Toronto Blue Jays

Players signed indicated in Bold

Round Overall Player Position School State Bonus
1 21 Tyler Beede RHP Lawrence Academy, Groton, Mass. Mass.
Beede won a state championship as a sophomore at Auburn (Mass.) High, and then transferred to Lawrence, one of the top prep schools in the state. Since then, he has been all over the showcase circuit and developed into New England's best prep prospect. At 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds, Beede has an ideal pitcher's frame. Throwing from a high three-quarters arm slot, he pitches at 88-93 mph and touches 95. He has good arm speed on his changeup, and he has a firm curveball that's average but has good shape. Beede is also developing a slider, though he hasn't used it in game action. There were concerns about his mechanics and arm action in the past, but he has smoothed them out this year, repeating his delivery well and getting good extension out front. His father, Walter, was a 13th-round pick of the Cubs out of a Massachusetts high school in 1981 and had a short stint in the minor leagues, when he played with Brewers scouting director Bruce Seid. Beede has advanced command, feel and offspeed stuff, and scouts are impressed with his approach to the game. He has committed to Vanderbilt and could be a tough sign.
1s 35 Jake Anderson OF Chino (Calif.) HS Calif. $990,000
Anderson's stock soared after he won the home run derby at the Under Armour All-America Game at Wrigley Field last August, nearly putting a ball on Waveland Avenue in the final round. Scouts were frustrated they could not see Anderson play the outfield this spring, because Chino High had no other viable options at first base and used Anderson there. Tall and projectable at 6-foot-4, 195 pounds, he is a long strider with solid-average speed under way, and he profiles either in center or right, where he should have adequate arm strength. Anderson is a physical specimen with plenty of leverage and solid-average to plus raw power potential in his slightly uphill swing. Scouts are not convinced his bat is ready for pro ball, as he struggles to recognize offspeed stuff and needs to learn how to make adjustments. But he has the ability to become an average hitter down the road. A top-five-rounds talent, Anderson is likely headed to school at Pepperdine, where he'll help anchor a strong recruiting class.
1s 46 Joe Musgrove RHP Grossmont HS, El Cajon, Calif. Calif. $500,000
Musgrove has improved his stock as much as any prep player in Southern California this spring. He was solid but unspectacular at the Southern California Invitational Showcase at the MLB Urban Youth Academy in February, working in the 88-91 mph range. Since then, his velocity has jumped, and many scouts now regard him as the best high school righthander in the region's thin crop. Musgrove, a San Diego State commit, has a physical 6-foot-5, 225-pound frame and an easy delivery. For most of this spring his fastball has sat comfortably in the 90-92 mph range with heavy sink, and he can reach back for 93-94 when he needs to. At his best, some scouts say they saw him touch 97-98, to go along with a hammer curveball in the 76-82 mph range. Usually, though, he throws a three-quarters slurve in the 77-80 range. Musgrove also mixes in a split-change. A former offensive and defensive lineman for the Grossmont football team, Musgrove is a tenacious competitor. He still has to work on repeating his delivery more consistently and fine-tuning his secondary stuff, but it's easy to dream on him becoming a big league workhorse starter.
1s 53 Dwight Smith Jr. OF McIntosh (Ga.) HS Ga. $800,000
Smith is the son of the big league outfielder of the same name. Junior has tools and a game that resemble his father significantly. His best tool is his bat, as he owns a pure stroke that ranks among the best in the draft class. He features a prominent leg kick at the plate, yet always seems to be on time and gets his bat into the hitting zone for a long time. Smith has a bit less speed than his dad and may wind up a below-average runner when it's all said and done, pushing him from center field to a corner. He has enough arm strength to make right field a possibility, but a move to a corner will put more pressure on his bat. He has solid power and projects to have average raw power. He's committed to Georgia Tech.
1s 57 Kevin Comer RHP Seneca HS, Tabernacle, N.J. N.J. $1,650,000
At 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, Comer passes the eye test, and at his best he flashes stuff that would make him a lock for the top three rounds. Scouts haven't been able to get a good read on him this season, as he had thrown just 14 innings and had been inconsistent. Out of the gates, Comer sat in the low 90s and made it look easy. At his best, he also has a 12-to-6 curveball that falls off the table and has shown feel for a changeup. But he missed about 10 days in the middle of the season because of a class trip, and then left a game early and was showing mid-80s velocity. Scouts aren't sure if he is injured or just isn't interested in signing. He is committed to Vanderbilt, and most agree he could be a first-rounder after three years there.
2 74 Daniel Norris LHP Science Hill HS, Johnson City, Tenn. Tenn. $2,000,000
Norris entered 2011 as the top high school lefthander in the country, and he has done nothing to change that assessment. He spent last summer dealing for the East Cobb Yankees and then gave up football, where he played quarterback, to focus on baseball as a senior. Norris has shown three potential plus pitches, with a fastball that reaches 96 mph but generally rests in the 89-93 mph range, a curveball and changeup. He throws the changeup with good arm speed and has plenty of hand speed to spin a breaking ball, and he has also toyed with a slider. Norris features a clean arm and plenty of athleticism, though like many high school pitchers he has inconsistent mechanics, tipping when he's throwing a fastball or breaking ball. He has the athleticism to make adjustments quickly, and he had already improved his arm action in recent months, making it more compact. Scouts laud his makeup and passion for the game. A Clemson recruit, Norris has strong present stuff and room to improve.
2 78 Jeremy Gabryszwski RHP Crosby (Texas) HS Texas $575,000
Jeremy Gabryszwski excited scouts when he touched 94 mph with his fastball in his first scrimmage. He sat at 92-93 for three innings, and also showed a plus slider and an average changeup. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound righthander didn't maintain that stuff throughout the season, often working in the high 80s. He had surgery to repair a displaced bone in his elbow in 2008, with doctors placing a screw in his elbow. He's a Lamar recruit.
3 108 John Stilson RHP Texas A&M Texas $500,000
Stilson set a Texarkana (Texas) JC record by winning 12 games as a freshman in 2009, then led NCAA Division I in ERA (0.80) and ranked second in strikeout per nine inning (13.5) in his first season at Texas A&M last spring. He has made another successful transition this year, moving from the bullpen back into the rotation and serving as the Aggies' ace. His fastball ranges from 91-94 mph, and it touched 96 when he worked as a reliever. He has incredible feel for a dynamite changeup that outranks his heater as his best pitch. He throws a hard breaking ball, and he has the ability to vary the angle and shape of the pitch to make it a slider or a curveball. Six-foot-3 and 195 pounds, Stilson is a quality athlete who also starred in football and basketball in high school and played shortstop at Texarkana. He's an intense competitor who relishes the responsibility that comes with being a Friday starter or a closer. Stilson's delivery is the only reason he isn't mentioned with the top tier of college pitching prospects. He catapults off the mound and throws with some effort, but that doesn't prevent him from filling the strike zone. If the team that drafts him puts him back in the bullpen, he could be the first player from the 2011 draft to reach the majors. But Stilson has legitimate value as a No. 2 or 3 starter, and he'll probably get an initial opportunity to thrive in that role in pro ball.
4 139 Tom Robson RHP Delta SS, Ladner, B.C. British Columbia $325,000
This year's top prospect in Canada is righthander Thomas Robson, who has a big frame at 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds. Robson's fastball sits in the 88-91 mph range, and he has touched 93, and it's not difficult to envision him adding a couple of ticks because of his frame, his age (17) and how easy his arm works. Robson also shows a good feel for the strike zone, moves the ball around well and has a good understanding of how to pitch. He can spin a curveball and shows feel for a changeup. Robson is committed to Central Arizona JC but could go as high as the fifth round.
5 169 Andrew Chin LHP Buckingham Browne & Nichols HS, Cambridge, Mass. Mass.
After showing solid stuff on the showcase circuit for the last two summers, Chin was in discussion to be a top-15 rounds pick, but he had Tommy John surgery in late April. When healthy, Chin sat at 86-90 mph and touched 92 with his fastball, threw a fringe-average curveball and showed feel for a changeup. He had a deceptive delivery with a three-quarters release point and impressed talent evaluators with his ability to compete. Chin won't be able to throw for about 10-12 months, and it would be surprising if a team took him and tried to nurse him through the recovery process. He could develop into a top-flight college arm in a few years.
6 199 Anthony DeSclafani RHP Florida Fla. $250,000
The 6-foot-2, 195-pound DeSclafani throws hard at 93-96 mph out of the bullpen with surprising feel for a slider. DeSclafani's control is short and his fastball flattens out, and despite his big stuff and loose arm, he gets hit hard.
7 229 Christian Lopes SS Edison HS, Huntington Beach, Calif. Calif. $800,000
Lopes matured early and has been a nationally prominent player for a long time. As a high school freshman he looked like a future first-round pick, but he never developed premium tools and other Southern California high schoolers have leapfrogged him. Some scouts compare Lopes to former Cal State Fullerton star Christian Colon at the same stage of his development, though others scoff at that comparison, saying he lacks Colon's competitive fire, instincts and defensive ability. Lopes does play hard and is instinctive, but not to an extraordinary degree. He played shortstop in high school and could play there if he winds up in college at Southern California, but scouts project him as a second baseman in pro ball. He has good hands and smooth infield actions, but he tends to sit back on balls and sometimes adds unnecessary flash. He was an average runner when he was younger, but as his 6-foot, 180-pound body has matured his speed has regressed to well below-average. He lacks the range for shortstop but should be all right at second, where his fringe-average arm should play. Lopes' best tool is his righthanded bat. He has an advanced approach for a high schooler and does a good job using the opposite field, though scouts would like him to tinker less with his swing. Assessments of his power potential range from below-average to average. With his lengthy track record and feel for the game, Lopes has a chance to be drafted in the top five rounds, but he might find himself a victim of overexposure and wind up at USC.
8 259 Mark Biggs RHP Warren East HS, Bowling Green, Ky. Ky. $600,000
Some scouts thought Mark Biggs would have emerged as Kentucky's top prep prospect had he not fractured a vertebra in his back while lifting weights. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound righthander touched 94 mph in his first start before he got hurt, and returned before the end of his senior season. He needs to smooth out his high three-quarters delivery and improve his curveball, which is less advanced than his changeup. His athleticism and arm strength are promising. He's a good student who will both pitch and hit if he winds up at Louisville.
9 289 Andrew Suarez LHP Columbus HS, Miami Fla.
Scouts have watched Suarez for some time, and in some ways it seems they only look for his flaws now. He was Dade County's top pitcher as a sophomore in 2009, and scouts noticed his easy arm action and smooth delivery. He hit 92 mph easily, so scouts kept waiting for more out of the 6-foot-3, 185-pounder. Suarez still throws 92 mph and sits in the 88-92 range at his best. Like many prep pitchers, his fastball velocity has fluctuated, and he was up-and-down this spring. He shows a good feel for throwing his curveball for strikes and a solid changeup as well. The biggest question with Suarez is how much is left in his arm. Projecting on Florida high school pitchers can be dicey because they play year-round, and some area scouts question his athleticism. He has a strong commitment to Miami as well. Even if his fastball velocity doesn't improve, Suarez has a chance to be a physical three-pitch lefty, making him a first-five-rounds talent.
10 319 Aaron Garza RHP Ball HS, Galveston, Texas Texas
Righthander Aaron Garza is ultraprojectable. Six-foot-4 and 160 pounds, he's athletic and has an easy arm action. He's strongly committed to Houston, and scouts think he should attend college because his present stuff isn't ready for pro ball. His fastball sits at 85-88 mph and lacks life, and his secondary pitches (curveball, slider, changeup) are fringy. He earns high marks for his makeup.
11 349 Andy Burns SS Arizona Ariz. $250,000
Shortstop Andy Burns transferred from the Wildcats of Kentucky to the Wildcats of Arizona after last season, so he had to sit out this season. He was one of the top high school prospects in Colorado in 2008, but he fell to the Rockies in the 25th round because of his strong commitment to Kentucky. Burns has been working out for teams this spring and has expressed interest in signing. He'll get a chance to remain at shortstop as a pro, though he may eventually move to third base. He's an above-average runner and has the footwork to remain in the middle of the diamond. He has smooth actions, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame and well above-average arm strength. There are more questions about his bat than his defense, and he batted .279 in his two seasons at Kentucky. He will likely play in the Cape Cod League this summer to try and boost his stock.
12 379 John Norwood OF Seton Hall Prep, Orange, N.J. N.J.
John Norwood, a Vanderbilt signee, is the latest prospect to come out of Seton Hall Prep, the alma mater of Rick Porcello and Eric Duncan. An outfielder with plus speed, Norwood is an average hitter with below-average power. He's a solid defender and some teams think he'll stick in center field, while others don't think his speed translates.
13 409 Matt Dean 3B The Colony (Texas) HS Texas $737,500
Dean wasn't at his best on the showcase circuit last summer, but he redeemed himself with a strong spring and established himself as the best prep third-base prospect in the draft. Few high school players can match his batting-practice fireworks. With his bat speed, the loft in his righthanded swing and the room to add strength to his 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame, he projects to have plus power while hitting for a solid average. Dean has average speed but figures to lose a step as he fills out. He gets the job done at shortstop and has an above-average arm, but he'll move to the hot corner after he either turns pro or attends Texas. As with most coaches' sons--he plays for his father Martin at The Colony HS--Dean earns praise for his work ethic and competitiveness. His strong commitment to the Longhorns may make him difficult to sign.
14 439 Cole Wiper RHP Newport HS, Bellevue, Wash. Wash.
At 6-foot-3 and 180 pounds, Wiper is a quality athlete who also played high school basketball. His best attribute as a pitcher is his secondary stuff. He flashes an above-average curveball with tight rotation and added a slider this year, which also showed hard, sharp break. His changeup has nice drop, almost like a splitter, and has improved throughout the season. His fastball sits in the 88-90 mph range, and he'll have games where he's 90-93. While Wiper has a feel for spin, his fastball is pretty straight right now. Because of his good secondary stuff, he sometimes uses it too much and will have to pitch off of his fastball more at the next level, whether that's in the pros or at Oregon. Wiper is a good student and is mature for a high schooler, and some scouts regard him as the best high school prospect in the Northwest.
15 469 Cody Glenn LHP Westbury Christian HS, Houston Texas
16 499 Richard Prigatano 1B St. Francis HS, Mountain View, Calif. Calif.
Being teammates with a premier player--in this case, Tyler Goeddel--can often pay dividends, and Prigatano has taken advantage this year. After batting .182/.273/.269 in just 22 at-bats last year, he worked hard to get into better shape and now has a muscular, 6-foot-3, 195-pound frame. Scouts started to take notice when he hit a home run off Joe Ross early in the season. Prigatano profiles as an above-average hitter with well above-average power potential. A righthanded hitter and thrower, he plays first base now but is athletic enough to hold down a corner outfield spot. He's at least an average runner and has good arm strength. Prigatano generated a lot of buzz this spring and fielded multiple scholarship offers before committing to Long Beach State. He may have pushed himself too far up draft boards to end up on campus.
17 529 Brady Dragmire RHP Bradshaw Christian School, Sacramento Calif. $250,000
Dragmire is a 6-foot-1, 190-pound righthander that the Blue Jays signed away from a commitment to Nevada. He's a very good athlete that also played football and basketball in high school. On the mound, Dragmire's fastball sits in the 88-91 mph range with good sink. He mixes in a slider and a changeup, but it's the sinking action on his fastball and his athleticism that stands out the most.
18 559 Jon Berti 2B Bowling Green State Ohio
Jon Berti has hit .368, .423 and .356 in three seasons at Bowling Green State. He's a 5-foot-10, 175-pound sparkplug with a line-drive righthanded swing and well above-average speed. He has a knack for squaring pitches up and using the opposite field, though he doesn't have much pop and struggled with wood bats last summer in the Cape League. His hands and arm aren't quite up to snuff at shortstop, where he made 17 errors in 46 games this spring, so he'll likely shift to second base in pro ball.
19 589 Luke Weaver RHP DeLand (Fla.) HS Fla.
20 619 Joel Seddon RHP St. Clair (Mich.) HS Mich.
Righthander Joel Seddon is Michigan's top high school prospect, but scouts believe he'd be better off attending South Carolina than turning pro out of high school. He already throws 86-90 mph and touches 91, and he has more projection than most 6-footers because he can add strength to his 170-pound frame. He flashes a good curveball and has more feel for pitching than most high schoolers. There's some effort in his delivery, but he's also athletic and has a quick arm. The Gamecocks may give him a chance as a two-way player, though his pro future is on the mound.
21 649 Peter Mooney SS South Carolina S.C.
22 679 Aaron Nola RHP Catholic HS, Baton Rouge La.
Nola's older brother Austin is a three-year starter at Louisiana State, and Aaron has signed with LSU as well. They could be teammates in 2012 because scouts see positives and negatives on both as the draft approaches. Aaron gets compared to former LSU righthander Louis Coleman because of his low-slot release point and fastball/changeup combination. Nola is much less physical than the 6-foot-4 Coleman, though, listed at 6 feet, 164 pounds. In some ways he more closely resembles former LSU recruit Jeremy Hellickson, as his out pitch is a devastating changeup that earns plus grades from scouts now. Nola has had health issues, with a sports hernia that cost him weight and time in 2010 and shoulder tendinitis that slowed him in 2011. He came back strong, throwing strikes and sitting with average velocity at 89-91 mph this spring. His lower slot is better suited to a slider, but Nola is still throwing a below-average curveball. Signability and size could push Nola out of the first five rounds, but his whippy arm and changeup could prompt a team to buy him out of LSU.
23 709 K'Shawn Smith SS Indian River (Fla.) JC Fla.
24 739 David Rollins LHP San Jacinto (Texas) JC Texas
Rollins, a lefthander who endured two surgeries on his non-throwing shoulder, has a better three-pitch mix than teammate Miguel Pena but not as much command. The 6-foot-1, 195-pounder has an 88-91 mph sinker, a slider with bite and a good changeup. He has been drafted in each of the last three years, by the Dodgers in the 19th round in 2008 and by the Mariners in the 23rd round in 2009 and the 46th round last year. Like Pena, Rollins has signed with Lubbock Christian for 2012.
25 769 Eric Arce 1B Tampa (no school) Fla. $100,000
26 799 Justin Atkinson SS North Surrey (B.C.) SS British Columbia $100,000
Shortstop Justin Atkinson has a profile similar to that of Carter Bell, who played for the junior national team a few years ago and is now at Oregon State. Atkinson shows plenty of arm strength at shortstop and makes all the plays with sure hands and good footwork, but he's a little slow-footed and doesn't have enough range to stay there at the professional level. At 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, Atkinson has strength, but scouts have to project on his power and he may not have enough pop for third base. Atkinson is committed to Central Arizona JC.
27 829 Derrick Loveless OF Solon (Iowa) HS Iowa $125,000
28 859 Jorge Vega-Rosado SS Miami Dade JC Fla.
29 889 Taylor Cole RHP Brigham Young Utah
Brigham Young righthander Taylor Cole was rated the No. 79 in the country heading into the 2007 draft, as a senior at Bishop Gorman High in Las Vegas. He slipped to the 26th round and headed to JC of Southern Nevada, where he fell even further to the 31st round in 2008. Cole then spent 2009 and 2010 on a Mormon mission in Toronto. He returned and pitched well this year, sitting in the 90-92 mph range early and touching 94. He mixed in a slider and changeup. He tired down the stretch, with his fastball dipping down to the mid-80s at times, which isn't shocking from a player who took two years off. While Cole is athletic, he doesn't have a workhorse frame at 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds. He could go off the board as high as the fifth round to a team that saw him good this year and remembers him touching 96 mph out of high school.
30 919 Kevin Patterson 1B Auburn Ala.
Senior Kevin Patterson has improved his defense and is now passable at first base, and he has tremendous raw power. His all-or-nothing approach still produces scads of strikeouts (56 in 195 at-bats this season).
31 949 Austin Nola SS Louisiana State La.
Nola has been at his best when LSU has needed him most. He took over as the Tigers' everyday shortstop midway through his freshman season, pushing current big leaguer D.J. LeMahieu to second base, solidifying the infield defense and helping propel LSU to its sixth College World Series championship. As a sophomore, Nola earned MVP honors at the Southeastern Conference tournament, and he had started every game as a junior. After struggling defensively early, Nola settled down as the steady, strong-armed shortstop he was his first two seasons. He doesn't have great range but has soft hands and the arm strength to make plays in the hole. Nola had a middling offensive season, batting .296/.378/.413. He's never had much power, and he's an average runner at best. Nola's younger brother Aaron is committed to LSU as well, and the Tigers would love to have both next season. The elder Nola's lack of offensive impact could make it tough for teams to meet his asking price.
32 979 Kevin Pillar OF Cal State Dominguez Hills Calif.
33 1009 Kramer Champlin RHP Arizona State Ariz.
34 1039 Aaron Munoz C Northwestern State La.
35 1069 Jerrick Suiter RHP Valparaiso (Ind.) HS Ind.
Righthander Jerrick Suiter's athletic prowess drew interest from college programs in multiple sports. Indiana offered him a baseball scholarship and the chance to walk on its basketball team, but he opted to sign with Texas Christian, where he'll try to make the football team as a walk-on wide receiver. The Horned Frogs may give him a chance to contribute on the diamond as a two-way player, but they and pro teams value his 6-foot-4, 215-pound frame on the mound. His speed and delivery haven't been as good as they were last summer, when he showed a 90-94 mph fastball and feel for three pitches. He has pitched more at 86-89 mph this spring, and his breaking ball and changeup (which has splitter action) haven't been as sharp. Scouts don't think pro teams can sign Suiter away from TCU, where he could blossom into a first-round pick for 2014.
36 1099 Arik Sikula RHP Marshall W.Va.
37 1129 Les Williams RHP Northeastern Mass.
38 1159 Nico Taylor OF Northwood (Texas) Texas
39 1189 Chris Cox RHP Canisus N.Y.
40 1219 Nick Baligod OF Oral Roberts Okla.
41 1249 Cody Bartlett SS Washington State Wash.
42 1279 Shane Davis LHP Canisius N.Y.
43 1309 Jake Eliopoulos LHP Newmarket, Ont. (No school) Ontario
Lefthander Jake Eliopoulos was a second-round pick of the Blue Jays in 2009 out of high school in Ontario, but it has been all downhill since then. Eliopoulos chose not to sign and went to Chipola (Fla.) JC last year, but he posted an 8.44 ERA and left the team before the season ended. He fell to the 15th round, where the Dodgers took him, and again didn't sign. He headed to St. Petersburg (Fla.) JC for 2011, but left school without playing a game. He has been working out for teams on his own. He has surely burned bridges with a lot of teams, but as a lefthander who has shown quality stuff in the past--89-91 mph fastball, curveball and changeup--he may get one more chance at pro ball.
44 1339 Colby Broussard RHP Faulkner (Ala.) Ala.
45 1369 Johnny Coy 3B Wichita State Kan.
46 1399 Shane Farrell RHP Marshall W.Va.
47 1429 Austin Davis 3B Central Columbia HS, Bloomsburg, Pa. Pa.
48 1459 Jake Wakamatsu OF Keller (Texas) HS Texas
49 1489 Charlie LaMar LHP Clearwater (Fla.) Central Catholic HS Fla.
50 1519 Eric Brown RHP British Columbia British Columbia

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