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	<title>Toronto &#187; 2017 MLB Draft</title>
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		<title>MLB Draft: Reports and Videos on Blue Jays Picks in Rounds 26-40</title>
		<link>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2017/06/14/mlb-draft-reports-and-videos-on-blue-jays-picks-in-rounds-26-40/</link>
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		<pubDate>Wed, 14 Jun 2017 22:44:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Mike Passador]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MLB Draft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2017 MLB Draft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toronto Blue Jays]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/?p=11816</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Blue Jays wrapped up their 2017 draft on Wednesday, spending the second half of day three taking a handful of older college pitchers after they picked a few high upside, tough to sign players in rounds 11-25. After the team went after mostly position players in the early rounds, they added plenty of pitchers [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Blue Jays wrapped up their 2017 draft on Wednesday, spending the second half of day three taking a handful of older college pitchers after they picked a few high upside, tough to sign players in rounds 11-25. After the team went after mostly position players in the early rounds, they added plenty of pitchers to the system with their late selections.</p>
<p>As our own <a href="http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2017/06/14/mlb-draft-reports-and-videos-on-blue-jays-picks-in-rounds-11-25/" target="_blank">Gideon Turk noted in his breakdown of the earlier picks</a> from day three, these players don&#8217;t count towards the designated pool of money for the draft unless they sign for more than $100,000. That won&#8217;t be much of a hurdle for the older college pitchers selected in these rounds but there are some younger players with college commitments who will probably be tough to sign.</p>
<p><strong>Round 26, Pick #789</strong></p>
<p>OF &#8211; DJ Neal &#8211; University of South Carolina-Sumter (J2)</p>
<p>6’3&#8243; 201lbs DOB: 01/11/1997</p>
<p>Neal is a converted football player who played wide receiver for the South Carolina Gamecocks before switching to baseball at USC &#8211; Sumter. He was drafted in 2015 by the Braves but decided to enroll in college at the time.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">DJ Neal, former South Carolina WR, goes in 26th round to <a href="https://twitter.com/BlueJays">@BlueJays</a> &#8230; plus athlete, 70 run, hit .331 in JC baseball this spring <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MLBDraft?src=hash">#MLBDraft</a></p>
<p>&mdash; John Manuel (@johnmanuelba) <a href="https://twitter.com/johnmanuelba/status/875071627528200192">June 14, 2017</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p><strong>Round 27, Pick #819</strong></p>
<p>LHP &#8211; Sam Weatherly &#8211; Howell HS</p>
<p>6’3&#8243; 175lbs DOB: 05/28/1999</p>
<p>Weatherly was ranked this draft&#8217;s 350th best prospect by Baseball America, who had this to say:</p>
<p><em>&#8220;Weatherly has had an up and down spring as he&#8217;s battled blisters at times, but scouts are pretty confident that the Clemson signee is going to develop into a solid starting pitcher. Right now Weatherly generally sits 87-89 mph, touching 90 with a curveball that&#8217;s not yet flashing above-average or plus. His changeup is a little more advanced than his breaking ball. Weatherly was expected to be a tough sign with a commitment to Clemson, but he&#8217;s extremely athletic with a loose, lithe body and a fast arm.&#8221;</em></p>
<p><strong>Round 28, Pick #849</strong></p>
<p>3B &#8211; Davis Schneider &#8211; Eastern HS</p>
<p>5’10&#8243; 190lbs DOB: 01/26/1999</p>
<p>Baseball America named the Rutgers committee the 463rd best prospect this draft and had the following scouting report:</p>
<p>&#8220;<em>Schneider raised eyebrows with an impressive showing at the 2016 WWBA World Championships, where he did damage with his righthanded bat. His pure hitting ability is by far his strongest tool; he shows the ability to hit line drives to the gaps and covers the strike zone well. Schneider&#8217;s body type doesn&#8217;t fit the prototype for a third baseman at 5-foot-10 and 190 pounds.</em>&#8221;</p>
<p>Here&#8217;s a video of some of Schneider&#8217;s exploits with the bat:</p>
<p style="text-align: center"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DOtKyNGhrNM" width="500" height="280" frameborder="0" ></iframe></p>
<p><strong>Round 29, Pick #879</strong></p>
<p>LHP &#8211; Joe DiBenedetto &#8211; Nova Southeastern U (SR)</p>
<p>5’9&#8243; 180lbs DOB: 05/25/1995</p>
<p>DiBenedetto attended Seton Hall for two years prior to joining Nova Southeastern, where he worked exclusively as a reliever. Since the transfer he&#8217;s been used more frequently as a starter and has racked up 58 strikeouts in 58.2 innings across 17 appearances this season. DiBenedetto made 14 appearances (one start) as a junior in 2016 when the Sharks won the D-II National Championship.</p>
<p><strong>Round 30, Pick #909</strong></p>
<p>C &#8211; Reilly Johnson &#8211; State College of Florida Manatee-Sarasota (J2)</p>
<p>5’9&#8243; 170lbs DOB: 09/26/1996</p>
<p>Johnson slashed .295 / .354 / .392 with one homer and 22 RBI in 181 plate appearances for the Manatees. He&#8217;s committed to Florida State University.</p>
<p style="text-align: center"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CJMcoJVaksc" width="500" height="280" frameborder="0" ></iframe></p>
<p><strong>Round 31, Pick #939</strong></p>
<p>RHP &#8211; Graham Spraker &#8211; Quincy U (SR)</p>
<p>6’3&#8243; 200lbs DOB: 03/19/1995</p>
<p>Spraker has delivered a 2.44 ERA in 88.2 innings for the Hawks this season with an 80-30 K-BB ratio. His fastball <a href="http://www.whig.com/20170603/scouts-showing-interest-in-spraker-miles?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter_WhigSports#" target="_blank">sits around 91-92 mph but has touched 96</a> in the recent past. Spraker&#8217;s QU teammate David Jacob was picked by the Jays last year in the 32nd round.</p>
<p><strong>Round 32, Pick #969</strong></p>
<p>RHP &#8211; Jacob Condra-Bogan &#8211; Georgia Southern (5S)</p>
<p>6’3&#8243; 215lbs DOB: 08/30/1994</p>
<p>Condra-Bogan spent four years at Wofford University (he redshirted his freshman year) before joining the Eagles. So far this season, he has compiled a 4.50 ERA with 53 strikeouts in 56.0 innings in 19 appearances, including six starts.</p>
<p><strong>Round 33, Pick #999</strong></p>
<p>LHP &#8211; Matthew Gunter &#8211; Hawaii Pacific (SR)</p>
<p>6’1&#8243; 190lbs DOB: 02/07/1995</p>
<p>Gunter has posted a sterling 2.08 ERA in 86.1 innings as a starting pitcher this season. He has recorded 102 strikeouts and delivered five games of double digit K&#8217;s. Gunter ended his season by allowing just a single run in two consecutive complete games.</p>
<p><strong>Round 34, Pick #1029</strong></p>
<p>RHP &#8211; Maverik Buffo &#8211; BYU (JR)</p>
<p>6’2&#8243; 200lbs DOB: 09/15/1995</p>
<p>Buffo owns a 6.01 ERA with a 73-34 K-BB ratio in 88.1 innings this season with the Cougars. Unfortunately, his sophomore season was cut short due to an arm injury. He had compiled a 3.63 ERA in 34.2 innings before going down after just 11 games in 2016. Buffo is also the proud owner of an 80 grade name and is believed to have started <a href="https://twitter.com/jsnshep/status/726548835674116096" target="_blank">BYU&#8217;s rally hat phenomenon</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: center"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/F8B_qYdYpuQ" width="500" height="280" frameborder="0" ></iframe></p>
<p><strong>Round 35, Pick #1059</strong></p>
<p>CF &#8211; Brandon Polizzi &#8211; Cal State Dominguez Hills (JR)</p>
<p>5’10&#8243; 170lbs DOB: 03/16/1996</p>
<p>Polizzi led the Toros with a .381 average, starting all 49 games batting out of the leadoff spot while being named First-Team All-CCAA. He slashed .381 / .428 / .442 while picking up 14 steals for the second straight year.</p>
<p style="text-align: center"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/A83I9G66vZQ" width="500" height="280" frameborder="0" ></iframe></p>
<p><strong>Round 36, Pick #1089</strong></p>
<p>RHP &#8211; Jonathan Cheshire &#8211; Davenport U (SR)</p>
<p>6’1&#8243; 185lbs DOB: 11/15/1994</p>
<p>Cheshire has compiled 31 saves in his time with the Panthers and has pitched to a 2.60 ERA during his four seasons at DU.  Baseball America ranked Cheshire as the 17th best prospect to come out of Michigan in this crop, 12 spots behind fellow Jays pick Sam Weatherly.</p>
<p><strong>Round 37, Pick #1119</strong></p>
<p>RHP &#8211; Justin Watts &#8211; Southern Indiana (SR)</p>
<p>6’3&#8243; 215lbs DOB: 09/08/1993</p>
<p>Watts spent two years at Northern Kentucky University and a season at Lincoln Trail College before joining the Screaming Eagles for his senior season. It was his best to date, as the right hander delivered a 3.93 ERA with 45 strikeouts and only nine walks in 34.1 innings. He also led the team with seven saves as all but one of his 23 appearances came as a reliever.</p>
<p><strong>Round 38, Pick #1149</strong></p>
<p>LHP &#8211; Marcus Reyes &#8211; San Diego State (SR)</p>
<p>5’11&#8243; 188lbs DOB: 03/10/1995</p>
<p>Reyes made 26 of his 27 appearances out of the bullpen this season, finishing the year with a 2.96 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 54.2 innings pitched. He was also named to the Mountain West All-Academic team in 2016.</p>
<p><strong>Round 39, Pick #1179</strong></p>
<p>RHP &#8211; Ben Fariss &#8211; Valencia HS</p>
<p>6’0&#8243; 175lbs DOB: 01/08/1999</p>
<p>Fariss was ranked the 489th best prospect of the class by Baseball America, who had this to say:</p>
<p>&#8220;<em>Fariss was a two-way star in high school with a career 1.104 OPS, but most teams prefer him as a pitcher. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound righthander sits 89-90 mph and touches 93 with his fastball, and it plays up with deception out of his low three-quarters arm slot with late armside run. He is experimenting with a firm slider and also has a get-me-over breaking ball. Fariss&#8217; control is wildly inconsistent however, exemplified his 45 walks and 27 hit batters in 78.2 career innings. He is a good athlete so there is an expectation his control will improve in time, but his max-effort delivery still projects him as a reliever. Fariss is committed to UC Santa Barbara, where he is slated to play both ways as a corner outfielder and late-inning bullpen option.</em>&#8221;</p>
<p>MLB.com <a href="http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/210960834/v1479734783/2017-draft-ben-fariss/?tcid=draft-tracker-player-id-759475" target="_blank">has some video of Fariss taking BP</a>, while FanGraphs has a video showcasing his work on the mound:</p>
<p style="text-align: center"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/m-XBTxv8RhM" width="500" height="280" frameborder="0" ></iframe></p>
<p><strong>Round 40, Pick #1209</strong></p>
<p>OF &#8211; Sean Ross &#8211; Granite Hills HS</p>
<p>6’0&#8243; 190lbs DOB: 05/05/1998</p>
<p>Ross performed very well in his senior season for Granite Hills, batting .359 with eight homers and 19 RBI in 30 games. He also reached base at a .427 clip and boasted a 1.184 OPS. Ross has committed to San Diego State.</p>
<p>The 2017 MLB Draft is over, but the process isn&#8217;t done. In the coming weeks we&#8217;ll see whether or not the Jays can sign their picks and bolster and an already growing farm system.</p>
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		<title>MLB Draft: Reports and Videos on Blue Jays Picks in Rounds 11-25</title>
		<link>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2017/06/14/mlb-draft-reports-and-videos-on-blue-jays-picks-in-rounds-11-25/</link>
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		<pubDate>Wed, 14 Jun 2017 19:13:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Gideon Turk]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MLB Draft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2017 MLB Draft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toronto Blue Jays]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/?p=11786</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Blue Jays have made some more picks in the MLB Draft today as they get set to wrap up the 2017 festivities. Here’s a look at the picks made in rounds 11 through 25, with 26 through 40 coming later today. One thing to keep in mind with these players is that they do not [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Blue Jays have made some more picks in the MLB Draft today as they get set to wrap up the 2017 festivities. Here’s a look at the picks made in rounds 11 through 25, with 26 through 40 coming later today. One thing to keep in mind with these players is that they do not count towards the designated pool of money for the draft unless they are signed for over $100,000, so some of these players may be tough signs, especially high school and junior college players who have more leverage. We&#8217;ll provide scouting reports and video on each of these players as long as that information is available.</p>
<p>The Blue Jays took a bunch of those high ceiling, tough signs in rounds 11-25. However, by selecting so many they increase their odds of convincing one or two players to take their money and forgo school. If they <em>can </em>buy a couple of these guys out of college, like the Ontario native Cooper Davis (round 25), their draft class starts to look a lot deeper than it would have otherwise. </p>
<p><strong>Round 11, Pick #339</strong></p>
<p>RHP &#8211; Donnie Sellers &#8211; Wake Forest (JR)<br />
5&#8217;11&#8221; 180lbs DOB: 07/26/95</p>
<p><a href="http://www.baseballamerica.com/draft-preview/" target="_blank">Baseball America</a> rated Sellers as their 260th best prospect in the draft this year, and had this report on him:</p>
<p><em>&#8220;Sellers can touch as high as 96 mph with plus running movement, but his fastball lives more comfortably at 90-92. He added a low-80s changeup to his repertoire coming into the spring to prepare for multiple trips through batting orders, and the pitch has average potential. Though inconsistent, Seller&#8217;s slider can show hard and tight break and be a swing-and-miss pitch when it&#8217;s on. A true athlete, Sellers has appeared in the outfield for Wake Forest when needed. He has a slight crouch to his delivery—much like the pitchers at Virginia generally use—and uses his legs well. Sellers has learned to pitch this year as opposed to just throwing, but his stuff still does play up in shorter stints. To maximize his effectiveness, Sellers best projects as a reliever at the next level.&#8221;</em></p>
<p style="text-align: center"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X3X4f4bXQKg" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" ></iframe></p>
<p><strong>Round 12, Pick #369</strong><br />
RHP &#8211; Matt Shannon &#8211; Angelo State (JR)<br />
6&#8217;3&#8243; 220lbs DOB: 05/31/95</p>
<p><strong>Round 13, Pick #399</strong><br />
LHP &#8211; Brody Rodning &#8211; Minnesota St U Mankato (JR)<br />
6&#8217;1&#8243; 185lbs DOB: 01/14/96</p>
<p>Baseball America rated Rodning as their 484th best prospect in the draft, and said this about him:</p>
<p><em>&#8220;While he&#8217;s been a starter for the Mavericks, the 6-foot-1 lefty projects as a lefty specialist at the next level. He generates deception with a cross-fire delivery that makes it hard for lefthanded hitters to pick up his 88-91 mph fastball, which he can run up to 93 at times. He mixes in a slider and curve but both are slurvy and need refinement, as does his changeup.&#8221;</em></p>
<p>Additionally, Steve Givarz of the Baseball Prospects prospect team had eyes on him, and wrote the following report:</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550"><p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/BProToronto">@BProToronto</a> <a href="https://t.co/k2d4Y8EcjS">pic.twitter.com/k2d4Y8EcjS</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Steve Givarz (@SteveGivarz) <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveGivarz/status/875030227918913538">June 14, 2017</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Here is video of Rodning:</p>
<p style="text-align: center"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Idml2deLkko" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" ></iframe></p>
<p><strong>Round 14, Pick #429</strong><br />
1B &#8211; P.K. Morris &#8211; Steinbrenner HS<br />
6&#8217;1&#8243; 195lbs DOB: 11/30/98</p>
<p>Scouting report via <a href="http://www.prepbaseballreport.com/news/FL/Recruit-Tracker-Uncommitted-2017s-0346281579" target="_blank">Prep Baseball Report</a> (June 2016):</p>
<p><em>&#8220;Uncommitted junior standing at 6-foot-1 185-pounds as a left handed hitter. Morris was balanced in the box with a slightly open set up with good rhythm. He has a short, quick swing with a slightly uphill path with good hand eye coordination. There is some current power in the swing and as he continues to get stronger there will be more to come.&#8221;</em></p>
<p><strong>Round 15, Pick #459</strong><br />
OF &#8211; Ryan Noda &#8211; Cincinnati (JR)<br />
6&#8217;3&#8243; 230lbs DOB: 03/30/96</p>
<p>Video of Noda from 2080Baseball:</p>
<p style="text-align: center"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bI3-ijeF6Xw" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" ></iframe></p>
<p><strong>Round 16, Pick #489</strong><br />
RHP &#8211; Ty Tice &#8211; U Central Arkansas (JR)<br />
5&#8217;9&#8243; 170lbs DOB: 07/04/96</p>
<p>Although no scouting report is available on Tice, he does have some Blue Jays connections according to his Twitter account. He has a <a href="https://twitter.com/tyctice/status/657752479241637888" target="_blank">lot of respect</a> for Jose Bautista, and he buys into Marcus Stroman&#8217;s brand:</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550"><p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HDMH?src=hash">#HDMH</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Ty Tice (@tyctice) <a href="https://twitter.com/tyctice/status/845055041799163906">March 23, 2017</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p><strong>Round 17, Pick #519</strong><br />
C &#8211; Kobie Russell &#8211; Waipahu HS<br />
6&#8217;0&#8243; 195lbs DOB: 11/10/99</p>
<p><strong>Round 18, Pick #549</strong><br />
LHP &#8211; Jordan Barrett &#8211; Elon U (SR)<br />
6&#8217;3&#8243; 215lbs DOB: 06/24/95</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Boom! First (current) <a href="https://twitter.com/ElonBaseball">@ElonBaseball</a> guy off the board. LHP Jordan Barrett. 100 Ks in 78 IP. .204 avg against. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlueJays?src=hash">#BlueJays</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Nathan Rode (@NathanRode) <a href="https://twitter.com/NathanRode/status/875044944926433285">June 14, 2017</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p><strong>Round 19, Pick #579</strong><br />
C &#8211; Cordell Dunn Jr. &#8211; Center Hill HS<br />
6&#8217;0&#8243; 190lbs DOB: 06/25/99</p>
<p>Baseball America rated Dunn Jr. as their 415th best prospect in the draft, and said this about him:</p>
<p><em>&#8220;Dunn is a righthanded hitter with impressive bat speed and strength, and he&#8217;s capable of doing damage offensively, but hands are a bit stiff and he struggles to make late adjustments as a result. He&#8217;s a decent athlete behind the plate and has the agility and hands to stay behind the plate with continued work. Dunn&#8217;s arm grades as a 45 or 50 on the 20-to-80 scale and should be good enough for him to keep baserunners honest. He is committed to Texas Tech.&#8221;</em></p>
<p><strong>Round 20, Pick #609</strong><br />
CF &#8211; Tanner Kirwer (Canadian) &#8211; Niagara U (JR)<br />
6&#8217;0&#8243; 160lbs DOB: 03/15/96</p>
<p><strong>Round 21, Pick #639</strong><br />
RHP &#8211; Turner Larkins &#8211; Texas A&amp;M (JR)<br />
6&#8217;3&#8243; 200lbs DOB: 11/06/95</p>
<p><strong>Round 22, Pick #669</strong><br />
SS &#8211; Gunner Halter &#8211; Seminole St Col (J1)<br />
6&#8217;2&#8243; 180lbs DOB: 03/18/98</p>
<p>This is a scouting report from Nathan Rode of Prep Baseball, though it is from last year.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlueJays?src=hash">#BlueJays</a> get Gunner Halter in the 22nd. Had him as one to watch for 2019 if he had ended up at K-State, but he went to Seminole State JC. <a href="https://t.co/eiuxhu5Onq">pic.twitter.com/eiuxhu5Onq</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Nathan Rode (@NathanRode) <a href="https://twitter.com/NathanRode/status/875059338674663429">June 14, 2017</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Here is video on Halter from Jeff Zimmerman of FanGraphs:</p>
<p style="text-align: center"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9D0KwvBSxFA" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" ></iframe></p>
<p><strong>Round 23, Pick #699</strong><br />
RHP &#8211; Daniel Ritcheson  &#8211; Bishop Alemany HS<br />
6&#8217;4&#8243; 175lbs DOB: 02/10/99</p>
<p>MLB Pipeline rated Ritcheson as their 131st best prospect in the draft, with the following scouting report:</p>
<p><em>&#8220;<b>Scouting grades:</b> Fastball: 60 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 45</em></p>
<p><em>One of the concerns in the scouting industry in today&#8217;s game is that young pitchers are throwing too much. With that in mind, when a good arm comes along without a lot of mileage on it, scouts get excited. Such was the case with Ritcheson in Northern California, who has a lot to learn but a lot to work with.</em></p>
<p><em>There is little question about Ritcheson&#8217;s arm strength, as he was throwing his fastball up to 93-95 mph this spring. He&#8217;ll flash a very good slider as well, and while his changeup is below-average right now, he does show some feel for it, with hope that it eventually will be a third Major League-average offering for him. A former catcher, Ritcheson is still learning how to pitch. He has a tendency to come out of the gate full-tilt, running out of gas as he gets deeper into starts.</em></p>
<p><em>Right now, Ritcheson looks more like a power fastball-slider guy, and that might make some feel that he profiles better in the bullpen. But everything works well delivery-wise, giving him a good chance to start at the next level once he cleans some things up. A team that feels he can do that could take him early enough to keep him from staying in SoCal and heading to San Diego State.&#8221;</em></p>
<p>Baseball America rated Ritcheson as their 187th best prospect, and said this about him:</p>
<p><em>&#8220;Ritcheson experienced a whirlwind spring, rising quickly up draft boards when his previously 88-90 mph fastball touched 95 mph as a senior, but then falling back down after critical reports on his makeup. A converted catcher who has only pitched for two years, Ritcheson stands 6-foot-4, 210 pounds and operates 92-95 mph with his fastball out of a high three-quarters delivery, although it lacks deception or plane. He shows feel to spin a plus breaking ball but is inconsistent. Despite those promising building blocks, Ritcheson often ran into trouble on the mound because he lost concentration and did not handle adversity well, throwing his glove and shouting obscenities when things didn&#8217;t go his way. Evaluators largely like Ritcheson&#8217;s stuff but feel he should go to college to mature. He is committed to San Diego State.&#8221;</em></p>
<p>And some notes from various prospect evaluators:</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Blue Jays pick Daniel Ritcheson. Right-hander with fastball that gets into mid 90s, flashes above-average slider. Headed to SDSU.</p>
<p>&mdash; Christopher Crawford (@Crawford_MILB) <a href="https://twitter.com/Crawford_MILB/status/875062098836897792">June 14, 2017</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">RHP Daniel Ritcheson (CA) is No. 98 on my Top 100. He&#39;s wild, but runs it up to 94-95. San Diego State recruit. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlueJays?src=hash">#BlueJays</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/mlbdraft?src=hash">#mlbdraft</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Nathan Rode (@NathanRode) <a href="https://twitter.com/NathanRode/status/875062178801475584">June 14, 2017</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Video from MLB Pipeline:</p>
<p style="text-align: center"><iframe src="http://m.mlb.com/shared/video/embed/embed.html?content_id=1455465383&amp;topic_id=210960834&amp;width=400&amp;height=224&amp;property=mlb" width="400" height="224" ></iframe></p>
<p><strong>Round 24, Pick #729</strong><br />
RHP &#8211; Colin Brockhouse &#8211; Ball State (JR)<br />
6&#8217;3&#8243; 194lbs DOB: 07/23/95</p>
<p>Here&#8217;s a scouting report from Steve Givarz of the Baseball Prospects prospect team:</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550"><p lang="und" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/BProToronto">@BProToronto</a> <a href="https://t.co/TqYxEzsYAH">pic.twitter.com/TqYxEzsYAH</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Steve Givarz (@SteveGivarz) <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveGivarz/status/875065644592582656">June 14, 2017</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Jays?src=hash">#Jays</a> take Colin Brockhouse from Ball State, more <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MACtion?src=hash">#MACtion</a> here on Day 3. Quick arm up to 95 with feel for spin.</p>
<p>&mdash; Brian Sakowski (@B_Sakowski_PG) <a href="https://twitter.com/B_Sakowski_PG/status/875064390910922752">June 14, 2017</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p><strong>Round 25, Pick #759</strong><br />
CF &#8211; Cooper Davis (Canadian) &#8211; St. Aloysius Gonzaga SS (HS)<br />
5&#8217;9&#8243; 165lbs DOB: 05/07/99</p>
<p>Baseball America rated him their 368th best prospect and wrote the following report on him:</p>
<p><em>&#8220;As an underclassman, Davis earned recognition early and often as one of the top prospects in Canada. He&#8217;s developed into a solid prospect, with the ability to put the ball in play consistently and let his plus speed play. Davis has a simple swing with a flat bat path that&#8217;s geared for contact and line drives. He has well below-average power but can shoot doubles to the gaps, and his above-average speed plays well on the bases. He shows promise defensively but faces profile questions as he&#8217;s not a lock to play center field at the highest level and doesn&#8217;t show the kind of power usually found in a corner outfielder. He&#8217;s committed to Vanderbilt, and he could be a productive college player for the Commodores and further prove himself in the Southeastern Conference.&#8221;</em></p>
<p>Here&#8217;s video from MLB Pipeline:</p>
<p style="text-align: center"><iframe src="http://m.mlb.com/shared/video/embed/embed.html?content_id=1479697683&amp;topic_id=210960834&amp;width=400&amp;height=224&amp;property=mlb" width="400" height="224" ></iframe></p>
<p style="text-align: left">That concludes this post that covered rounds 11 through 25. We&#8217;ll have another post covering rounds 26-40 after those are completed.</p>
<p><em>Lead Photo: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports</em></p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>BP Toronto 2017 MLB Draft Central</title>
		<link>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2017/06/13/bp-toronto-2017-mlb-draft-central/</link>
		<comments>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2017/06/13/bp-toronto-2017-mlb-draft-central/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 14 Jun 2017 03:58:21 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[BP Toronto Team]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Draft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MLB Draft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2017 MLB Draft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[alex anthopoulos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Draft Picks]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gord Ash]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[J.P. Ricciardi]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Logan Warmoth]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[mark shapiro]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nate Pearson]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/?p=11688</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Welcome to BP Toronto Draft Central. In this section you’ll find all of the great 2017 MLB Draft coverage provided by the BP Toronto team. As new content comes in, including reaction to the Blue Jays picks, it will filter into this spot, so make sure to check back regularly for updates! Blue Jays Draft Selections:  [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Welcome to BP Toronto Draft Central. In this section you’ll find all of the great 2017 MLB Draft coverage provided by the BP Toronto team. As new content comes in, including reaction to the Blue Jays picks, it will filter into this spot, so make sure to check back regularly for updates!</p>
<p><strong>Blue Jays Draft Selections: </strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Blue Jays select SS Logan Warmoth with the 22nd pick <a href="http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2017/06/12/mlb-draft-blue-jays-select-ss-logan-warmoth-with-pick-22/" target="_blank">(scouting reports and videos)</a></li>
<li>Blue Jays select RHP Nate Pearson with the 28th pick <a href="http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2017/06/12/mlb-draft-blue-jays-select-nate-pearson-with-28th-pick/" target="_blank">(scouting reports and videos)</a></li>
<li>Blue Jays select C Hagen Danner with the 61st Pick <a href="http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2017/06/12/mlb-draft-blue-jays-select-c-hagen-danner-with-pick-61/">(scouting reports and videos)</a></li>
<li>Blue Jays select C Riley Adams with the 99th Pick <a href="http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2017/06/13/mlb-draft-blue-jays-select-riley-adams-with-99th-pick/">(scouting reports and videos)</a></li>
<li>Blue Jays select SS Kevin Smith with the 129th Pick <a href="http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/?p=11670">(scouting reports and videos)</a></li>
<li>Blue Jays select 2B Cullen Large with the 159th Pick <a href="http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2017/06/13/mlb-draft-blue-jays-select-cullen-large-with-159th-pick/">(scouting reports and videos)</a></li>
<li>The Blue Jays&#8217; picks from rounds 6-10 <a href="http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2017/06/13/mlb-draft-reports-and-videos-on-blue-jays-picks-in-rounds-6-10/">(scouting reports and videos)</a></li>
<li>The Blue Jays&#8217; picks from rounds 11-25 <a href="http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2017/06/14/mlb-draft-reports-and-videos-on-blue-jays-picks-in-rounds-11-25/">(scouting reports and videos for key players)</a></li>
<li>The Blue Jays&#8217; picks from rounds 26-40 <a href="http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2017/06/14/mlb-draft-reports-and-videos-on-blue-jays-picks-in-rounds-26-40/" target="_blank">(scouting reports and videos for key players)</a></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Previous Draft Class Results and Analysis<br />
</strong></p>
<ul>
<li><a title="What Makes for a Good Blue Jays Draft?" href="http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2017/06/11/what-makes-a-good-blue-jays-draft/" target="_blank">Gord Ash and J.P. Ricciardi Draft Histories and Results</a></li>
<li><a title="How Great Were Alex Anthopoulos’ Drafts?" href="http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2017/06/12/how-good-were-anthopoulos-and-shapiroatkins-blue-jays-drafts/" target="_blank">Alex Anthopoulos Draft History and Results</a></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Additional Draft Articles</strong></p>
<ul>
<li><a title="What Players are Thinking During the First Few Days After the MLB Draft" href="http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2017/06/15/what-players-are-thinking-during-the-first-few-days-after-the-mlb-draft/" target="_blank">Former MiLB GM Bennett Brauer goes in depth on the post-selection routine for recent draftees</a></li>
</ul>
<p><strong>Podcast</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Burke Granger of 2080 Baseball reviews the Blue Jays&#8217; early round picks and provides other insight into the draft process. <a href="http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/?p=11778" target="_blank">Listen here.</a></li>
</ul>
<p><em>Lead Photo © Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports</em></p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>MLB Draft: Reports and Videos on Blue Jays Picks in Rounds 6-10</title>
		<link>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2017/06/13/mlb-draft-reports-and-videos-on-blue-jays-picks-in-rounds-6-10/</link>
		<comments>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2017/06/13/mlb-draft-reports-and-videos-on-blue-jays-picks-in-rounds-6-10/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 13 Jun 2017 22:53:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Andrew Munn]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MLB Draft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2017 MLB Draft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toronto Blue Jays]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/?p=11698</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Blue Jays selected seven players on day two of the draft, with all seven taken from the college level. Here&#8217;s a look at the picks made in rounds six through ten. Round 6, Pick #189 Brock Lundquist, OF, Long Beach State (video) 6&#8217;0 205lbs DOB: 01/23/1996 The Blue Jays took Brock Lundquist 189th overall, the same [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Blue Jays selected seven players on day two of the draft, with all seven taken from the college level. Here&#8217;s a look at the picks made in rounds six through ten.</p>
<p><strong>Round 6, Pick #189</strong></p>
<p><em>Brock Lundquist, OF, Long Beach State</em> (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vz6KiRqBm4Q" target="_blank">video</a>)<br />
6&#8217;0 205lbs DOB: 01/23/1996</p>
<p>The Blue Jays took Brock Lundquist 189th overall, the same slot in which <a href="http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2017/06/11/what-makes-a-good-blue-jays-draft/" target="_blank">Gord Ash drafted Casey Blake</a> 21 years ago. Lundquist was previously drafted by the Oakland A&#8217;s in the 37th round out of high school in 2014.  Lundquist was Baseball America&#8217;s 391st ranked prospect, and wrote this about his abilities:</p>
<p><em>&#8220;&#8230;Lundquist is physically well-put together and has raw power in his 6-foot, 210-pound frame, but has struggled to get to it consistently in games. He served as Beach&#8217;s leadoff hitter rather than hitting in the middle of the order for much of the season, highlighting that inability. Lundquist has a good bat path and good bat speed, but his pitch recognition is below-average and he can get out on his front side. He is an average runner with an average arm and projects as a fringe-average to average defender in left field, with just enough arm to handle right.&#8221;</em></p>
<p>The junior  hit .277/.388/.429 with four home runs and 10 stolen bases for the Dirtbags this season while sporting an <a href="http://www.presstelegram.com/sports/20170526/long-beach-state-dirtbag-brock-lundquist-is-more-than-a-mustache" target="_blank">80-grade mustache</a>.<a href="http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/06/Lundquist.jpg"><br />
</a></p>
<p style="text-align: center"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-11732" src="http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2017/06/Lundquist-200x300.jpg" alt="Lundquist" width="200" height="300" /></p>
<p><strong>Round 7, Pick #219</strong></p>
<p><em>Colton Laws, RHP, UNC Charlotte</em> (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KexlhbWVD1w" target="_blank">video</a>)<br />
6&#8217;7 215lbs DOB: 12/20/1995</p>
<p>The 6&#8217;7 right-hander towered over the competition this year, showing a massive improvement over his 2016 campaign. Laws started 15 games, threw 96.1 innings, and managed to strike out 94 hitters while only walking 13, a 7.23 K/BB ratio. Due in no small part to a 27.1 scoreless innings streak early in the year, Laws <a href="http://www.baseballamerica.com/draft/analytics-peg-hiura-top-college-performer/#rhBCctkqtDEjJ8pF.97" target="&quot;_blank">ranked 17th</a> of all Division I draft-eligible pitchers in park-adjusted ERA this season.</p>
<p>Laws was ranked 376th by Baseball America:</p>
<p><em>&#8220;Laws was closing the season with a flourish, with 14 strikeouts in his final start in the Conference USA tournament. He&#8217;s a redshirt sophomore who attended East Carolina in fall 2014 but transferred after a coaching change. He&#8217;s athletic enough to have been a star basketball player in high school, scoring more than 1,200 points. Statistically, he dominated in 2017, ranking 16th nationally in ERA (1.87) and in the top 25 with 1.21 walks per nine innings. He&#8217;s similar to Mariners farmhand Max Povse as a rangy 6-foot-8 starter who pounds the strike zone, getting ground balls and swings and misses with an 88-92 mph fastball that can touch higher. His slider and changeup have made progress in 2017, and while neither grades as above-average presently, he keeps both pitches down.&#8221;</em></p>
<p><strong>Round 8, Pick #249</strong></p>
<p><em>Kacy Clemens, 1B, Texas</em><br />
6&#8217;2 195lbs DOB: 07/27/1994</p>
<p>In drafting Kacy Clemens, the Blue Jays continued their quest to field a team of the kids of former major league all-stars. While The Rocket&#8217;s son used to be a pitcher like his father, arm troubles have caused him to switch to first base full-time. Starring at Texas <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfvxf61YAPY" target="_blank">with his brother, Kody</a>, he has taken this switch to the other side of the ball in stride, hitting .305/.414/.532 with 12 home runs. There isn&#8217;t much in the way of scouting reports for Clemens as a hitter, given his recent transition to first base. Nonetheless, his great stats and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gfIqiiDjkM" target="_blank">some impressive web gems</a> on defense make this pick a rather intriguing one, as Clemens has the potential to succeed as a late-blooming first baseman.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Kacy Clemens is going to take plus (maybe ++) 1B defense, great makeup, and an intriguing bat with some pop into pro ball. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HookEm?src=hash">#HookEm</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlueJays?src=hash">#BlueJays</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Dustin McComas (@DMcComasOB) <a href="https://twitter.com/DMcComasOB/status/874739592632643585">June 13, 2017</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p><strong>Round 9, Pick #279</strong></p>
<p><em> Zach Logue, LHP, Kentucky</em> (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyaEXrpIbxk" target="_blank">video</a>)<br />
6&#8217;0 165lbs DOB: 04/23/1996</p>
<p>Zach Logue has flipped back and forth between the bullpen and the rotation over his career at Kentucky, pitching to mixed results along the way. After earning a 2.68 ERA in 2016 splitting time as a reliever and a starter, he pitched to a 4.84 ERA this season primarily pitching out of the rotation. These numbers might not tell the whole story, however &#8211; Logue posted a nice ratio of 88 strikeouts to 25 walks on the season, and a couple of draft experts praised the Blue Jays for the pick:</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Logue a nice get by Blue Jays solid lefty, guy I hoped to catch this year and strong get by Blue Jays especially in 9th</p>
<p>&mdash; jeff ellis (@jeffMLBdraft) <a href="https://twitter.com/jeffMLBdraft/status/874748310384463873">June 13, 2017</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I don&#39;t think I&#39;ve even moderately disliked a single Blue Jays pick this year. Loving all of it. Just took Zach Logue in the 9th.</p>
<p>&mdash; Justin Perline (@jperline) <a href="https://twitter.com/jperline/status/874748025742249987">June 13, 2017</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Here is a scouting report from Baseball America, who ranked Logue 258th overall: <em>&#8220;After an apprenticeship in Kentucky&#8217;s bullpen, Logue became a reliable starter as a junior, posting a 7-5, 4.84 year, showing the ability to generate strikeouts with his slider, but also showing a propensity to give up hard contact when he caught too much of the plate. Scouts see him moving back to the bullpen as a pro, a role they saw him excel in last summer in the Cape Cod League. Logue&#8217;s 87-90 mph fastball and fringe-average slider both might play up more in short stints as a matchup lefty.&#8221;</em></p>
<p><strong>Round 10, Pick #309</strong></p>
<p><em>Justin Dillon, RHP, Cal State Sacramento</em><br />
6&#8217;3 220lbs DOB: 09/05/1993</p>
<p>Dillon made headlines throwing Cal State Sacramento&#8217;s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Oxm29J2BMo" target="_blank">first ever no-hitter</a> in early 2017. This start was the highlight of an all-around solid season for the 23 year old, who pitched to an ERA of 3.36 in 19 games with 108 strikeouts and 26 walks. He was previously drafted out of high school in 2012 by the Colorado Rockies in the 39th round.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Good 10th rnd pick by Toronto in Sac St RHP Justin Dillon. Big frame, decent arsenal. Innings eater.</p>
<p>&mdash; Bill Mitchell (@billazbbphotog) <a href="https://twitter.com/billazbbphotog/status/874756962843361280">June 13, 2017</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>And with that, the Blue Jays have finished their their selections on day two of the draft. Rounds 11-40 will continue tomorrow.</p>
<p><em>Lead Photo © Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports</em></p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>MLB Draft: Blue Jays Select 2B Cullen Large with the 159th Pick</title>
		<link>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2017/06/13/mlb-draft-blue-jays-select-cullen-large-with-159th-pick/</link>
		<comments>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2017/06/13/mlb-draft-blue-jays-select-cullen-large-with-159th-pick/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 13 Jun 2017 19:20:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Mike Passador]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MLB Draft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2017 MLB Draft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cullen Large]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toronto Blue Jays]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/?p=11689</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[After selecting catcher Riley Adams and shortstop Kevin Smith in the third and fourth rounds, the Blue Jays continued their work during the second day of the draft by selecting William and Mary second baseman, Cullen Large, with their fifth round selection, 159th overall. A 6-foot, 175 pound sophomore, Large is sporting 45 runs, six [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>After selecting catcher Riley Adams and shortstop Kevin Smith in the third and fourth rounds, the Blue Jays continued their work during the second day of the draft by selecting William and Mary second baseman, Cullen Large, with their fifth round selection, 159th overall.</p>
<p>A 6-foot, 175 pound sophomore, Large is sporting 45 runs, six homers, 39 RBI and a slash line of .338/.419/.517 while also boasting a .978 fielding percentage through 56 games in 2017. The switch hitting second baseman was named to the All-CAA Third Team last season.</p>
<p>Baseball America ranked him 285th overall in this year&#8217;s class while MLB Pipeline didn&#8217;t have him in their top 200.</p>
<p><strong>Baseball America had this to say about Large:</strong></p>
<p><em>&#8220;&#8230;[H]e is a solid athlete whose calling card is his bat. Some scouts give him above-average raw power, and he has a chance to get to it because of his feel for hitting. He’s comfortable working deep counts, isn’t afraid to draw a walk and can drive balls to both gaps&#8230; He’s a switch-hitter with sneaky pop from the left side. Large’s range and hands are fringy and he should become an an average defender at second.&#8221;</em></p>
<p><strong>Here&#8217;s some video of Large taking batting practice with the La Crosse Loggers of the Northwoods Baseball League:</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: center"> <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hXMVcJS2vzQ?ecver=1" width="500" height="280" frameborder="0" ></iframe></p>
<p>The slot value for this pick is $302,100. The Blue Jays will pick next with selection 189 in the sixth round.</p>
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		<title>MLB Draft: Blue Jays Select C Riley Adams with the 99th Pick</title>
		<link>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2017/06/13/mlb-draft-blue-jays-select-riley-adams-with-99th-pick/</link>
		<comments>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2017/06/13/mlb-draft-blue-jays-select-riley-adams-with-99th-pick/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 13 Jun 2017 17:49:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Andrew Munn]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MLB Draft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2017 MLB Draft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toronto Blue Jays]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/?p=11607</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Toronto made three selections on day one of the draft, taking high floor middle-infielder Logan Warmouth, flame throwing right-handed pitcher Nate Pearson, and former Little League World Series star Hagen Danner. On day two, the Blue Jays used their first selection of the day on 6&#8217;5, 215 lbs catcher Riley Adams 99th overall. Adams is a [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Toronto made three selections on day one of the draft, taking high floor middle-infielder Logan Warmouth, flame throwing right-handed pitcher Nate Pearson, and former Little League World Series star Hagen Danner. On day two, the Blue Jays used their first selection of the day on 6&#8217;5, 215 lbs catcher Riley Adams 99th overall.</p>
<p>Adams is a junior at the University of San Diego, where he hit .312 with 13 home runs and 47 RBI in 54 games on his way to the 2017 WCC Player of the Year award. Adams ranked as the 72nd best prospect in this year&#8217;s draft class by <a href="http://www.baseballamerica.com/draft-preview/" target="_blank">Baseball America</a>, 73rd by <a href="http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2017?list=draft" target="_blank">MLB Pipeline</a>, and 89th by <a href="http://www.espn.com/blog/keith-law/insider/post?id=7154" target="&quot;">Keith Law</a></p>
<p>Now, to the scouting reports. <strong>Here are the grades from MLB Pipeline for Adams:</strong></p>
<p>Hit: 45 | Power: 50 | Run: 30 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45</p>
<p><strong>Baseball America wrote this about the Jays 99th overall selection:</strong></p>
<p><em>&#8220;&#8230;Adams is a big-league bodied catcher at 6-foot-4, 225 pounds and uses his strength well on both sides of the ball. His raw arm strength grades as plus and earns an occasional 70 on the 20-to-80 scouting scale, while at the plate he possesses big power to all fields and enough feel to hit to get to it. He has had swing-and-miss issues to go along with his power production. Defensively Adams&#8217; hands, receiving and blocking are well below-average and need significant work. Some evaluators believe those skills can improve to be adequate in the context of everything else Adams provides, but others think he will eventually have to move positions, either to first base or an outfield corner. &#8230;Adams&#8217; size, power and pedigree will make him one of the top catchers off the board.&#8221;</em></p>
<p><strong>Here is the scouting report from MLB Pipeline:</strong></p>
<p><em>&#8220;Adams was a solid catching prospect coming out of high school, a very flexible athletic backstop who is a black belt in karate. While some worry that he&#8217;s lost some of that behind the plate, some success with his bat, coupled with the usual dearth of college catching, should help this University of San Diego backstop come June.</em></p>
<p><em>A Cape Cod League All-Star, Adams has shown some ability at the plate and he&#8217;s increased his power output in each of his three years as a starter at San Diego. Some of that has come because he&#8217;s a good guess hitter and pulls balls out of the park, but some scouts feel he has become too spread out at the plate with his Kris Bryant-like stance. In the past, he has shown solid defensive skills and a solid arm, though reports out of the Cape and this spring about his defense have not been overwhelmingly positive.</em></p>
<p><em>Adams is big and strong; the raw power is legitimate. The team that feels it can get him back to tapping into it with a better setup at the plate, not to mention helping him refine his defensive play, will take him off the board in the top three rounds.&#8221;</em></p>
<p><strong>And Keith Law had this to say about Adams:</strong></p>
<p><em>&#8220;Adams is a solid catch-and-throw receiver with some pop, but there are questions about his contact skills. He has been seen a ton this spring and probably goes on Day 1.&#8221;</em></p>
<p>MLB Pipeline&#8217;s scouting video featuring Adams is shown below:</p>
<p style="text-align: center"><iframe src="http://m.mlb.com/shared/video/embed/embed.html?content_id=1324211583&amp;topic_id=210960834&amp;width=400&amp;height=224&amp;property=mlb" width="400" height="224" ></iframe></p>
<p>More footage of him can be found <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgw-uv3zQMw" target="blank">here</a>.</p>
<p>The slot value for the 99th pick is $542,400. The Blue Jays will pick next at 129th overall in the fourth round.</p>
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		<title>MLB Draft: Blue Jays Select C Hagen Danner with the 61st Pick</title>
		<link>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2017/06/12/mlb-draft-blue-jays-select-c-hagen-danner-with-pick-61/</link>
		<comments>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2017/06/12/mlb-draft-blue-jays-select-c-hagen-danner-with-pick-61/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 13 Jun 2017 03:23:59 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Gideon Turk]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MLB Draft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2017 MLB Draft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hagen Danner]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toronto Blue Jays]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/?p=11615</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Blue Jays have made their third pick of 2017&#8217;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&#8217;1&#8243; and weighs 195 lbs. I like Hagen Danner, love he was announced as a catcher. He&#39;s athletic, tough, caught gold medal game for @USABaseball18U. Has toughness &#8212; John [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Blue Jays have made their third pick of 2017&#8217;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&#8217;1&#8243; and weighs 195 lbs.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I like Hagen Danner, love he was announced as a catcher. He&#39;s athletic, tough, caught gold medal game for <a href="https://twitter.com/USABaseball18U">@USABaseball18U</a>. Has toughness</p>
<p>&mdash; John Manuel (@johnmanuelba) <a href="https://twitter.com/johnmanuelba/status/874465250170548224">June 13, 2017</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Danner was ranked as the 61st best prospect available in this draft class by <a href="http://www.baseballamerica.com/draft-preview/" target="_blank">Baseball America</a>, 41st by <a href="http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2017?list=draft" target="_blank">MLB Pipeline</a>, and 42nd by <a href="http://www.espn.com/blog/keith-law/insider/post?id=7154" target="_blank">ESPN&#8217;s Keith Law</a>.</p>
<p><strong>He received the following grades from MLB Pipeline:</strong></p>
<p><b>Scouting grades:</b> Hit: 50 | Power: 45 | Run: 30 | Arm: 60 | Field: 55 | Overall: 50</p>
<p><strong>Baseball America has the following report on him:</strong></p>
<p><em>&#8220;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.&#8221;</em></p>
<p><strong>MLB Pipeline had this to say:</strong></p>
<p><em>&#8220;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&#8217;d be better suited on the mound or behind the plate at the next level.</em></p>
<p><em>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&#8217;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.</em></p>
<p><em>The one thing scouts agree on is that Danner&#8217;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.&#8221;</em></p>
<p><strong>Keith Law wrote this about him:</strong></p>
<p><em>&#8220;Danner is a bat-first catcher who almost certainly moves off the position in pro ball.&#8221;</em></p>
<p>Here is MLB Pipeline’s scouting video featuring Danner:</p>
<p style="text-align: center"><iframe src="http://m.mlb.com/shared/video/embed/embed.html?content_id=1214582083&amp;topic_id=210960834&amp;width=400&amp;height=224&amp;property=mlb" width="400" height="224" ></iframe></p>
<p><em>Lead Photo: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports</em></p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>MLB Draft: Blue Jays Select SS Logan Warmoth with the 22nd Pick</title>
		<link>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2017/06/12/mlb-draft-blue-jays-select-ss-logan-warmoth-with-pick-22/</link>
		<comments>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2017/06/12/mlb-draft-blue-jays-select-ss-logan-warmoth-with-pick-22/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 13 Jun 2017 01:25:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Gideon Turk]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MLB Draft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[2017 MLB Draft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Logan Warmoth]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toronto Blue Jays]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/?p=11582</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Blue Jays have made their first pick of 2017&#8217;s MLB Draft, selecting SS Logan Warmoth out of North Carolina with the 22nd overall pick. The 21-year-old stands at 6&#8217;0&#8243; and weighs 190 lbs. Sources: #BlueJays taking Logan Warmoth, SS, North Carolina at 22. &#8212; Robert Murray (@RobertMurrayFRS) June 13, 2017 Warmoth was ranked as the 19th best prospect available [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Blue Jays have made their first pick of 2017&#8217;s MLB Draft, selecting SS Logan Warmoth out of North Carolina with the 22nd overall pick. The 21-year-old stands at 6&#8217;0&#8243; and weighs 190 lbs.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sources: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlueJays?src=hash">#BlueJays</a> taking Logan Warmoth, SS, North Carolina at 22.</p>
<p>&mdash; Robert Murray (@RobertMurrayFRS) <a href="https://twitter.com/RobertMurrayFRS/status/874436176618426369">June 13, 2017</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Warmoth was ranked as the 19th best prospect available in this draft class by <a href="http://www.baseballamerica.com/draft-preview/" target="_blank">Baseball America</a>, 27th by <a href="http://m.mlb.com/prospects/2017?list=draft" target="_blank">MLB Pipeline</a>, and 7th by <a href="http://www.espn.com/blog/keith-law/insider/post?id=7154" target="_blank">ESPN&#8217;s Keith Law</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Warmoth received the following grades from MLB Pipeline:</strong></p>
<p><b>Scouting grades:</b> Hit: 55 | Power: 45 | Run: 55 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 50</p>
<p><strong>Baseball Prospectus wrote a report on him last week, which can be viewed by <a href="http://www.baseballprospectus.com/prospects/eyewitness_bat.php?reportid=426" target="_blank">clicking here</a>.</strong></p>
<p><strong>Baseball America said the following about him:</strong></p>
<p><em>&#8220;Warmoth has an accurate, plus arm that rates as his best tool. His arm strength, good hands and solid range give scouts confidence Warmoth can stay in the middle of the diamond, and many believe he&#8217;ll stay at shortstop. Other see him as an offensive second baseman, and his offensive performance was pushing Warmoth into first-round consideration. His power is mostly to his pull side, but Warmoth has the ability to use the whole field and has a solid offensive approach, looking for pitches he can drive and showing the ability to make adjustments. Scouts see him as a high-floor, safe bet big leaguer who could exceed his offensive projections.&#8221;</em></p>
<p><strong>MLB Pipeline had this to say:</strong></p>
<p><em>&#8220;Warmoth took over North Carolina&#8217;s shortstop job a month into his freshman season and hasn&#8217;t relinquished it. After a solid summer offensively and defensively in the Cape Cod League last summer, he has stepped up his game this spring and should be the first college middle infielder drafted. He has a good chance to go in the first round, which would make him the sixth Lake Brantley High (Altamonte Springs, Fla.) product to do so, following big leaguers Jason Varitek, Felipe Lopez, Rickie Weeks, Jemile Weeks and Nick Franklin.</em></p>
<p><em>While Warmoth doesn&#8217;t have a standout tool, he also doesn&#8217;t have any obvious shortcomings. He&#8217;s a gifted hitter who controls the strike zone, handles good velocity and uses the entire field. He started to show some power toward the end of his sophomore season, and has enough to hit 12-15 homers per season in the big leagues.</em></p>
<p><em>Warmoth has solid speed and the savvy to use it on the basepaths. His instincts and quick hands help him make plays at shortstop, and he&#8217;ll get the chance to play there as a pro. With average range and arm strength, he&#8217;s probably better suited for second base.&#8221;</em></p>
<p><strong>Keith Law wrote this about Warmoth:</strong></p>
<p><em>&#8220;Perhaps my favorite swing in the class, Warmoth can really hit and is an above-average runner who should be able to stay at shortstop but at worst would be a plus-defender at second or third.&#8221;</em></p>
<p>Here&#8217;s MLB Pipeline’s scouting video featuring Warmoth:</p>
<p style="text-align: center"><iframe src="http://m.mlb.com/shared/video/embed/embed.html?content_id=1324023883&amp;topic_id=210960834&amp;width=500&amp;height=280&amp;property=mlb" width="500" height="280" ></iframe></p>
<p><em>Lead Photo: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports</em></p>
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