The Toronto Blue Jays selected a pair of hard-throwing high school right-handers on the first day of the 2013 MLB draft before adding even more teenage pitchers on day two.
The draft isn’t over yet — it concludes with the 30 final rounds Saturday — but it’s not too early to take stock of the Blue Jays’ top selections. Here’s some essential information on the organization’s top five picks:
Round 1 (pick 10): Phil Bickford
- Position: RHP
- Age: 17 (18 in July)
- Height/weight: 6’4″/195 pounds
- Hometown: Ventura, CA
- College commitment: Cal State Fullerton
- Skills: Fastball can exceed 95 m.p.h.
- Slot value: $2,921,400 (Blue Jays expect to sign Bickford)
- Links: Shi Davidi on Bickford, Sportsnet video analysis, Bickford’s high school coach on Baseball Central, MLB video
Round 2 (pick 47): Clinton Hollon
- Position: RHP
- Age: 18
- Height/weight: 6’1″/191pounds
- Hometown: Versailles, KY
- College commitment: University of Kentucky
- Skills: Fastball can reach 95 m.p.h.
- Slot value: $1,168,200
- Links: Shi Davidi on Hollon, MLB video
Round 3 (pick 83): Patrick Murphy
- Position: RHP
- Age: 17 (18 on Monday)
- Height/weight: 6’4″/195 pounds
- Hometown: Chandler, AZ
- College commitment: University of Oregon
- Skills: Murphy posted a 2.66 ERA during his junior season in 2012 but missed his senior season to recover from Tommy John ligament replacement surgery.
- Slot value: $650,800
- Links: Conor Glassey of Baseball America was unimpressed by the Blue Jays’ top three picks.
Round 4 (pick 115): Evan Smith
- Position: LHP
- Age: 17 (18 in August)
- Height/weight: 6’5″/190 pounds
- Hometown: Semmes, AL
- Skills: Smith’s velocity jumped this spring, when he touched 92 m.p.h., according to John Manuel of Baseball America. He has a “good body,” but is “very raw,” Manuel writes.
- Slot value: $446,100
- Links: Baseball America’s John Manuel on Smith.
Round 5 (pick 145): Daniel Lietz
- Position: LHP
- Age: 19
- Height/weight: 6’2″/200 pounds
- College: Heartland CC Junior College
- Skills: Velocity has recently increased from mid-80s to low-90s, according to MLB.com. Also throws a slider, changeup, splitter and curveball. The slider and change are viewed as potential MLB pitches.
- Slot value: $334,000
- Links: MLB.com profile
The Blue Jays selected Matt Boyd, a left-handed pitcher from Oregon State, with their sixth round selection.
