TORONTO – The Toronto Blue Jays have reached agreement with third-round pick Zach Jackson, according to industry sources.
The Arkansas right-hander joins second-round selection Bo Bichette as the first two players from the 2016 draft known to have settled with the club. A series of additional deals are expected in the next couple of days. The team has yet to announce any deals.
Jackson, 21, bounced between starting and relieving at Arkansas but the Blue Jays plan to stretch him out and see if he can stick in the rotation. He has a plus curveball that is his best weapon but has struggled with command of his fastball, which averaged 90-93 as a starter but 92-96 out of the bullpen.
The Blue Jays are hoping some consistency in his role and routine will help on that front. Terms of his deal weren’t known, although the pool limit at No. 102 is $585,100 and he was expected to come in around there.
Bichette, an 18-year-old shortstop from Lakeland High School in St. Petersburg, Fla., settled on a bonus of $1.1 million, slightly above the No. 66 pick’s pool limit of $978,600.
The Blue Jays are enamoured with his power and believe he can stay in the infield long term as he gets bigger. They developed a comfort level with him by working him out at their complex in Dunedin, Fla., a few times during the spring.
The Blue Jays have a total bonus pool limit of $6,665,900 for players chosen in the first 10 rounds. Players selected in rounds 11-40 can sign for up to $100,000 with any amount in excess of that counting against the pool limit.
The expectation is that the Blue Jays won’t spend to the limit for their top 10, giving them a chance to buy a couple of high school arms they selected later out of their college commitments.
Prime targets in that regard are lefty Travis Hosterman, an 11th-round pick out of Hagerty High School in Oviedo, Fla.; righty Chris Lincoln Rancho, picked in the 13th round out of Verde High School in Moreno Valley, Calif.; righty Josh Winckowski, a 15th-rounder from Estero High School in Florida; and lefty Spencer Van Scoyoc, selected in the 19th round out of Jefferson High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.