The Toronto Blue Jays are set to select 18th in the 2015 amateur draft after finishing the 2014 season with an 83-79 record.
There’s a caveat, though. If GM Alex Anthopoulos signs a free agent who has declined a qualifying offer, the Blue Jays would have to surrender the 18th pick and the accompanying bonus pool money. For example, if James Shields were to decline a qualifying offer from the Kansas City Royals, the Blue Jays wouldn’t be able to sign him without forfeiting their top pick.
Still, Anthopoulos has said the Blue Jays don’t intend to offer free agents deals that cover more than five years. As the likes of Robinson Cano (ten years, $240 million) and Jacoby Ellsbury (seven years, $153 million) showed last off-season, star talent doesn’t come cheap. Typically elite free agents such as Jon Lester or Max Scherzer look to maximize years and dollars on the open market.
While starting pitching appears to be a strength of the Blue Jays, they will be looking for infielders, and Pablo Sandoval, one of the top free agent infielders available, could be of interest. The switch-hitter seems likely to obtain a qualifying offer, in which case he’d be tied to draft pick compensation.
Re-signing Melky Cabrera would not require the Blue Jays to surrender the 18th pick. Assuming the Blue Jays make the free agent outfielder a qualifying offer, other MLB teams would have to surrender a pick for Cabrera. If he were to leave Toronto after declining a qualifying offer, the Blue Jays would get a supplemental first round pick in 2015.
Teams that finish with the worst ten records in MLB have protected draft picks the following year and can sign free agents who declined qualifying offers without forfeiting their first rounders. The Blue Jays had two protected draft picks in 2014, when they selected Jeff Hoffman and Max Pentecost.
The Arizona Diamondbacks finished with an MLB-worst 64-98 record, which means they’ll select first overall next June 8.
