and outfielders. In all those spots, I would've taken pitchers and outfielders without drafting based on need.
2019 MLB Draft - Day 2 | 59 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.