The Toronto Blue Jays appear to have made up their mind on their 8th overall pick
Photo credit: MLB.com
The Toronto Blue Jays will select eighth overall in next months's draft. Still, solid prospects will be on the board at that spot.
Unlike last year, the Jays won't have a second-round pick this time, as it was forfeited due to signing Anthony Santander.
The Blue Jays appear to know who'll they be drafting next month in Atlanta.
Riley Delaney from Blue Jays On Si writes that Toronto has shown strong interest in pitcher Kyson Witherspoon. A 6'2», 206-pound right-handed pitcher from the University of Oklahoma, not to be confused with Oklahoma State University, where Juaron Watts-Brown played, is ranked as MLB Pipeline's eighth-best draft prospect and was recently connected to the Blue Jays in their latest mock draft.
"When the Blue Jays pick a player out of the state of Oklahoma, it's usually from Oklahoma State, as they've made 13 picks from that school, the most notable being Watts-Brown. However, the Jays have only made two selections from Oklahoma University: David Purcey in the first round of the 2004 draft and Sherman Collins in the 33rd round of the 1986 draft." -Delaney
This season, Witherspoon has started all 16 games he's pitched in, lowering his ERA to 2.65 and his FIP to 2.86 over 95 innings. His strikeout rate has jumped to 31.8%, up from 24.1% last year, while his walk rate has improved, dropping to 5.9% from 10.7% in 2024.
"Over the past five drafts, the Blue Jays have picked two college pitchers: Gunnar Hoglund in the 2021 draft and Trey Yesavage in the 2024 draft. The former was packaged in a trade to acquire Matt Chapman and made his debut this season with the Athletics, while the latter is currently a Top 100 prospect and dominating the lower minor leagues." -Delaney
A college pitcher is usually a safer pick, especially someone with the upside that Witherspoon offers. Will the Blue Jays choose a college right-hander for a second straight year?
Ultimately, it comes down to whether they see Witherspoon as the best talent available at eighth overall. Still, their top priorities in the farm system remain adding a power hitter and an elite starting pitcher.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 5 | 1353 ANSWERS The Toronto Blue Jays appear to have made up their mind on their 8th overall pick Do you think the Blue Jays should draft another pitcher at this year's draft? | ||
| yes | 1224 | 90.5 % |
| no | 129 | 9.5 % |
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