RealGM

We have lot's of picks in the first couple of rounds. Anyone here hear anything about who were looking at? Who you want the Jays to take, etc.

I don't really follow the prospects for baseball.. I find it so hard to keep up with them, so many players.. Definitely not the same hype compared to other major sports

I'll just post some quotes here.

Jim Callis

greg (toronto): Any word on who the Blue Jays are targeting in the 1st round?

SportsNation Jim Callis: I keep hearing they want infielders and catchers. They might even take two high schoolers with their two picks. In an ideal world, they'd get Devin Mesoraco (Pennsylvania HS C) and Kozma, but not sure both will fall to them.

greg (toronto): Please rank Ahrens, Dominguez, and Frazier.

SportsNation Jim Callis: Three guys the Jays could very well be looking at. I'll take California HS 3B Matt Dominguez, Texas HS 3B Kevin Ahrens and Rutgers SS (and future 3B/OF) Todd Frazier in that order.

greg (toronto): What kind of player does Kozma project to be? Please don?t tell me Russ Adams II.

SportsNation Jim Callis: Not at all. For one, Kozma can stick at shortstop. For two, he can hit near the top of the lineup.

Bob Elliot

The Jays also saw highly ranked Tennessee centre fielder Julio Borbon, a Dominican recovering from a broken ankle earlier in the year and catcher J.P. Arencibia.

Borbon is hitting .345 with three homers and 28 RBIs, while Arencibia, whom former catcher Sal Butera scouted earlier, owns a .326 mark with eight homers and 41 RBIs.

Opposing scouts say the Jays hope to get both a college player and a high-schooler with their first two picks. They have been looking at shortstops and catchers.

High-school shortstops on their radar include Peter Kozma, from Owasso, Okla., San Diego's Nick Noonan and Long Beach's Ryan Dent.

They've also been watching 6-foot-5 lefty Nick Schmidt, an Arkansas Razorback, and Vanderbilt Commodores closer Casey Weathers.

Keith Law

The Jays have some definite positional needs, with no shortstop prospects in the system, just one catching prospect in Curtis Thigpen (who gets very mixed reviews on his defense), and little starting pitching. High school shortstops are plentiful in this draft; the Jays like Nick Noonan, and they've been linked to Peter Kozma and (further down) Ryan Dent. They'll have a few shots at the better college arms and are likely to be on the same group of guys that the Padres are on."

thanks for the quotes Bradley......

thanks MB.

please JP don't F this draft up

I hope JP doesn't screw this up, we have no young talent or farm system to speak of.

Taking some HS would be nice, all these supposedly 'safe' college players that JP has taken haven't panned out.

Quote from JP:

"We're not going to take a college kid, just to take a college kid. We're going to take someone who we think is like Snider last year -- a premier high school player."

Link

http://www.realgmbaseball.com/src_betwe ... ersion_20/

16. Toronto Blue Jays: Madison Bumgarner LHP South Caldwell HS (North Carolina)

We are still projecting he lands in Toronto, but with his size (6-foot-5) and being a lefty, he could rise to as high as No.8 to the Colorado Rockies.

21. Toronto Blue Jays: Josh Smoker LHP Calhoun HS (Georgia)

Smoker could and maybe should go higher than No. 21, but he slips here and Toronto will happily grab him as their second first round lefty.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd ... &fext=.jsp

16. Toronto Blue Jays: Matt Dominguez, 3B, Chatsworth HS (Calif.)
With two picks in the first round, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Jays go with a high-schooler with either pick. We'll give it to them here with Dominguez. If he's gone, Devin Mesoraco could be the choice.
Last projection: Dominguez

21. Toronto Blue Jays: Beau Mills, 3B, Lewis-Clark State
Outside of Wieters, Mills is one of tougher players to place. His name is being mentioned all over the first round as he put up absolutely ridiculous numbers in helping Lewis-Clark State to the NAIA Championship. There is some concern about his defensive ability, which might limit him to an AL team. There's a good chance he goes before here, but the Blue Jays are a good candidate to take him with one of their two picks.
Last projection: Devin Mesoraco

So who did the jays take?

BrickHeads wrote:So who did the jays take?

Pick 11 is up right now; high-ceiling Canadian pitcher Phillipe Aumont and the two catchers (Mesoraco and Arencibia) still on the board.

Edit: there goes Aumont to the Mariners...

where are they showing this?

Windmill wrote:where are they showing this?

ESPN2, MLB is streaming it on their website as well.

Dang, Reds took Mesoraco one pick above the Jays...he sounded like the better all-around catcher.

And JP takes another SS that may be forced to switch positions, Kevin Ahrens.

He's a high school switch-hitter with good power that probably projects as a third baseman in the pros. Terrific arm (strength and accuracy), athletic, quick bat, according to Baseball Prospectus.

Looking around, #15 seems a bit high for him, but in the MLB draft that means very little. Sounds like he'll be a reasonably easy signing, which is something the Jays are always interested in.

yeah according to the mocks he went a little high but those mean squat

TEX: Ahrens is a perfect fit as a local star and a switch-hitter with power who should slide over to third base as a pro; he's drawn a couple of comparisons to Chipper Jones.

I like the Chipper Jones comment

Second pick, JP did take JP...Arencibia. He was tagged as a potential top-10 guy coming into the season, had some back problems and slid. Considered a 'meh' defender, though good enough to remain a catcher, he apparently has terrific power potential and pretty solid contact. As a college guy, he might be on the fast track to the majors (say, within two years), while Aherns will take time to develop.

Look for JP to go college-pitching heavy with the boatload of second and third rounders.

Probably only drafted him cause he has the same initials.

Thanks for the info Abe.

Abe wrote:Second pick, JP did take JP...Arencibia. He was tagged as a potential top-10 guy coming into the season, had some back problems and slid. Considered a 'meh' defender, though good enough to remain a catcher, he apparently has terrific power potential and pretty solid contact. As a college guy, he might be on the fast track to the majors (say, within two years), while Aherns will take time to develop.

Look for JP to go college-pitching heavy with the boatload of second and third rounders.

A little worried about that back injury though. Several sources had him out of the first round...

Not sure about that catcher, but the SS that JP drafted looks like a solid one.

lets hope he gets some pitchers later.

looks like its going to be all pitchers from here on out...