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After a strong junior season at Stetson, righthander Tucker Donahue had several second-day draft offers in 2011. However, the finance major didn’t get the signing-bonus offer he was looking for and fell to the 38th round. He decided to return for his senior season and earned his degree; on the field, a disastrous opening weekend helped inflate his numbers. He finished 2-1, 5.20 with 27 strikeouts and 19 walks in 28 innings.

That’s not usually a recipe for moving up 34 draft rounds. But Donahue, whose fastball at times sits in the 92-95 mph range with boring action, was the Blue Jays’ fourth-round pick in 2012. He’s already signed for a four-digit bonus; Donahue declined to give the exact amount.

Welcome to the new draft.

“I talked to a good amount of teams, probably 15 teams, and I knew this was a possible play; it was pretty cut and dried,” Donahue said. “I’d say 10 of the 15 all asked if I would sign for something like that. As a senior, I knew it could happen. I figured the high draft round sticks with you. I thought it was worth trading a few grand to be a higher-round pick. Money disappears, but I will forever be a fourth-round pick.”

Tyrone Slothrop wrote:Nice. I was just about to ask if someone could do the master list. Thanks.

-MetA4- wrote:WOW:

After a strong junior season at Stetson, righthander Tucker Donahue had several second-day draft offers in 2011. However, the finance major didn’t get the signing-bonus offer he was looking for and fell to the 38th round. He decided to return for his senior season and earned his degree; on the field, a disastrous opening weekend helped inflate his numbers. He finished 2-1, 5.20 with 27 strikeouts and 19 walks in 28 innings.

That’s not usually a recipe for moving up 34 draft rounds. But Donahue, whose fastball at times sits in the 92-95 mph range with boring action, was the Blue Jays’ fourth-round pick in 2012. He’s already signed for a four-digit bonus; Donahue declined to give the exact amount.

Welcome to the new draft.

“I talked to a good amount of teams, probably 15 teams, and I knew this was a possible play; it was pretty cut and dried,” Donahue said. “I’d say 10 of the 15 all asked if I would sign for something like that. As a senior, I knew it could happen. I figured the high draft round sticks with you. I thought it was worth trading a few grand to be a higher-round pick. Money disappears, but I will forever be a fourth-round pick.”

blackflash234 wrote: My gut tells me we'll try him out as a starter as we've done with relievers with pretty good stuff but horrible number in relief to boot.

keithlaw ‏@keithlaw
Yes, around $2MM. RT @AZivkovic74: @keithlaw Have you heard anything about this supposed deal between the Jays and Smoral? #mlbdraft

Garmfay wrote:Wouldn't make sense. Selig would not allow it to happen until near the deadline for over slot deals..

flatjacket1 wrote:This is great news. Now all we need is that CF, Anthony Alford and we are good.

-MetA4- wrote:

blackflash234 wrote: My gut tells me we'll try him out as a starter as we've done with relievers with pretty good stuff but horrible number in relief to boot.

Where is he going to start? We have way too many REAL pitching prospects who will be handed starting spots in the lower minors. This kid wasn't even a draft prospect.

blackflash234 wrote:

-MetA4- wrote:

blackflash234 wrote: My gut tells me we'll try him out as a starter as we've done with relievers with pretty good stuff but horrible number in relief to boot.

Where is he going to start? We have way too many REAL pitching prospects who will be handed starting spots in the lower minors. This kid wasn't even a draft prospect.

All the starting spots on the short season teams are full?

Shi Davidi ‏@ShiDavidi
Jays can exceed their $8.9m pool by about $432,000 without surrendering a draft pick. Tax hit would be $324,000

Shi Davidi ‏@ShiDavidi
Sounds like Jays are signing the seven seniors from Rounds 4-10 to four-digit bonuses. If so, they'll create a bit over $1m in pool space

Schadenfreude wrote:
They will probably be close to it. In all likelihood, his only value will come as a reliever, and even that's quite a longshot.