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MLB Draft: Blue Jays Select C Hagen Danner with the 61st Pick

The Blue Jays have made their third pick of 2017’s MLB Draft, selecting C Hagen Danner out of Huntington Beach (HS), California, with the 61st overall pick. The 18-year-old stands at 6’1″ and weighs 195 lbs.

Danner was ranked as the 61st best prospect available in this draft class by Baseball America, 41st by MLB Pipeline, and 42nd by ESPN’s Keith Law.

He received the following grades from MLB Pipeline:

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 45 | Run: 30 | Arm: 60 | Field: 55 | Overall: 50

Baseball America has the following report on him:

“Behind the plate, Danner is a capable receiver and has handled top arms well throughout his amateur career. He has a plus arm behind the plate. He shows plus raw power from the right side, though scouts see him as being more of a slugger than a pure hitter; he lacks elite bat speed and shows a pull-heavy approach.”

MLB Pipeline had this to say:

“Known since starring in the 2011 Little League World Series, Danner is one of the better legitimate two-way players in this Draft class. The scouting industry is still split down the middle on whether he’d be better suited on the mound or behind the plate at the next level.

Danner has spent more time, especially in showcases, showing what he can do as a pitcher. He has a live fastball that can touch 94-95 mph and complements it with a solid curveball and a changeup that flashes above-average. He can fill the strike zone with all three, coming from a high slot. The UCLA commit also has the chance to a special catcher. He has good hands and a plus arm defensively and while he’s a below-average runner, his athleticism helps him move well behind the dish. He swings the bat well from a crouch set up, with quiet pop that could end up being average power in the future.

The one thing scouts agree on is that Danner’s grades will improve once he starts to focus on one craft. But even as the spring unfolded, there was division among scouts whether he should stay on the mound or behind the plate at the next level.”

Keith Law wrote this about him:

“Danner is a bat-first catcher who almost certainly moves off the position in pro ball.”

Here is MLB Pipeline’s scouting video featuring Danner:

Lead Photo: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

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