Baseball in 2020? New draft format….What could that mean for the Blue Jays?

While the MLB and MLBPA continue to negotiate a deal for there to even be a baseball season in 2020, there is one thing to be excited about and that is the MLB draft commences tonight at 7pm ET in what will certainly be one for the record books. With COVID-19 putting a halt to essentially everything over the past few months and owners putting a great deal of priority on saving money at the moment, the usual 40-round draft process has been trimmed down to a measly five rounds. The usual thousands of young, baseball prospects waiting for their name to be called on draft day is going to be shaved down to a mere 160 names. The two-day virtual draft will see the first-round picks selected Wednesday, followed by the remaining four rounds on Thursday.

While the COVID-19 complications have sure made this draft quite historic, it stands to be one of the best young talent classes in years and what better time to have a top-5 pick. The Toronto Blue Jays will have the luxury of selecting fifth overall in this year’s draft after finishing the 2019 season with a 67-95 record. The promise this team showed with its young crop in the latter half of last season, some strong off-season additions, and the chance to land a player who could impact the team immediately raises the question of just how important is this fifth overall pick for the Blue Jays future. The Jays sure seem to be on the right track but the proposition of adding a top-5 talent should get fans excited.

The question now stands is, who should the Toronto Blue Jays select with that fifth overall pick? With no live games to watch and college/high school programs barely getting their seasons underway before COVID-19 hit, the scouting process becomes entirely different. Teams are going to have to rely on past years film and scouting reports to properly assess the players in this year’s draft, a process that many, if not all, are not accustomed to. This will ultimately and undoubtedly result in teams selecting more mature players with college ball experience in comparison to a potentially high-touted high school player, due to lack of knowledge on the player or even the prospect of the player rejecting the offer opting to try to boost draft stock for 2021. While it’s quite common and expected now in the NBA, NHL, and NFL to see multiple top picks in their respective drafts make an immediate impact on a team, it’s rare you see that in Major League Baseball. Many high school and college players taken in the first few rounds won’t see the majors for years as they work their way through the many stages of minor league ball. With that being said, the high level of training and conditioning these young players are receiving earlier in their careers are creating a trend to null that fact. More often, especially if it’s a college player, the expectations to produce right away are becoming far greater. The Blue Jays will certainly have high expectations for their first pick in this year’s draft, hoping to make an immediate impact on a team ready to compete.

Along with the fifth overall pick in this year’s draft, the Jays will also select 42nd, 77th, 106th, and 136th in this deep, talented draft. The obvious needs for Toronto’s major league roster is outfield and pitching. They failed to address their outfield needs this off-season which might lead you to think they may go that route with the first pick after making significant additions to the rotation but you can never really have enough good arms in the rotation. I think it will ultimately come down to who’s still on the board at number five for the Blue Jays and they will determine who the best player available is at the time of their pick. This philosophy, especially in baseball, seems to be proven most effective in terms of their estimated time of arrival and readiness for the MLB.

There seems to be few different scenarios that the Blue Jays will be faced with come Wednesday night with their first pick. I’m predicting there will be some shuffling of teams in the first round order via trade come draft night but I don’t see the Jays moving anywhere, but up if anything, from number 5 with newly appointed Shane Farrell looking to make an immediate impact for his new team. There are four potential candidates on my radar for the Blue Jays to select at number 5; 2B Nick Gonzales, RHP Max Meyer, RHP Emerson Hancock, and OF Zac Veen.

Many mock drafts I’ve seen thus far have had the Jays selecting the hard-throwing righty from Minnesota, Max Meyer. There is a lot to be excited about with this youngster as he tips the radar gun at 101mph, and no that is not a typo! The concern for this college star is his lack of size and his durability as a starter in the rotation, which you’d hate to see your number 5 overall pick be relegated to a reliever role.

Georgia right-hander Emerson Hancock is another big arm the Blue Jays could go after at number 5. With top pitching prospect, Asa Lacy, most likely off the board before the Jays get to select, Hancock and Meyer seem to be the next best pitching options if the Jays decide to go that route. Hancock, unlike Meyer, stands 6 ft. 4 in and weighs 213lbs and is your typical power pitcher with his fastball reaching the upper 90s while still displaying good complementary pitches. He dominated in 2019, when he posted a 1.99 ERA, striking out 97 and walking only 18.

It is thought that top high school prospect, OF Zac Veen, could potentially drop to the Jays in the order, although it doesn’t seem to be likely at this point. If it was to happen, it would put the Toronto Blue Jays in a difficult position. On one hand, the youngsters potential is sky high and his skill set is being compared to that of Christian Yelich but his estimated time of arrival to the big leagues is unpredictable and the desire in Toronto to win in the very near future might make Farrell hold his breath a little if he were to fall to number 5.

Lastly on the radar I have New Mexico State infielder Nick Gonzales. The hitting ability he showed in three years with the Aggies was unquestionable. His career batting average throughout those three years was .392 with 67 extra-base hits in 112 games. Not only that, before COVID-19 hit, Gonzales was on an absolute tear at the plate to begin the 2020 season. In just 16 games, he racked up 12 home runs and an astounding 36 RBI’s. The only thing that scouts have said negatively about Gonzales is his defensive consistency at 2B. Also it’s worth noting that the Blue Jays are extremely deep up the middle as it is but the thought of him and Bo Bichette up the middle for the foreseeable future would be fun to watch, they could always send Biggio to the outfield.

As the draft inches closer and with how unpredictable this historic night will be, it’s tough to say who the Blue Jays will ultimately commit to on Wednesday. I think the safest and most likely scenario that the Jays will lean in favour of is snagging one of the top pitching prospects in the draft. If I was in Shane Farrell’s shoes tonight, knowing 13 of my top 30 prospects are pitchers and we just bolstered the rotation this off-season, I would opt for the best available position player at the time. Everything can change come Wednesday night within the first few picks but that’s what makes this night an exciting one. What if Veen falls? Pitcher or Hitter? There will be many tough decisions Mr. Farrell and the Blue Jays scouting team face. Catch the action live at 7pm ET.

My Prediction: RHP, Max Meyer

My Pick: 2B, Nick Gonzales or RHP, Emerson Hancock