Deck McGuire

Organization Prospect Rankings

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  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #20 prospect in 2013
  The Blue Jays made McGuire the 11th overall pick in the 2010 draft and signed him for $2 million, but he has seldom shown his college form as a pro. The book on him was that his command and polish would help his solid stuff play up and get him to Toronto quickly, but he got crushed in Double-A last season. He led the Eastern League in losses (15), home runs allowed (22), runs (103) and earned runs (94) while posting the second-worst ERA (5.88) among qualifiers. McGuire's fastball still sits at 88-92 mph and touches 94 with average sink. His slider is his best secondary offering and has a chance to become a plus pitch. He also has a mediocre curveball he can throw for strikes and a fringy changeup that he still is gaining confidence in using regularly. The problem is that McGuire doesn't have a pitch that can consistently miss bats, and his control and command haven't been as good as advertised. He has a sound delivery, so he should be able to throw more strikes and work down in the zone more often. He'll try to get back on track in 2013, when he might have to return for a third stint in New Hampshire. He looked like a No. 4 or 5 starter at best last year, and a long way from reaching that point.
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  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #8 prospect in 2012
  The 11th overall pick in the 2010 draft and recipient of a $2 million bonus, McGuire doesn't have the upside of some of the high school pitchers who have come into the organization over the last couple of years, but he does exude polish and had no problems making his pro debut in high Class A in 2011. He moved up to Double-A in late July but missed most of the final month with a lower-back injury that's not considered serious. McGuire's pitches are average to solid across the board, and they play up because he mixes them well and generally throws strikes. His fastball and slider are his best offerings and show plus potential. His fastball sits at 88-92 mph and reaches 94. He has a feel for back-dooring his low 80s slider against righthanders and busting it inside against lefties. McGuire is gaining confidence in his changeup and has a curveball he can get over the plate for early-count strikes. To succeed as he advances, he'll need to command the ball down in the zone more. He learned that pro hitters jump on high pitches and he made the necessary adjustments as 2011 progressed. While his arsenal isn't overwhelming, McGuire could be a middle-of-the-rotation starter. He'll return to New Hampshire to open 2012 and it's not out of the question that he could see time in Toronto before the season concludes.
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  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #3 prospect in 2011
  A Virginia prep product, McGuire emerged as Georgia Tech's Friday starter and the Atlantic Coast Conference pitcher of the year in 2009. He followed up by winning nine games and becoming the second Yellow Jackets pitcher ever selected in the first round in 2010, going 11th overall and signing at the Aug. 16 deadline for $2 million. McGuire combines good stuff and polish. He commands a 90-94 mph fastball to both sides of the plate and complements it with three secondary offerings that he can throw for strikes. His slider is a swing-and-miss pitch, sitting at 82-85 mph with late life. He can backdoor it against righthanders and sneak it under lefties' hands. His changeup arrives at 80-84 with some fade, and he maintains good arm speed, giving the pitch plenty of deception. His curveball has tightened up since the spring--he threw it at 78-79 during instructional league, as opposed to 70-75 during the spring--and could be an average pitch. Because he's an advanced college pitcher, McGuire should move quickly. Though he signed too late to make his pro debut in 2010, the Blue Jays probably will start him out at high Class A Dunedin. His arsenal and command eventually should land him in the middle of Toronto's rotation, and he could reach the majors before the end of 2012.

Minor League Top Prospects

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  Ranked Florida State League #17 prospect in 2011
  Like Smyly, McGuire doesn't have any one pitch that blows opponents away but gets results by mixing several effective ones. The No. 11 pick in last year's draft, he made his pro debut in the FSL this spring and finished the year in Double-A. McGuire pitches at 88-92 mph with a fastball that gets some sinking action. He does a good job of working around the plate, though he'll need to tighten his fastball command to succeed at higher levels. His 83-85 mph slider is his best secondary pitch, and he also gets good arm action on his changeup and has a get-me-over curveball.

Top 100 Rankings

• Ranked Baseball America's #95 prospect in 2011

• December, 2011 Scouting Report
  Background: The 11th overall pick in the 2010 draft and recipient of a $2 million bonus, McGuire doesn't have the upside of some of the high school pitchers who have come into the organization over the last couple of years, but he does exude polish and had no problems making his pro debut in high Class A in 2011. He moved up to Double-A in late July but missed most of the final month with a lower-back injury that's not considered serious. Scouting Report: McGuire's pitches are average to solid across the board, and they play up because he mixes them well and generally throws strikes. His fastball and slider are his best offerings and show plus potential. His fastball sits at 88-92 mph and reaches 94. He has a feel for back-dooring his low 80s slider against righthanders and busting it inside against lefties. McGuire is gaining confidence in his changeup and has a curveball he can get over the plate for early-count strikes. To succeed as he advances, he'll need to command the ball down in the zone more. The Future: While his arsenal isn't overwhelming, McGuire could be a middle-of-the-rotation starter. He'll return to New Hampshire to open 2012 and it's not out of the question that he could see time in Toronto before the season concludes.