Brad Lincoln should fit in nicely with the Blue Jays. (Charles LeClaire-US PRESSWIRE)

Mat already did a great job breaking down the trade this morning, touching on Lincoln and summarizing Snider’s struggles with the Blue Jays, but there’s much more to the 27-year-old reliever.

After opening the 2012 season as a starter for Triple-A Indianapolis, Lincoln was called up to the Pirates in mid-April to pitch as a reliever, a role he briefly held in August last season.

This year, however, something is different about Lincoln. He managed a sparkling 1.04 ERA in his first 26 innings (including one spot start), and not only was he limiting opposing hitters to a .174 clip, but he was averaging one strikeout per inning, thanks in part to a spike in fastball velocity.

He shifted back to the Pirates’ rotation in June, where he was shelled in three of his four spot starts before being relegated back to the bullpen. Since then, he has a 0.57 ERA in 10 appearances (15 2/3 innings) to go along with an impressive 17:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Kristy Robinson, Pirates beat reporter for PiratesProspects.com, had recently caught up with Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle to talk about Lincoln’s flip-flopping between roles this season, and she was generous enough to pass along the quotes that were to be used in her feature story.

“Brad has showed us a skill set that’s very unique this season,” Hurdle told Robinson. “We’ve challenged him, and he’s had to work through some challenges.

“Guys that have been hurt and have spent time in the minor leagues and finally get back to the big leagues, they embrace it. There’s the other side of it. I’ve had some guys that, ‘well, this isn’t really what I want to do.’ Brad’s been open minded. He wants to be in the big leagues, and he wants to do what’s best for this team right now. That makes it easy.”

In addition to talking with Hurdle, Robinson chatted with Lincoln himself about his versatility and new found confidence — the latter being a key reason for his success this season.

“It’s always good to have that in your back pocket, to be versatile and be that guy that they can call upon to pretty much be put in any situation,” the 27-year-old told Pirates Prospects. “I felt that I’ve done a pretty decent job at it. I’ve had a few rough starts. But just to be able to go out there and give them a little relief and let some guys arms rest or whatever, I feel that I can be that guy whenever they need it.”

Even though he’s pitched in the big leagues as both a starter and reliever, it’s clear that Lincoln has found his niche coming out of the bullpen. According to FanGraphs, his average fastball velocity has increased to from 91.8 mph to over 93 this season, and the pitch can regularly touch 96. Add that to his out pitch, a sharp, low-80s curveball, and Lincoln’s main two-offering mix plays well in a relief role.

“It’s one of those things where you give it all you got for a couple innings,” Lincoln said of relieving. “I feel like I’ve come to be in a comfort zone out there and that I can do that. I have a go-to pitch if I need a strikeout or get early contact, get quick outs, quick innings. I try and make it where you don’t have to use anybody out of the ‘pen. You try to get through those two, three innings, eat them up and then get the ball to Joel [Hanrahan] for the ninth.”

Speaking of the ninth inning, Lincoln also talked with Robinson about the role a closer plays and the mentality that comes with it. Though Casey Janssen has done a great job closing games for the Blue Jays this season and won’t be going anywhere any time soon, having a bulldog on the mound like Lincoln in late innings is something that should not be overlooked.

“Just to be able to close out games is something the fans get into,” the right-hander said. “When you get down to that last out and you get into it, you feel the energy and stuff like that. It gives you that extra adrenaline flow that you need to get to get you through the game. It’s fun. I can see myself being put in those situations.”

After being traded for a fan favorite in Snider, it appears that Lincoln will have his work cut out for him popularity-wise.

But if he continues to pitch like he has for the Pirates this season, he’ll become a popular option to help close out wins for his new team, and that’s all that matters.

Many thanks to Kristy for supplying the quotes and extra information on one of the newer Blue Jays, and to keep up with Snider and the rest of the Pirates, make sure to follow her on Twitter: @Kristy_Robinson.

Anthony Gose is set to make his major league debut with the Blue Jays this week. (Original photo)

After a rough start to his inaugural Triple-A campaign in which he hit .216 with a .583 OPS in April, Gose has turned things around this season with the 51s. Though he has still struggled against left-handed pitching, the California native has managed to bring his average up to .292 with an OPS over .800 while adding a league-leading 29 stolen bases.

I was able to chat with Gose for a few minutes in a recent trip to Las Vegas, where the 21-year-old touched on the mechanical adjustments he’s made this season, his two-strike approach and the defensive side of his game, among other things.

Obviously you’ve been seeing the ball well lately, what’s been different now compared to the first month of the season?

“Slowing things down at the plate. Working with Chad on some mechanical flaws early in the season and trying to iron those out. I’m still working on that, and just trying to stay as consistent as possible with the mechanics and being slow and under control at the plate.”

Speaking of mechanical adjustments, you made a lot of them last year. Has it been nice to just go out there and hit this year a bit more?

“Yeah, it’s been fun. I’ve definitely seen the lowest of lows at the beginning of the season and I’m starting to play a little better so it’s definitely been fun and been a transition.”

It’s easy to see your improvements to your two-strike approach. How have you worked on that this season?

“Just really staying within the zone even with two strikes and not expanding outside the zone. Putting the ball in play more, not trying to do too much with it and just put it in play and give yourself a chance to get on base.”

How are you different as a player this year than you were with New Hampshire last year?

“I’d say I’m a little more consistent at the plate, I’ve cut down on my swing a bit, it’s not as big of a swing.”

I remember hearing that, at the major league level, your tools have the ability to change the outcome of a series. How important is your work in the outfield to you?

“I just take a lot of pride in my defense, that’s what’s really going to carry me throughout my career is running the bases and playing good defense and being able to put the bat on the ball more consistently — just trying to do what I can to help the team win. Saving runs helps the pitcher, helps the team, sometimes changes the momentum and gets us back into the dugout.”

Does periodically playing a corner outfield spot matter to you, or do you just want to be in the lineup every day regardless of position?

“You know, I’ll play anywhere they put me. They can put me in right field, I don’t know, I’ll play anywhere. I ‘ll catch for them. I just want to be on the field and play and have a good time.”

- JM

For hosting the event, Reebok made a donation to the Buck O’Neill Center, the home of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. Thanks to Jessie Carney and Jody Sowa from M&C Saatchi for reaching out and providing these images from the event.

David Ortiz and Jose Bautista pose for a photo at the Reebok CrossFit Challenge at the Buck O'Neil Research and Education Center on July 10, 2012 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga for Reebok CrossFit)

David Ortiz participates in the Reebok CrossFit Challenge at the Buck O'Neil Research and Education Center on July 10, 2012 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga for Reebok CrossFit)

Jose Bautista poses for a photo with children from the Police Athletic League of Kansas City, Missouri at the Reebok CrossFit Challenge at the Buck O'Neil Research and Education Center on July 10, 2012 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga for Reebok CrossFit)

Jose Bautista and David Ortiz conduct an interview during the Reebok CrossFit Challenge at the Buck O'Neil Research and Education Center on July 10, 2012 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga for Reebok CrossFit)

Jose Bautista and David Ortiz talk during the Reebok CrossFit Challenge at the Buck O'Neil Research and Education Center on July 10, 2012 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga for Reebok CrossFit)

Darren Oliver has been worth every penny for the Blue Jays this season. (Tom Szczerbowski-US PRESSWIRE)

Through 31 appearances this season, Oliver has allowed just 18 hits and compiled a tidy 1.65 ERA/2.80 FIP in 27 1/3 innings. He’s on pace to trim his ERA for the sixth consecutive season, and his 0.915 WHIP and team-best 5.9 hits per nine innings are both career lows. His 30 strikeouts are good for a 9.9 K/9 which, if he manages to sustain that strikeout rate over the second half of the season, would be a new full-season career high.

So what has contributed to Oliver posting career-best numbers in his 18th major league season?

Pitchers are told to pound the zone early in at-bats to get ahead in the count, and relievers get paid to throw strikes. Oliver has done that better in his first season with the Blue Jays than any other in his career, as according to FanGraphs, he’s throwing first-pitch strikes a whopping 69.5% of the time — his highest mark since 2008 when he was with the Angels and easily a new career high. Among relievers that have thrown at least 20 innings, Oliver’s first-pitch strike rate ranks second-highest in the American League and fourth-highest in baseball.

Since missing all of the 2005 season and returning to the majors as a full-time reliever in 2006, Oliver has always pitched better at home in his five-plus seasons out of the bullpen and, for the most part, pitched better against left-handed hitters. This season with the Blue Jays, however, things are reversed.

While Oliver has limited left-handed hitters to a respectable .229 average and .643 OPS, right-handers have managed merely seven hits against the southpaw all season for a .149 average and .422 OPS. Oliver’s slider against right-handed hitters has been particularly intriguing this season, as he does not use it often, but it’s effective when used. Just ask Torii Hunter about it after whiffing on two of them last night.

Even though he hasn’t allowed an extra-base hit at home this season, Oliver has better stats on the road, where the bulk of his workload has come. While he’s limited opposing hitters to a .243 average and .577 OPS in 10 innings at home this season, he’s held the opposition to a .155 average and .503 OPS in 17 1/3 innings on the road. Prior to his outing last night against the Angels at Rogers Centre, Oliver had thrown almost twice as many innings on the road than he had at home.

Despite adding four relievers over the off-season in an effort to address their bullpen woes, the Blue Jays have the second-worst bullpen in the American League this season, thanks largely in part to the struggles of their starting rotation struggles and an injury to closer Sergio Santos.

Oliver has been one of the few bright spots on the Blue Jays’ pitching staff and, like a fine wine, has gotten better with age over the years. Surely Anthopoulos & Co. — as well as the other 29 teams around baseball — have taken notice of the 41-year-old’s dependability this season, and it seems likely that the organization will exercise his $3 million club option for the 2013 campaign as a result.

- JM

After spending the bulk of his 2011 season at Triple-A Omaha in Kansas City’s minor league system, Chavez didn’t like the way he performed and went to winter ball, where he reverted back to a more normal arm slot and abandoned the sidearm angle that he threw from while with the Royals.

The Blue Jays claimed Chavez off waivers back in October and removed him from their 40-man roster in December. The initial plan with Chavez, a full-time reliever since 2005, was to have him serve as a bullpen long man, but according to Stanley, things changed after spring training.

“I think the theory on that was that Pete Walker and the pitching coach and myself, in spring training, [determined that] if he’s going to be a middle relief pitcher in the big leagues then we need to start him to build up his innings,” Stanley said. “And that was the theory, not knowing that he’d pitch so good as a starter.”

This season with the 51s, Chavez has compiled a 3.84 ERA in 70 1/3 innings (12 starts), with one complete game, 65 strikeouts, a career-low 1.9 BB/9 and a career-low 1.123 WHIP.

In addition to throwing a four-seam and two-seam fastballs, Chavez throws a power slider/cutter that’s around 89 or 90 mph, a changeup and an average curveball that Stanley said is made better by his other pitches. Now that he’s no longer throwing sidearm, Chavez is also starting to throw a splitter.

Repertoire aside, Stanley spoke very highly of the 28-year-old as a person.

“He’s a really big competitor, he’ll do whatever you ask,” Stanley said. “He’s a guy that’s on or around the plate; he’s not wild. He just doesn’t throw it down the middle. He’s a pitcher not a thrower.

“When he goes out there you know you’re going to get at least six, so it’s a good feeling for a pitching coach.”

About three weeks ago, it was reported in May that the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks from Japan tried to pry Chavez away from the Blue Jays with a two-year, $3 million contract, but Toronto rejected the deal. Now, with injuries to Brandon Morrow, Kyle Drabek and Drew Hutchison, keeping Chavez worked out for the Blue Jays, who have called on him to make the first major league start of his career tonight at Miller Park.

Right-hander Jesse Chavez makes his first major league start tonight for the Blue Jays. (Original Photo)

Adam Lind exited Thursday night's Las Vegas 51s game early after fouling a ball off of his shin. (Original Photo)

Chris Woodward made an impromptu appearance at first base for the 51s in the top of the fifth inning, when Adam Lind was removed from the game for an unknown reason. However, 51s manager Marty Brown implied after the game not to read too much into the move.

“He just hit a foul ball off his shin,” he said, adding that Lind was spotted limping in the clubhouse after the game. “He hit it pretty solid off of his shin, so we’ll see. He’s kind of day-to-day, we’ll see how he is tomorrow.”

Offensively, designated hitter Travis d’Arnaud got the 51s on the board in the first inning with a hard-hit RBI double to the gap in left center for his 20^th two-bagger of the season.

After Colorado Springs scored four unanswered runs to take a 5-1 lead, the 51s made it a 5-3 game in the bottom of the sixth on two-run double by third baseman Kevin Howard. After d’Arnaud and right fielder Moises Sierra drew walks, Howard, who finished 3-for-4 on the night, roped an 0-1 pitch to the opposite field down the third base line.

Sierra, who hustles on every play and legged out an infield single earlier in the game, scored all the way from first with a head-first slide at home plate to narrowly beat the throw.

While Brown didn’t seem too thrilled with the head-first slide, the 51s skipper certainly enjoys the way Sierra plays the game.

“We’ll have to talk about that tomorrow,” Brown said of the slide. “But you have to appreciate the way he goes about playing the game. He comes [to the park] with the idea of going 100%. He’s fun to have around.”

The Sky Sox got to 51s starter Andrew Carpenter early, as a sacrifice fly in the first inning and back-to-back doubles in the second quickly put two runs on the board. Carpenter ran into a jam in the top of the fourth, when Sky Sox first baseman Chad Tracy roped a pitch to left fielder Eric Thames for a leadoff double.

Thames dove to try and make the play, but the ball deflected off of his glove and rolled to the outfield wall behind him. A walk and a sacrifice bunt after that put runners on second and third with one out, but Carpenter was able to escape the inning unscathed after getting two key ground outs.

In the fifth, after a walk and a single put runners on first and second, Carpenter gave up another double, this time to former Angels third baseman Brandon Wood. Cut-off man Adeiny Hechavarria cleanly relayed Thames’ throw from left field with a perfect toss to home, but catcher Paul Phillips couldn’t hold on to the ball when he tried to make the tag and two runs came in to score.

Carpenter finished his outing having allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits with three walks. He didn’t have his best stuff on the night, and his manager said that Sky Sox hitters took advantage of balls left up in the zone.

“He didn’t really establish his fastball like he has in some other outings,” Brown said. “Obviously he’s the type of guy that uses all of his pitches from the get-go and is more of a command guy. He got the ball up in the zone a few times today and it ended up hurting him, but it was an unusual outing.

“He usually gives you a really good start and gives you a chance to win.”

After right-hander Bobby Korecky gave up one run on three hits in the sixth, 37-year-old Tim Redding, who hadn’t pitched since June 3, surrendered a one-out solo home run in the seventh. In the next at-bat, Redding made a nice barehanded throw on a bunt by Sky Sox left fielder Brandon Roberts, and though the throw was in timE. Roberts was ruled safe as Woodward came off the first base bag.

In his first Triple-A appearance of the season, right-hander Ronald Uviedo worked around a double to throw a scoreless ninth. Uviedo, 25, managed a 3.10 ERA in 29 innings for Double-A New Hampshire prior to Thursday night.

Scott Richmond (5-4, 5.89 ERA) takes the hill for the 51s tonight on a Fireworks Friday at Cashman Field.

Making his first Triple-A start of the season following a 3.38 ERA over his last 10 outings with Double-A New Hampshire, Cecil was in control for most of the night. Facing a Tucson lineup of almost entirely right-handed hitters, Cecil limited the Padres to seven singles in the first six innings, working primarily on the outer half of the plate except against Padres first baseman Matt Clark, Tucson’s lone left-handed hitter.

Brett Cecil gets a visit from the 51s' trainer after getting hit with a comebacker in the first inning. (Original photo)

Cecil’s heavily-used fastball periodically touched 89 mph and hit 90 twice, but was otherwise thrown almost exclusively at 88 mph with the occasional 85/86. If he missed outside with his fastball it wasn’t by much, and he was hitting his spots with it when he needed to. He didn’t have his best curveball, as it sat between 75 and 78 mph and was up in the zone more often than not, but his slider, which touched 85 mph, and his changeup, which sat 80-82 mph, looked really good when compared to some of his outings in the past.

Cecil ran into some trouble in the top of the seventh, when Padres right fielder Jonathan Roof followed up back-to-back one-out singles with a RBI double from  to put runners on second and third. A groundout plated Tucson’s second run, but a heads-up throw to third from 51s shortstop Jonathan Diaz got the second out of the inning. After a hard-hit double to left center put runners on second and third once again, though, Cecil was pulled from the game.

“I think I was just trying to do a little bit too much, I knew that it was probably going to be my last inning,” Cecil said of the seventh. “I would’ve liked to end the game with no runs but I was just trying to do too much, trying to make my fastball firmer.”

Clint Everts came on in relief and fired a wild pitch that scored the third run of the game, which was charged to Cecil. Even still, Cecil was pleased with the outing, that had a final line of three earned runs on 11 hits with six strikeouts.

“No walks, I gave up a few more hits that I would’ve liked to, but it was pretty good I thought,” Cecil said of his quality start.

After taking a 13-hour bus ride with the Fisher Cats from New Hampshire to Richmond on Monday for a three-game series against the Flying Squirrels, Cecil was notified of his Triple-A assignment at 9:30 pm that night. Going off of a six-hour nap, Cecil traveled all day Tuesday to make it in time for his start with the 51s.

Cecil said the hectic travel schedule didn’t affect his start, but the new Las Vegas climate did.

“I don’t think it was [the travel], as much as just coming back to the air up here,” he said. “I told one of the guys that I was out of breath throwing my pen warming up for the game. When I’ve come to Vegas [in the past] I’ve had at least a few days to get accustomed to it, but having come here, I went straight to the hotel and then right to the ballpark so obviously I didn’t spend much time outside.

“As soon as I got out there, near the end of my bullpen I started to feel myself breathing heavy trying to get that thin air into my lungs.”

Catcher Travis d’Arnaud led the 51s’ offense with a 4-for-5 night, and looked every bit like the No. 1 prospect that he is. After fouling a pitch off in the first inning to fall behind 0-2, d’Arnaud took the next pitch for a ball before hitting an opposite-field double down the right field line. In the third inning, d’Arnaud opted to swing at a first-pitch breaking ball, which he drove over the wall in right-center field for a two-run home run, his 15^th of the season.

In his next at-bat, d’Arnaud roped a first-pitch, two-out single to right field and quickly found himself a triple shy of hitting for the cycle in only the fourth inning.

“I was messing around with the guys a little bit about it but that’s about it,” he said about the potential cycle. “I tried not to over-think anything and just stay simple.”

Overlooked in the box score was a stellar defensive play by d’Arnaud. After Cecil had given up back-to-back singles in the top of the fifth inning, d’Arnaud picked his pitcher up by firing an absolute laser to second base to pick off Padres third baseman Jesus Merchan. The throw was on a line — nearly taking Cecil’s head off — and arrived at the bag before Merchan realized what had just happened.

Anthony Gose, starting in left field, also had a nice night on both sides of the ball. In the field, he notched an outfield assist in the top of the fourth after firing a no-bounce throw to home plate that arrived almost two full seconds ahead of the runner, who d’Arnaud simply tagged out standing up. After the play, “ooohs” and “ahhs” were heard from the crowd, along with applause and cheers.

At the plate, Gose executed a perfect squeeze bunt with two outs and the bases loaded in the second inning to reach base and drive a run in. It was easy to see that he’s been working on his two-strike approach as well, as he fouled off a 1-2 pitch to stay alive in the sixth before slapping a single to the opposite field in left. In the bottom of the eighth, Gose roped another 1-2 pitch down the line in left field for a double, finishing the night 3-for-4 with a walk, a double and a RBI.

Center fielder Moises Sierra quietly reached base in all five of his plate appearances and definitely impressed. In addition to getting hit by a pitch and drawing a pair of full-count walks, he hit a first-pitch moon shot over the scoreboard in left field for a solo home run in the fifth.

Sierra’s maximum effort was also noticeable, as he hit a high chopper in the eighth but hustled his way down to first base to beat the throw in a bang-bang play at the bag. He also scored from second on a single earlier in the game to beat the throw at home.

Overall, the 51s’ offense pounded out nine runs on 15 hits, nearly half of which were for extra bases. Adam Lind hit a two-run home run off a curveball for his third homer in two nights and Adeiny Hechavarria hustled out his third triple of the season as well.

The 51s look to complete a three-game sweep of the Padres in the series finale tonight at Cashman Field. Right-hander Jesse Chavez (6-2, 3.68 ERA) takes the hill for Las Vegas.

After reportedly issuing the team an ultimatum, the Blue Jays released Vladimir Guerrero on Tuesday morning. (SI.com)

Hector Gomez, sports editor for Z101, a leading radio station in the Domincian Republic passed along some interesting quotes (translated) from Guerrero this morning via Twitter:

“I left the team, right now I am at home in Anaheim. I was not treated as a professional. I am not a boy,” one tweet read.

“Last night after the game, I sent my letter of resignation to the organization. I am not a boy, I demand respect,” read another.

“I proved I’m ready. I have nothing more to prove in the minors,” Guerrero added.

The thing, though, is that Guerrero barely proved anything in the minors.

Signed to a minor league contract on May 10, Guerrero appeared in a handful of extended spring training games before reporting to Advanced-A Dunedin. There, he did what any player that considers himself big-league ready should do, which was absolutely rake against minor league pitchers nearly half his age. In four games, Guerrero went 9-for-20 with one double, four home runs and eight RBI.

In a potential stepping stone to his return to the Majors, Guerrero reported to Triple-A Las Vegas at the beginning of June. There, however, he hit just .214 (6-for-28) with two doubles in his first seven games, before leaving early after getting hit on the hand with a pitch in Saturday’s contest against Fresno. When he returned to action last night, he went 4-for-5 in only his second multi-hit game with the 51s this season, with a triple and two RBI before reportedly leaving the team after the game.

With David Cooper deserving an extended look at first base after hitting .314 with an .842 OPS in 15 games this season and Edwin Encarnacion leading the Jays offense with a .934 OPS out of the DH spot, there really wasn’t any room for Guerrero. especially when factoring in the Blue Jays’ upcoming schedule. Though they have two AL-rule interleague series against the Nationals and Phillies at Rogers Centre this week, the Blue Jays hit the road for three-game series in Milwaukee and Miami next week. Guerrero, a DH at most, would have limited the Blue Jays’ flexibility as a bat off the bench, which was a big reason why Yan Gomes, capable of playing at least four positions, was called up prior to the Jays’ series in Atlanta last week.

While Guerrero might feel that he’s major league-ready, it’s a selfish move on his part to demand a call-up. Including extended spring training, he probably appeared in a total of 15 games–a relatively light workload for someone that had been out of the game since last year. According to ESPNdeportes, there might have been an agreement between the Blue Jays and Guerrero where a decision on his big-league future would had to have been made by June 10, or one month from the date he signed his contract. That was extended when Guerrero got hit in the hand, which might have been his reason for comments like this one:

Would it have been a bad thing for Guerrero to log extra at-bats in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League while the Blue Jays completed their interleague schedule in NL parks? Not at all. Then, if he was still hitting when the Blue Jays rolled into Boston on the 25th, it could have been easier for him to force the Jays’ hand to make a move. Even in that scenario, though, a roster spot for Guerrero would have been far from guaranteed.

I, like many people, would have liked to see Guerrero join the Blue Jays, if for no other reason than because of closely watching him for so many years with the Expos. Considering that I’m in Las Vegas for the rest of the week to watch 51s games as well, surely I would have enjoyed seeing him with the team. But with Vlad’s refusal to log more time in the minors and demand a call-up instead, the Blue Jays were smart to cut ties with the former AL MVP and continue on with their season as originally planned.

A player’s name will be clickable if we have published an article on them, and click the approximate date that the player signed to go to the source article for the information. There is also a column for player bonuses, but while various outlets will report specific figures, some of them should be taken with a grain of salt, considering I’ve had players mention to me in the past that the reported bonuses aren’t always correct.

(apu.edu)

Listed at 6’4″ and 235 pounds in his college bio, first baseman Jordan Leyland saw his power numbers explode after transferring to Azusa Pacific University following three seasons at UC Irvine. In addition to belting a team-high 22 home runs to go along with 19 doubles, the California native hit .419 with a team-best 1.311 OPS in 59 games.

With decent speed for his size, Leyland went 8-for-10 in stolen base attempts and can reportedly handle a corner outfield role if he was to be moved off of first base. His brother Joshua was a 16th round pick by the Oakland Athletics in 2009.

With a recommended slot amount of $126,400, the Blue Jays have likely banked around $125,000 by signing Leyland as a ninth round pick. In an interview published today on FutureJays.com, Leyland said he spoke to the Blue Jays yesterday and is ready to begin his career by leaving for Vancouver at the end of the week.

Alex Azor, CF (10th round, 325th overall) — United States Naval Academy (Maryland)

(navysports.com)

With his selection in the 10th round, outfielder Alex Azor became the highest draft pick in Naval Academy history. In addition to reaching base in 27 consecutive games and being named to the All-Patriot League first team, Azor batted a team-high .322. Having already signed for $1,000 and well below the recommended slot of $125,000, Azor will likely play for one of the Blue Jays’ short season affiliates.

After that, though, he’ll report back to the Navy and be placed on the restricted list, because he cannot play while he is actively serving, according to MLB.com. In the same article, Azor had good things to say about the Blue Jays.

“They asked me if I would like to be a part of the organization,” he said. “They have been so patient with me and understand my situation. My heart goes out to them.”

Grant Heyman, OF (11th round, 355th overall) — Pittsford Sutherland HS (New York)

(democratandchronicle.com)

A three-sport varsity athlete in baseball, football and basketball, high school outfielder Grant Heyman hit .424 with five triples, three home runs and 17 RBI in his senior year at Pittsford Sutherland. A 6-foot-4 left-handed hitter, Heyman was courted by representatives from the Marlins, Red Sox and Diamondbacks prior to the Blue Jays selecting him with their 11th round pick. In an interview with the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, Heyman said the the Blue Jays came calling quickly with a pro contract shortly after he was drafted.

“The Blue Jays are coming tonight with gear and a contract,” the 18-year-old said on Tuesday. “The Blue Jays want me to sign real soon, get things going. I haven’t talked to my father, it’s a decision our family will have to make, but right now it’s a very high possibility.”

Heyman was ranked as the best athlete in the state of New York and considered a prospect on the rise by Perfect Game. “Suddenly, teams rushed in to get a better handle on Heyman’s talent, and while most thought there was a significant gap between his athleticism and his developed baseball skills, enough teams expressed enough interest for him to warrant being a surprise draft, possibly as early as the third to fifth rounds,” Perfect Game wrote in their New York state preview.

Ryan Kellogg, LHP (12th round, 385th overall) — Henry Street HS (Ontario, Canada)

(durhamregion.com)

Touted as the top Canadian in the draft, left-hander Ryan Kellogg and the Toronto Blue Jays seemed to be a natural fit. However, with a strong commitment to Arizona State University, Kellogg isn’t considered the easiest of signs.

With a changeup for an out pitch and a fastball that ranges consistently between 87 and 91 mph, Kellogg was projected to go somewhere in the first six rounds. In an interview with Sportsnet’s Jeff Blair, Kellogg said that he expected to fall as far down as the 20th round, given the concerns surrounding his signability, and just fulfill his commitment to ASU. A product of Canada’s junior national program, it will be interesting to see if the 6-foot-5, 215-pound southpaw will seriously entertain the Blue Jays’ offer.

From a Perfect Game article: “In one noteworthy outing in March, Kellogg blanked the Toronto Blue Jays for two innings, retiring the likes of Jose Bautista, Brett Lawrie, J.P. Arencibia and Adam Lind without giving up a hit. … He has an excellent feel for pitching, and few scouts question his competitive approach with the way he has stepped up this spring against pro-level competition.”

John Silviano, C (13th round, 415th overall) — Summit Christian School (Florida)

A 5-foot-11, 190-pound catcher from Hypoluxo, Fla., John Silviano has reportedly told the Palm Beach Post that he will sign with the Blue Jays and not follow through on his commitment to North Florida.

“I had a few teams on me, but the Blue Jays were calling me a lot,” said Silviano.

The son of a former MLB pro scout, Silviano, a left-handed hitter, is more of a defensive catcher, having shown great catch and throw ability with regular pop times of less than two seconds, according to Team One Baseball.

Zakery Wasilewski, LHP (14th round, 445th overall) — Tazewell HS (West Virginia)

It looks like South Carolina commit Zak Wasilewski, who turns 19 next week, will sign a contract with the Blue Jays. In an interview with the Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Wasilewski’s mother told the paper that her son will not play college baseball and start his pro career instead.

After suffering an ACL injury and undergoing Tommy John surgery in his throwing elbow, Wasilewski became one of the top high school left-handers in his region with a strong senior year that included a no-hitter against the defending Class AAA state champions. Should Wasilewski report to a short season affiliate right away, there’s a chance he could pitch for the Bluefield Blue Jays, a team located just 30 minutes east of where he grew up.

Ryan Borucki, LHP (15th round, 475th overall) — Mundelein HS (Illinois)

(Mundelein Review)

A 6-foot-4, projectable left-hander that already reaches 92 mph on his fastball, Ryan Borucki struck out 30 of the 68 batters he faced but pitched just 17 2/3 innings this season. After throwing a no-hitter for his Mundelein high school club in late March, Borucki was sidelined with an elbow injury that he was told by doctors would require Tommy John surgery. After the injury news, Borucki said he was 99 percent sure that he was going to decline an offer from a MLB club if he was drafted, and cash in his scholarship to the University of Iowa instead.

In addition to that, Borucki’s signability might also be an issue when it comes to talking the financial aspect of his contract.

“It all started earlier in the day when several teams contacted me and asked me if I was willing to go down in price as far as the amount I was looking for from a signing bonus, but I wouldn’t,” he said in an interview with the Mundelein Review. “The Blue Jays, New York Mets and Miami Marlins all contacted me (Tuesday morning) trying to get me to come down (on my price).”