Anthony Alford playing for his high school baseball team (Image courtesy PerfectGame.org)

Name: Anthony Alford

Position: Centerfield

Date of Birth: 7/20/94 (18)

Acquired: Drafted in the 3rd round of the 2012 draft ($750,000 USD)

High School: Petal High School (Petal, Mississippi)

College: Football scholarship to Southern Miss., transferred after freshman year to Ole Miss.

Height/Weight: 6’2”/210 lbs

Bats/Throws: R/R

Awards and Accomplishments:

• Unranked on 2012 Top 30 prospects list (not in system)
• 2012 Rawlings 2nd Team All American
• 2012 Southeast Region 1st Team
• Rated by Baseball America as the Best Athlete in the Blue Jays system (2013)

2012 Statistics and Analysis

18 AB, .167/.250/.333 (.583 OPS), 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 4 SB, 2/4 BB/K

After shocking the baseball world and agreeing to terms with the Blue Jays on a split contract, Alford played in just five games with the Gulf Coast Blue Jays before heading off to Southern Miss. Even with such a small sample, Alford managed to flash some of the potential tools that have scouts dreaming on his baseball future. When you exclude his home run, Alford reached base four times; with two singles and two walks. He still managed to steal four bases, which gives a glimpse of how much of a dynamic impact he can have on a game. Unfortunately, Alford is still holding football in his heart, and until he lets it go, all Blue Jays fans are going to see are flashes and glimpses.

57/127 (44.9%), 664 YDS, 2 TD, 4 INT; 105 carries, 329 YDS (3.1 Y/C), 6 TD

I’ve included Anthony’s Southern Miss. numbers in the 2012 statistics and analysis section, and if you’re not particularly familiar with football, let me explain the above line – it’s not very good. Just as he’s a dual threat on the baseball diamond, he both throws and runs the ball from the quarterback position. Alford’s throwing numbers were awful – a 44.9% completion rate with just two touchdowns against four interceptions. He wasn’t much better on the ground, either, as despite scoring six touchdowns with his legs, he averaged just 3.1 yards per carry. Freshman quarterbacks are rarely starters, and when they are, expectations are usually low. Even so, it’s hard to be anything but disappointed with Alford’s results, particularly when you consider he led his team to a 0-12 record.

Scouting Report

Video (via Baseball Factory TV)

Swing Mechanics

Anthony Alford has one of the prettiest right handed swings I’ve seen on a high school prospect. His athleticism really shines through, as everything is done with fluidity and it all looks very smooth and natural. Alford faces the pitcher with an open stance and very high hands. As he prepares his swing, he taps his lead foot, keeps his front shoulder closed, then explodes through the ball with a short stroke and electric bat speed thanks to his quick-twitch muscles. His weight transfer is good and he rotates his hips well, though Alford does have a bit of an uppercut in his swing. Perfect Game lauds his very strong hands, as well as his ability to generate power to right-center as opposed to exclusively the pull field. The Perfect Game scouts also came away very impressed with his hand-eye coordination, and suggest that while he’ll need to alter the plane of his swing to keep the bat in the zone longer, he has the requisite vision to make the adjustments. Alford has a surprisingly advanced plate approach for someone whose sole focus hasn’t been the game of baseball.

Tools Breakdown

Alford is a true five-tool talent, as he projects to be above average or better in three tools, and average in the other two. His premier tool is his speed, as both Baseball America and Jonathan Mayo of MLB.com have rated him as a 70 runner at present. Baseball players are typically timed in the 60 yard dash, and while Perfect Game doesn’t have an official time for Alford in that event, they did offer up his 40 yard dash time – the speed gauge for football prospects. Alford was clocked at 4.45 seconds, which is game-changing speed. For a player of his size (6’2”, 210 pounds), NFL teams typically like to see their running backs and wide receivers run sub-4.50 times. Of the 38 running backs invited to the recently concluded 2013 NFL Scouting Combine, Alford’s time would have ranked third best.

Power is another big part of Alford’s game, as he has tremendous bat speed and a strong, running back-like physique. While his overall rawness limits its current in-game manifestation, the tool projects to be plus down the line. Perfect Game goes as far as to suggest Alford could develop into a 30/30 player, which would obviously be outstanding outcome. Hitting and contact ability are the weakest aspects of Alford’s toolset, and are the biggest question marks moving forward. He has the athleticism and the swing to be an average hitter, but the hit tool is difficult enough to develop when your sole focus is baseball, let alone when you take six months away from the sport every year. Unless he gives up on football, it’s difficult to see Alford making the transition from athlete to baseball player and fully developing his offensive approach.

In the American high school ranks there’s a lot of crossover between football and baseball, as often times quarterbacks with an outstanding arm will find themselves working off a pitching mound as well. That’s not the case with Alford, as despite playing the quarterback position he doesn’t have the throwing mechanics or arm strength of a traditional pocket passer, he instead runs an option offense. Both Perfect Game and MLB.com grade the tool out as average, but it should be more than sufficient in centerfield. Alford’s athleticism gives him the opportunity to be a plus defender in center, but there are a number of adjustments and improvements he must make to achieve that goal. His reads are very hit and miss, as often times he’ll take a step in then turn and run for a ball heading over his head, or vise versa. Alford also needs to better set up his throws, as he has a tendency to wait back on balls as opposed to charging and getting momentum behind them.

Projection

The perfect world projection for Anthony Alford is an All Star centerfielder, with a play style similar to that of B.J. Upton or Grady Sizemore.

2013 Outlook, Risk, and ETA

As a potential All Star at a premium defensive position, Alford has one of the highest ceilings of any prospect in the system. Unfortunately, he also carries the greatest risk. The split contract allowing Alford to play college football got him signed, but the baseball community as a whole questions just how far he’ll fall behind on the development curve with so much of his time away from the diamond. The situation was muddied ever further this past fall, as Alford was arrested on the Southern Miss. campus, was released from his scholarship to the school, and then transferred to Ole Miss. From my understanding, the way college football works is that if a player transfers schools, he’s ineligible to play in games the next season. Whether or not that helps the Blue Jays is up for debate, but it’s another twist in an already complicated situation.

In terms of a possible assignment, I’m really not sure where Alford will start the 2013 season. He missed fall instructs because of football, so you almost have to assume the organization will want to hold him back in extended spring training so they can keep a close eye on his development for a few extra months. At the same time, they only have Alford for so long every year, so perhaps they want to maximize his game exposure and assign him to full season ball. Bluefield, Vancouver, and Lansing are all realistic scenarios, and as of yet the Blue Jays haven’t revealed their hand regarding their plans for the talented centerfielder.

Alex Anthopoulos made it clear that to be successful in the AL East, you needed, if not all-stars, high end talent in every position.  One of the ways to accomplish this is via the draft, and, in order to obtain these players, you draft high upside athletes who you can groom into baseball players.  Guys whose ceiling is off the charts.  Not guys like Deck McGuire (and sorry to always pick on ol’ Deck) who project to be, at best, a back end starter who can chew up some innings.

Having done quite a bit of review lately of Jays drafts, it is hard to get excited about the strategy as a whole.  Although the Jays have been generally lauded for using creative ways (and before the bonus pool of 2012, one those ways was cold hard cash) to get these high end talents to sign, the actual results, thus far, have failed to impress.

Getting Alford to sign was another feather in the hat for the Jays scouting department.  Here’s a kid that was named both Mr

October 20, 2012; Hattiesburg, MS, USA; Southern Miss Golden Eagles quarterback Anthony Alford (2) looks to make a throw during the game between the Southern Miss Golden Eagles and the Marshall Thundering Herd at M.M. Roberts Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook – USA TODAY Sports

Baseball and Mr Football by the local paper in Mississippi.  Consensus had him as the best athlete in the draft.  However, after telling teams he wasn’t going to sign as he wanted to continue his football (and baseball) career at the University of Southern Mississippi, he fell to the third round where the Jays got him, getting a signature, admittedly at three hundred grand over slot, after doing their research and promising Alford he could play pro ball and college football during the same season.

You have to believe the Jays front office don’t toss 750k around without doing their homework, so extensive analysis of Alford’s football pedigree would have been done.  And after the freshman quarterback struggled this past season, things were looking bright.  No doubt Anthony would realize baseball was his future and give up football, tearing through three levels of the organization in 2013.

Not so fast.

First comes the on-campus arrest raising potential character issues.  Now, and this has been percolating for some time, comes a report in the Clarion Ledger that Alford has enrolled at Ole Miss.  Although, as the article points out, the University can’t confirm the registration, there has been enough talk about it happening over the last few weeks for me to believe it is a done deal.

Ok, Alford still wants to play football.  Fair enough.  And Ole Miss is a program of some note, so it’s not like he’s putting a full time baseball career on hold to play junior college.

Still, there are some worrying aspects to this story.  First, and we knew this already, after transferring Alford will be forced to sit out 2013.  So, if he is really serious about giving football another shot, then baseball is on hold for two years minimum.

Secondly, and this is only worrying if taken in context, the piece implies that nothing has been agreed in regards to playing football with Alford saying ‘The coaches just said when I get in school, then we’ll start talking football stuff’.  I’m guessing that Alford is simply being coy here to avoid any tapping up charges.  I seriously doubt he would transfer to Ole Miss without some sort of guarantee.  That being said, it does leave me in some doubt about his commitment to baseball.

Lastly, and this quote leaves me with real worries that Alford will never play full time baseball, Anthony states that he is willing to move away from quarterback if necessary ‘no, I just want to be on the team and anything I can do to help the team.’

Ummm, I thought this whole college football career was because you thought you were a quarterback?  Do you mean to tell me that your future is better off by becoming a hybrid football player without a set position than a potential five tool baseball player?!!  This has been said by more than a few pundits, Alford is a very raw baseball player.  Without full time reps, the sport, at the highest level, will pass him by.

I’m missing something here, and it’s not just getting to see Alford in a C’s jersey next season.  If anyone can shed any light on this situation, by all means.

Obviously, being charged with anything is not ideal, but the new charges will severely limit the potential jail time Alford would serve if convicted.  I have tried to have a look for precedent in these sorts of cases without much luck, but aggravated assault charges carried terms from the fifteen to twenty year range.  A life altering conviction.

October 20, 2012; Hattiesburg, MS, USA; Southern Miss Golden Eagles quarterback Anthony Alford (2) limps off the field in the third quarter during the game against the Marshall Thundering Herd at M.M. Roberts Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook – USA TODAY Sports

The second piece of news occurred earlier today when Alford was granted a release from his scholarship at USM.  I haven’t been able to track down any official statement from Alford himself, nor do I expect one from the Jays.  So, we can only speculate.  The arrest and subsequent suspension from the university were probably the deciding factors, but, as per this article, with the Golden Eagles firing their head coach after the first zero win season in the school’s history, it is expected Alford’s offensive coordinator and former high school coach, Steve Buckley, will be shown the door.  This probably factored into the decision as well.

What’s next then?  As commenter Jays Fan pointed out after my last article, confirmed here, the arrest itself won’t affect Alford’s NCAA eligibility.  Meaning he can transfer to another school, red shirt a year, and still be able to play football for three more seasons.  This may very well be the preferred course of action, as Alford may feel he still has a lot to prove on the football field.

However, as per the CBS article I tagged above, Alford did ‘suffer through multiple knee and ankle injuries that kept him out of three games and limited him in several others.’   Given the fact that baseball doesn’t involve 250 pound linebackers trying to kill you, Alford could have come to his senses, realizing baseball gives him a far safer route to any potential professional sports contract.

I recently wrote a piece on how the Jays organization has prioritized high ceiling athletes when drafting positional players in recent years.  Anthony Alford is the poster boy for this category, being generally regarded as the best pure athlete in the 2012 draft.  Of course, this doesn’t mean he can hit a baseball with any great consistency.  If he decides to go the transfer route, choosing a red shirt year of football, he’ll be lost from full-time baseball for a minimum of two years. The Blue Jays organization would probably then view his 750k signing bonus as a sunk cost, and we will never get the chance to see what he could develop in to.

October 13, 2012; Orlando FL, USA; Southern Miss Golden Eagles quarterback Anthony Alford (2) throws the ball during the first quarter against the UCF Knights at Bright House Networks Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-US PRESSWIRE

I may have been a bit flippant above, as not only is it bad news for Jays fans, but all those involved really.  A quick look at the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Program defines aggravated assault ‘as an unlawful attack by one person upon another for the purpose of inflicting severe or aggravated bodily injury.  This type of assault is usually accompanied by the use of a weapon or by other means likely to produce death or great bodily harm.’

Reading the University of Southern Miss’s student write up on the event, two handguns were found on the scene and both Alford and fellow student Korey Hathorn were being held without bond.  This is a serious situation.

I was going to expand on Alford and the struggles of USM’s football team this season when I got to the second last piece in my series on the 2012 draft class.  In short form, I am no football expert, although I do enjoy college football.  But when you combine the fact that USM went 0 and 12 this past year, fired their coach, and Alford’s statistics include a 44.9 completion percentage and a meager 3.1 rushing average, you would think that the freshmen quarterback would be having second thoughts on playing baseball part-time.  Best case scenario, Alford packs in his football cleats for baseball full time.  Starting the 2013 season in the Gulf Coast League as an 18 year old, and effectively rejoining the development curve before it is too late.  As, make no mistake, Alford is a very raw talent, who, if he were to complete four years of college football and then decide he wanted to revert to full-time baseball would have dug himself a hole that may have been too deep to get out of.

I am sure the Jays brass would have done all sorts of research on Alford’s football pedigree, making their decision to draft him and spend 750,000 dollars to sign him while letting him play football seem wise in the wake of USM’s and Alford’s personal struggles.  However, this incident brings all sorts of additional issues into the equation.

Without speculating, if Alford is able to continue his baseball career come spring training, and that must be considered a bit ‘IF’ given the seriousness of the charges, the Jays have always said they are willing to give players a second chance.  But Alex Anthopolous has also stated that third and fourth chances would not be given.  Now we have an 18 year old, with potential character issues, on his second strike.

I’m an optimist, and, again, if Alford is able to resume his career, one can only hope that he handles the incident in a similar vein to how Marcus Stroman has dealt with his PED suspension.  Apologize, educate, and work your tail off to prove you are the player that Toronto thought you were.  Let’s hope Alford takes notice.

In terms of page views and feedback (both positive and negative, but thankfully mostly the former), the series was one of the most popular things I’ve done in my two-ish years of writing about the Blue Jays. As such, I’ve decided to break down the system once again, and hopefully another year of experience and knowledge will make the list that much more thorough and interesting to the readers.

The fourth part of the series will look at the centerfield position. Centerfielders are my absolute favorite prospects to discuss, because more than any other position, they’re required to be proficient both at the plate and in the field. To prevent a move to an outfield corner, the centerfielder is required to be an exceptional defender. As such, Baseball America ranks fielding as the highest tool priority for the position. Speed is important as well, ranking third, as while having great reads and lines on balls is crucial, a certain level of athleticism is also required to give the player the necessary range. Arm strength is the least important tool, because as long as the player can run down fly balls heading towards the gap, teams can live with a lack of outfield assists. Hitting ability and power rank second and fourth respectively, which agrees with the suggestion that offense is just as important as defense when discussing a centerfield prospect. More so than any other position, when a centerfielder puts all the tools together, you can have a generational talent in the mold of a Ken Griffey Jr. or Mike Trout.

• Top centerfield prospect to reach MLB (last 5 years): Anthony Gose
• Centerfielders in 2012 Top 30: 3
• Centerfield WAR leaders in MLB (last 5 years): Vernon Wells (5.2), Colby Rasmus (0.9)

The King in the North

Jake Marisnick – 2012 team(s): High-A Dunedin, Double-A New Hampshire
489 AB, .249/.321/.399 (.720 OPS), 29 2B, 10 3B, 8 HR, 50 RBI, 24 SB, 37/100 BB/K

Jake Marisnick, pictured during Spring Training, has received the promotion to Double-A New Hampshire (John Lott / National Post)

Entering the 2012 season, Jake Marisnick was easily the best center field prospect in the Blue Jays system. Anthony Gose had a great season for Double-A New Hampshire, but Marisnick’s combination of tools and in-game production gave him a decisive edge. A year later, it’s a vastly different story. At least it was, until I realized Gose had surpassed the maximum at-bat threshold to retain his prospect eligibility. That made the decision a clear one once again, but for all of the wrong reasons. Jake Marisnick did not have a great season, and while he kept his head above water in the Florida State League, the elite pitching prospects of the Eastern League forced him under. His enormous success with Lansing during the 2011 season may have raised expectations unrealistically high a bit too soon, because in reality, we’re still seeing the transition from athlete to baseball player. Marisnick was 21 years old for the duration of the season, and many players his age are either in college or A-ball. Some struggles in the upper minors not only should be accepted, they should have been expected. Unfortunately, once the hype train gets going, it’s near impossible to stop.

If you look at his abilities on a baseball field, the reasoning behind the hype becomes readily apparent. When someone in sports describes a catalyst, they’re talking about a player like Jake Marisnick. He stands an imposing 6-foot-4, and with 200 pounds of lean muscle across his frame, he’s athleticism embodied. He has broad shoulders, and his legs are so long he looks like a gazelle once he gets underway. Marisnick takes excellent reads in the outfield, and uses his plus speed to cover a vast amount of outfield grass. His arm strength is yet another plus tool, totaling 10 outfield assists in 118 games last season – an excellent number for a centerfielder. In addition to having outstanding pure speed, Marisnick is an exceptional base runner as well. In 307 career minor league games, he’s been successful on 81% of his stolen base attempts (84/104), and frequently takes the extra base whether it be going first to third, or stretching a double into a triple.

What makes Marisnick a true five tool prospect is the potential in his offensive game. His rough summer in New Hampshire rubbed the shine off a little bit, but Marisnick still has the potential to be a dynamic, fear-inducing threat in the meat of the order of a playoff caliber lineup. He faces the pitcher with a slightly open stance and a very wide base, and readies himself quickly. Once he’s in the set position, Marisnick calms down, looking almost statuesque. He holds his hands just above the shoulders, and as the pitch is delivered, he strides forward, drops his hands, and quickly pulls them through the zone generating plus bat speed. His swing is line drive oriented, as he has enough raw power in his frame to avoid needing to cheat with an uppercut. Marisnick will take bad pitches and even borderline fastballs, but in his short time in New Hampshire he was overwhelmed by the quality of the breaking balls. It’s not a glaring concern, as it is all part of the transition from athlete to baseball player. Above average breaking balls are few and far between in the low minors, but in Double-A and above, they’re a requirement for survival.

After the conclusion of the Arizona Fall League where he’s currently playing, Marisnick will have the offseason to look over the tape of what happened in Double-A, and begin to make adjustments for the upcoming season. The last time he struggled with a late season promotion, he came back the next year to produce an .888 OPS and be named to four separate All-Star teams. Hopefully that maturity and focus will return to him, as big things will be expected when he returns to New Hampshire next spring.

Question Mark

Dwight Smith Jr – 2012 team(s): Rookie-Bluefield, Low-A Vancouver
222 AB, .212/.279/.315 (.594 OPS), 9 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 29 RBI, 1 SB, 17/33 BB/K

Dwight Smith Jr. heading to the batting cage during minor league spring training, 2012 (Image via MLBProspectPortal.com)

When a team selects a high school hitter in the first round, they accept there’s going to be some risk involved. So when the Blue Jays selected Dwight Smith Jr. in the supplemental first round of the 2011 draft, they knew there were absolutely no guarantees. Working in their favor, however, was that Dwight’s father was a career .275/.333/.422 hitter across parts of eight Major League seasons. Having “baseball genes” is a huge bonus, as not only does the player have inherent physical abilities, but they grew up around the sport, making the transition from the amateur ranks into the professional game an easier adjustment. Thus far, that hasn’t been the case with Smith Jr. His contract with the team wasn’t finalized until deadline day, which when combined with a hamstring issue during his senior high school year, made it logical for him to sit out the remainder of 2011. Smith’s debut came with Bluefield (and later Vancouver) during the 2012 season where he struggled mightily, producing a sub-.600 OPS across 59 games. He’ll only be 20 years old on Opening Day 2013, but with such a strong outfield depth chart in the low minors, Smith needs to come back strong to avoid getting lost in the numbers.

The results were particularly disappointing when considering that an advanced bat was supposed to be his strongest trait. The plate approach showed up at least, as despite poor batting numbers, he maintained strong strikeout and walk rates, showing excellent zone control with two strikes. You can see how he focuses on that aspect of his game, as at the plate, he chokes up on the bat to ensure his swing is clean and quick to the ball. Even in a fresh count, you can see an inch or two of handle between his bottom hand and the knob of the bat. Additionally, Smith faces the mound with an open stance, further augmenting his ability to pick up and react to pitches. He’s a bit too active in the box for my liking, as he both wiggles his bat and sways back and forth from a crouched position. His timing mechanism is a huge front step, something he learned from his father and has used for years. After the stride, Smith Jr. follows through with average bat speed from a slightly uppercut swing plane. Despite a bit of a stocky frame he’s not a big power guy, with the tool grading out as average.

Smith isn’t fast, but he’s a good base runner thanks to a natural talent of reading pitchers. It’s much of the same in centerfield, as while he doesn’t have as much range as the other centerfielders on this primer, he has an excellent first step and takes highly efficient routes to the ball. His arm strength is fringe-average, but he makes up for it with plus level accuracy and a great release on his throws. The scouting report on Smith Jr. is usually based around the phrase “excellent instincts that play up average tools”, but he’s going to need to rely less on the former and more on the latter if he hopes to get his career moving in the right direction. Other than “short season ball” it’s hard to surmise where exactly he’ll open next year, as each of the next three centerfielders on this list will also be looking for playing time. It may come down to who looks the best during extended spring training,

On the Rise

D.J. Davis – 2012 team(s): Gulf Coast Blue Jays, Rookie-Bluefield, Low-A Vancouver
228 AB, .250/.355/.386 (.741 OPS), 10 2B, 3 3B, 5 HR, 18 RBI, 25 SB, 27/70 BB/K

D.J. Davis was Toronto’s number one pick in the 2012 draft (Image courtesy PerfectGame.org)

When the Toronto Blue Jays selected D.J. Davis with the 17th overall pick in the 2012 draft, a kid named Corey Seager was still on the board (the Dodgers took him immediately afterwards with the 18th overall pick). For that, I may never forgive them, but in just under a half season worth of games this summer, Davis did enough to sooth some of the pain. There was a lot of criticism towards the new Collective Bargaining Agreement and its impact on amateur talent acquisition – and rightfully so – but one thing it did correctly was moving the draft signing deadline forward a month. From a macroscopic view, the Davis pick wasn’t particularly surprising, as under General Manager Alex Anthopoulos, the organization has made a clear shift in philosophy towards high tool athletes. The risk is certainly greater when you draft a player with a “developing” hit tool, but because of their athleticism there’s no doubt that the upside is significantly higher should they put the total package together.

Davis’ lack of polish is exemplified when looking at his swing mechanics, which appear to change between at-bats. Finding some consistency will be key moving forward, as it’s impossible to improve something if what you’re trying to improve upon is always in a state of flux. The raw talent is there, however, as regardless of his swing path it’s coming from, the bat speed is quite impressive. He starts from a narrow base, but takes a big stride forward as he transfers his weight. Davis has good hip rotation, but he’ll need to get his swing under control, as he’s prone to spinning on his heels. His hands are low and his bat is quick to the ball, as Davis understands his best weapon is his speed, not his power. His chances of success are much greater with a groundball or line drive than with a fly ball, especially when considering he’s a left handed hitter. He’s not without power, but Davis’ ceiling in that regard is limited by his slim 6-foot-1 frame.

Baseball America has compared his raw speed to that of Billy Hamilton – yes, the guy who stole a record 155 bases last season – but that seems a bit absurd to me. Davis has 80 caliber speed, sure, but when discussing Hamilton’s speed, many people rank him as a 90, which is literally off the scale. Regardless, Davis has the potential to be a 70+ stolen base guy, so long as he can maintain a healthy on-base percentage. Like the offensive aspect of his game, Davis’ defense is more raw than polish at this point. His speed allows him to make up for many mistakes, but he often has poor reads or takes an inefficient path to the ball – reminiscent of current Blue Jays outfielder Rajai Davis. Thankfully, D.J. just turned 18 in July, and has more than enough time to smooth things out and remain in centerfield. His arm strength is below average, but as I mentioned above, it’s the least important tool for a centerfielder.

It will be interesting to see how the centerfield depth chart in the low minor leagues unfolds, as four centerfielders will be fighting for three spots between Lansing, Vancouver, and Bluefield. The Blue Jays are likely to play it cautious with Davis, as while he has heaps of upside, he struck out 70 times in 60 games in short season ball last season. A second go-around with Vancouver should be in store, with the possibility of a late season promotion to Lansing if he proves himself capable.

Dream on Me

Anthony Alford – 2012 team: Gulf Coast Blue Jays
18 AB, .167/.250/.333 (.583 OPS), 0 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 4 SB, 2/4 BB/K

Anthony Alford playing for his high school baseball team (Image courtesy PerfectGame.org)

According to Baseball America, Alford was rated as the 36th best player in the 2012 draft, but many teams didn’t even bother ranking him on their board. At the time, Alford had a strong commitment to play football at Southern Mississippi, and even went as far as to tell teams he wasn’t interested in playing baseball. We may never know if the front office had an inside scoop, but the Blue Jays chose to call his bluff, selecting him in the third round. When combining the football angle and the sheer number of high upside players Toronto chose in the first three rounds, few gave the Blue Jays much of a shot at landing the two-sport athlete. Come deadline day, however, the Blue Jays inked Alford to a professional contract worth 750 thousand dollars, with the kicker that they would allow him to play football for Nebraska in the fall. The contract received mixed reviews, as while some applauded the team for doing the near impossible, others felt it was a waste of money, as players who don’t focus solely on baseball often fall too far behind the development curve. We likely won’t know which side is correct for years, but there’s certainly no questioning the boldness of Anthopoulos and his draft team.

Alford’s athleticism is off the charts, and while his speed is a notch below that of D.J. Davis, his power upside is the highest of any of Toronto’s centerfield prospects. In terms of raw power it’s some of the best in the system, though players like Travis d’Arnaud have vastly superior in-game power thanks to years of baseball development. Standing 6-foot-1 and weighing in at 210 pounds, Alford has a muscular and highly toned build, a lasting benefit of his football career where he plays quarterback in an option style offense. At the plate, he has an open stance with his hands up by the ear hole of his helmet. When he swings, he taps his lead foot, keeps his front shoulder closed, then explodes through the ball with a short stroke and electric bat speed. Alford transfers his weight through the swing very well and has some uppercut, which helps create the plus power projection. It’s a shame he felt the need to play football, as with only a couple of years focusing on baseball he could be an offensive beast.

For a quarterback, Alford’s arm strength is surprisingly mediocre. I really expected more, but given that his football team utilizes him more for his legs than his arm (he’s thrown 89 times compared to 76 runs thus far this season), it’s understandable. His outstanding speed allows him to cover tons of ground, but like most high school outfielders he relies too heavily on his athleticism to make up for misreads. It’s something that Alford will need to work on, but unless he can improve it significantly, a move to left field may eventually be in store. Outfielders who take bad routes and have a weak arm simply can’t survive as centerfielders for long.

Given his poor personal numbers and Southern Mississippi’s 0-7 record thus far, one has to wonder if Alford is beginning to regret his decision. The Blue Jays would welcome him with open arms if he chose to play baseball fulltime, and it would certainly be a boon to his development. As it stands it’s certainly a unique situation, as while the organization wants him to get reps, preparation for the college football season begins in August. Another short season assignment might limit him to just a month’s worth of games, but is Alford ready for a full season league where he would play baseball for five months? I don’t have an answer, as I can’t recall the last time a baseball prospect was also playing college football. Needless to say it’ll be a situation to watch, as Alford has the physical tools that baseball scouts love to dream on.

Remember the Name

Dalton Pompey – 2012 team(s): Low-A Vancouver, Rookie-Bluefield, Single-A Lansing
70 AB, .286/.375/.429 (.804 OPS), 4 2B, 3 3B, 0 HR, 8 RBI, 5 SB, 10/14 BB/K

Dalton Pompey running fielding drills during minor league spring training, 2012 (Image via MLBProspectPortal.com)

The fifth and final name on the centerfield primer is Dalton Pompey, a native of Mississauga, Ontario. Pompey was drafted in the 16th round of the 2010 draft, and with a signing bonus of just 150 thousand dollars, he’s easily the lowest profile prospect on the list. He was extremely young at the time of his selection – just 17 years, 6 months old, which has allowed him to play in short season ball for parts of three years before he turns 20 later this winter. Pompey made his season debut with Vancouver – one of the few noteworthy prospects to begin the year there, but after a hot start that saw him hit .294/.442/.441 in 11 games, he went down with a broken hand. It was originally thought to be a season ending injury, but Pompey showed a lot of resolve to fight his way back and play in another nine games between Bluefield and Lansing to close out the season.

Coming out of the draft, many scouts labeled Pompey as a “tweener”, which is to say, he’s not fast enough for centerfield, and not strong enough to play an outfield corner. It’s hard to argue the latter, as at just 6-foot-1 and 170 pounds, Pompey’s build is more lean than muscular. He’s quickly dispelled the former, however, as in just 91 career games he has five triples and 32 stolen bases (at an incredible 91% success rate). The Blue Jays have tried him out in left field and right field in the past, but last season he moved to centerfield almost exclusively, making 17 of his 19 starts there. His speed allows him to cover a lot of ground, but he’s still a little rough around the edges when it comes to taking proper routes. He’ll need to continue to improve upon that, as his average arm couldn’t handle right field well, and it’s hard to establish yourself as left field prospect without monster offensive upside.

Pompey’s game isn’t solely based around speed, however, as the switch hitter is a legitimate threat at the plate. He’s not a tall player, but he uses his length well, standing high in the box with an open stance. His lower half is quiet, but his hands can get busy while he waits for the pitch. When the ball is delivered, he strides forward, pulls his hands back, and swings through with solid bat speed. One concern is that Pompey has some bat wrap, which can be a huge problem if not corrected. Bat wrapping leads to a longer swing, and while it can boost power, it drastically reduces swing timing and can be crippling against a smart pitcher who mixes speeds. One of his better traits is his plate approach, as Pompey is a mature pitcher who will wait for the pitch he wants. Unless he bulks up substantially – which might be unwise – his power is never going to be a plus tool. Pompey’s ultimate ceiling in that regard may be 10-15 home runs, but ample doubles and triples should help maintain a solid to above average isolated power.

The hamate injury really messed with Pompey’s development timeline, as he was on track for an August promotion to Lansing where he would have closed out the year in preparation for his full season debut in 2013. Even with the hiccup, he’s the most qualified of the four centerfield candidates listed on this primer to make the leap. The game action has been more limited than everyone would like, but he’s taken part in three years of fall instructional action (the end-of-summer equivalent of extended spring training), which is important for development and something none of the three prospects above him can boast. On an always talented Lansing squad, Pompey will definitely be one of the names to watch.

Dec 6, 2011; Dallas, TX, USA; Toronto Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos answers questions during the MLB winter meetings at Hilton Anatole. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE

In years past, we’ve been forced to sit and watch as top-end draft picks decided to walk away from the Jays instead of signing with the club. Whether it was Tyler Beede last year (21st overall), Logan Ehlers (8th rd) and Tyler Shreeve (10th rd) in 2010, or James Paxton (37th overall) – Jake Eliopoulos (2nd rd) – Jake Barrett (3rd rd) in 2009, the Jays have has a really hard time getting all of their top 10 rd picks to sign.

Well, they didn’t have the same problem this year!

There are 2 considerations that make this year’s crop of signings particularly impressive. Not only did the Jays have more stringent rules and regulations to abide by under the new CBA, but they also drafted extremely aggressively. Many of their picks were “hard signs” and executives and experts all over believed that the Jays would be hard pressed to get the majority of their top picks to sign. Kudos to Alex Anthopoulos, Andrew Tinnish, and his team, because they got their entire top 10 round picks (14 of them in all) to sign, and did so without surrendering a draft pick in next year’s draft! (more…)

Both teams will be divided into two articles; one for position players and the other for pitchers. It will be explained how each player became a member of the Blue Jays organization, as well as how they performed last year, whether with Toronto or otherwise. A lot of people are familiar with the Triple-A and Double-A rosters, but less so with the low level, short season teams. The goal behind the preview is to give Blue Jays fans a better idea of who is on the rosters, and who they should be keeping their eyes on. The Bluefield and Gulf Coast rosters are even more loaded than usual, as with the draft signing deadline being moved ahead over a month, a number of top draft picks will be playing when in previous years they’d still be sitting at home negotiating.

I will be examining the hitters for both clubs, while Jared will be writing about the pitching side of things. To get things started, here are the position players for the Rookie Class Gulf Coast League Blue Jays.

Catchers

Seth Conner (20 years old)

How he was acquired: Selected in the 41st round of the 2010 draft, signed for $100,000

How he fared in 2011: Conner had a successful professional debut with the Gulf Coast Blue Jays, and finds himself back with the club in 2012. The difference, however, is that after playing third base for the club last year, Conner now finds himself behind the plate. It should be an interesting transition to monitor, as while he has smooth defensive actions and a near ideal catcher build at 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, his arm very fringe average, and teams could take advantage of him in the running game. Offensively, he had one of the best lines of any player on the roster, showing solid all-around skills, including 30 walks in 50 games.

2011 (GCL): 174 AB, .276/.395/.420 (.815 OPS), 9 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 23 RBI, 4 SB, 30/37 BB/K

George Carroll (24 years old)

How he was acquired: Signed as undrafted free agent in June 2011

How he fared in 2011: Carroll was signed by the Blue Jays just prior to the opening of the short season leagues and served as nothing more than a backup, compiling only 41 at-bats for the club. He didn’t do much with his playing time either, as his .324 OPS with the lowest by anyone on the team with 20 or more at-bats. Carroll is already 24 years old, and with no major league future, he’s likely hoping to parlay his minor league experience into an eventual coaching position.

2011 (GCL): 41 AB, .098/.178/.146 (.324 OPS), 2 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 0 SB, 3/15 BB/K

John Silviano (17 years old)

How he was acquired: Selected in the 13th round of the 2012 draft

How he fared in 2011: Silviano was just drafted out of a Florida high school, and as such has no professional data. With his high school team – Summit Christian – Silviano played both catcher and outfield, so his athleticism should provide some versatility to the Gulf Coast team. He also threw a few innings of relief, with a fastball that resides in the mid to high 80’s, which is plenty of arm strength for a position player. Silviano is only 17 years old and has some potential, so I hope he is able to steal some playing time away from the older backup catchers.

Jorge Saez (21 years old)

How he was acquired: Selected in the 32nd round of the 2012 draft

How he fared in 2011: Saez is a Miami native, and after spending some time at Miami Dade College – the same college that produced Nationals 2011 first round pick Brian Goodwin – he transferred to Lee University in Tennessee. The transfer wasn’t due to poor performance, as Saez hit a respectable .277/.372/.380 with the team. It was an interesting choice, as Lee University has produced a total of 1 major league player in its long history, and that player, Lance Zawadzki, has just 20 games to his name.

Infielders

Mitchell Nay (18 years old)

How he was acquired: Selected in the Supplemental 1st round of the 2012 draft, signed for $1,000,000

How he fared in 2011: Nay had an up and down 2011-2012 high school season, before picking things up in the spring and vaulting himself into day one pick status. He fits the third base profile well, with a number of similarities to 2011 draft pick and Bluefield third baseman, Matt Dean. Nay has a strong arm with plenty of power in his swing, and could be among the team leaders in many offensive categories.

Dawel Lugo (17 years old)

How he was acquired: Signed out of the Dominican Republic as an international free agent in July 2011 for $1,300,000

How he fared in 2011: Lugo received the Blue Jays second highest bonus during the 2011 international free agent signing period, with his 1.3 million being bested only by Roberto Osuna’s 1.5 million. Lugo is a shortstop now, but will have to put a lot of effort into his defensive work to prevent a move to the hot corner. He has excellent contact skills which can get him in trouble at times, as he’ll swing at pitches well outside of the strikezone because he knows he can put them in play. That approach will need to be reeled back by coaches, as smart pitchers will take advantage of him. Lugo has the potential for power, but that will likely develop later once he matures and builds upon his 6-foot-1, 175 pound frame. As a potential big bodied offensive shortstop, he’s drawn comparisons to Detroit’s Jhonny Peralta.

Gabriel Cenas (18 years old)

How he was acquired: Signed out of Venezuela as an international free agent in July 2010 for $700,000

How he fared in 2011: Cenas was a part of the Blue Jays impressive haul of international free agents in the summer of 2010, alongside elite pitching prospect Adonys Cardona. He made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League last year, with mixed results. His plate discipline was very impressive, but he struggled to make consistent and strong contact. It’s possible he was being physically overmatched, as despite standing 6-foot-1, Cenas is a very lean 155 pounds.

2011 (DSL): 53 AB, .208/.368/.226 (.594 OPS), 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 1 SB, 9/11 BB/K

Emilio Guerrero (19 years old)

How he was acquired: Signed out of Dominican Republic as an international free agent

How he fared in 2011: Guerrero played in the Dominican Summer League last season and got an extended look, playing in 53 games. The results were mediocre, but for an 18 year old making his professional debut, there were plenty of positives. The power manifested itself in doubles instead of home runs, but as Guerrero fills out his 6-foot-4, 170 pound frame, he should start clearing fences. Despite the 47 strikeouts, the 11 walks were a pleasant surprise as well. Hopefully he will continue to make strides as me makes his stateside debut in the Gulf Coast.

2011 (DSL): 180 AB, .239/.297/.311 (.608 OPS), 11 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 22 RBI, 4 SB, 11/47 BB/K

Justin Atkinson (18 years old)

How he was acquired: Selected in the 26th round of the 2011 draft, signed for $100,000

How he fared in 2011: The Canadian infielder got into only limited action with the Gulf Coast Blue Jays last season, and finds himself back there despite his wishes to open the year in his native Vancouver. Atkinson had a solid average at .279, but with only 4 extra base hits and 2 walks, his OPS wasn’t particularly eye catching. His defensive position is a bit of a mystery at this point, as he lacks the speed and agility for shortstop – his usual position – and lacks the power ceiling for third base.

2011 (GCL): 43 AB, .279/.298/.395 (.693 OPS), 3 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 6 RBI, 0 SB, 2/3 BB/K

Shaun Valeriote (22 years old)

How he was acquired: Selected in the 39th round of the 2012 draft

How he fared in 2011: By being selected by the Blue Jays, Valeriote became the first player from the Canadian collegiate ranks to ever be drafted into professional baseball. In 2010, he broke Andrew Tinnish’s – yes, the same Andrew Tinnish who was just named Assistant GM – school record for batting, with a .519 average. He followed that up last season by winning the OUA Triple Crown, hitting .460 with five home runs and 20 RBI. The OUA seasons are very short – less than two months – so despite his age, Valeriote is as raw as many US high school players.

Cody Bartlett (23 years old)

How he was acquired: Selected in the 41st round of the 2011 draft

How he fared in 2011: Barlett began drawing draft attention in 2011, when he hit .323 with seven home runs and 34 RBI, earning second-team All-Pac-10 honors. That success didn’t carry through to his professional debut, as he struggled mightily with Bluefield. Contact was the biggest issue, as both his walk rate and ISO were acceptable for a middle infielder. He’ll look to make improvements in that department in 2012, after being demoted to the Gulf Coast where he’ll likely serve primarily in a backup infielder role.

2011 (BLU): 91 AB, .198/.284/.308 (.592 OPS), 7 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 17 RBI, 2 SB, 11/22 BB/K

Outfielders

D.J. Davis (17 years old)

How he was acquired: Selected in the 1st round of the 2012 draft, signed for $1,750,000

How he fared in 2011: Davis was Toronto’s top pick in the 2012 draft, and his rise up the pre draft rankings was due in large part to a 2011-2012 season in which he finally made strides with the bat. In 26 games during his senior year, Davis hit .373/.558/.836 with 7 home runs. On the base paths, he was a near perfect 24-for-25 in steal attempts. The speed has been compared to Reds star prospect Billy Hamilton, the question with Davis – not unlike Hamilton – is whether or not he can hit. He joins a crowded center field depth chart, behind Colby Rasmus, Anthony Gose, Jake Marisnick, and Dwight Smith, so he has plenty of time to figure out professional pitching.

Anthony Alford (18 years old)

How he was acquired: Selected in the 3rd round of the 2012 draft, signed for $750,000

How he fared in 2011: Alford is a rare two sport talent, as in addition to being drafted and signed by the Blue Jays, he was also heavily recruited by Southern Miss., and will play football there this fall. His baseball skills are unquestionable, as his .483/.569/.793 slash line in his senior year can attest. Alford fills up stat sheets, as in only 30 games, he accumulated 11 doubles, 2 triples, 4 home runs, 31 RBI, 39 runs scored, and went 14-for-14 in stolen bases. If he eventually settles on baseball, he could be an elite talent in the outfield.

Wuilmer Becerra (17 years old)

How he was acquired: Signed out of Venezuela as an international free agent in July 2011 for $1,300,000

How he fared in 2011: Becerra was one of Toronto’s big international signings last summer, but didn’t play any games as a 16 year old. He played shortstop in his early baseball days, but now standing 6-foot-4 at age 17, it’s obvious why that experiment wasn’t going to last. Becerra has a nice combination of speed and power, with his legs currently being his best tool. It takes him a few strides to get to full speed, which gives him great range in the outfield but “only” plus times from home to first. His arm might limit him to left field, but his bat should be more than play at that position.

Jesus Gonzalez (17 years old)

How he was acquired: Signed out of Venezuela as an international free agent in July 2011 for $700,000

How he fared in 2011: Like Becerra, Gonzalez was also signed out of Venezuela, but has a much different toolset than. He has a strong frame at 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, and has above average power potential. Like almost every young Latin American prospect, reviews are mixed on his hit tool. His bat speed is unquestionable, but some fear his swing can get too long and creating consistent contact could be a problem. Other scouts, however, thought his swing path was just fine.He doesn’t have the speed to play center field, but his plus arm makes him a good fit for right field.

Derrick Loveless (19 years old)

How he was acquired: Selected in the 27th round of the 2011 draft, signed for $125,000

How he fared in 2011: Loveless has a history of offensive success, as in his draft year, he hit .554 with 14 doubles, 6 triples, 11 home runs, and 28 stolen bases. That didn’t translate into playing time with the Gulf Coast Blue Jays in 2011, as he appeared in only five games with poor results, though his late signing surely didn’t help matters. He could struggled to find playing time again, as the team is loaded with high ceiling outfielders.

2011 (GCL): 17 AB, .059/.200/.059 (.259 OPS), 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB, 3/7 BB/K

D.J. (Dennis) Jones (19 years old)

How he was acquired: Selected in the 20th round of the 2012 draft

How he fared in 2011: Jones is yet another athletic outfielder on the Gulf Coast roster. During the 2011 season – his final season at Jeff Davis High School – he hit .559 with 35 steals and 49 runs scored. He was drafted by the Brewers in the 22nd round, but declined to sign, instead choosing to attend Hillsborough Community College in Tampa. He attempted to become a switch hitter, but the results didn’t follow, as Jones hit only .205 in 32 games. He also worked off the mound, compiling a 2.13 ERA in 25.1 innings.

At 6’4″ and 185 pounds, projectable right-hander Chase DeJong is the kind of pitcher the Blue Jays love to draft. Ranked 58th by ESPN’s Keith Law, 78th by MLB.com and 86th by Baseball America on pre-draft top 100 lists, DeJong features an 88-92 mph fastball, a good curve with plus potential and a very good feel for a changeup, according to MLB.com. The young right-hander compiled a 1.80 ERA and 240 strikeouts in 199 innings over three high school seasons, capped off with his senior year that saw him allow just 35 hits in 76 2/3 innings.

DeJong already has a lucrative scholarship to USC, but in a recent article on BlueJays.com, he feels he’s “95 percent sure” that he’s going to sign.

“It’s a huge weight off my shoulders,” said DeJong in a post-draft interview with Gazettes.com. “I’m so excited. [The Blue Jays] did their homework on me, and if feels good to be wanted and selected by a team that really likes me.”

Anthony Alford, CF (3rd round, 112th overall) — Petal HS (Mississippi)

Ranked 36th by Baseball America, 47th by ESPN, 56th by MLB.com on pre-draft lists, 17-year-old center fielder Anthony Alford has the skill set of a first round pick. A two-sport star with a strong commitment to Southern Mississippi to be their quarterback, Alford reportedly told MLB clubs not to waste their time drafting him because he was going to play football. With signability being such a concern in this year’s draft given the new Collective Bargaining Aggreement, it’s no surprise that Alford was passed on and did not go in the first round. It is, however, quite a surprise that the Blue Jays aggressively took Alford with the 112th overall pick, a selection that has a recommended slot amount of just $424,400 — less than half the amount of a compensation-round pick. Andrew Stoeten over at Drunk Jays Fans did a great job yesterday amalgamating a lot of the formalities concerning Alford, so make sure to check that out.

Skill-wise, Alford has the potential to be a 30/30 player in the majors given his combination of power and speed. He has tremendous strength and hits to all fields, and although he played center field for high school team, he could translate into a prototypical right fielder if he decides to play professional baseball.

“He is very advanced right now, very coachable, and can hit to all fields,” said Alford’s high-school coach Larry Watkins in an article on BlueJays.com. “He has alley-to-alley power and he can run. He’s a triples guy who will steal bases. A very explosive runner. Very aggressive running the bases. Very instinctive, and reacts very well to what is going on on the field. He plays the game hard and he’s very talented and a great kid. Add those three together and you got something special right there.”

According to his player profile and scouting report at Perfect Game, Alford hits from an open stance with a short, aggressive swing that generates plus raw bat speed, and the article also added an interesting nugget from mid-May about his signability:

“Perfect Game was told this week by a cross checker from a National League team that Alford is ‘back on the market’ amidst talk that the person who issued the ‘no interest in professional baseball at this time’ statement wasn’t authorized to do so and that Alford is now telling scouts he is open to discussions.”

Tucker Donahue, RHP (4th round, 145th overall) — Stetson University (Florida)

Outside of nine starts in his junior year, Tucker Donahue, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound pitcher, came out of the bullpen in his entire playing career with Stetson University. The right-hander went 2-1 with a 5.20 ERA in 28 relief appearances this season for the Hatters, with 27 strikeouts and 19 walks in 27 2/3 innings.The 22-year-old college senior from Coral Springs, Fla. has a fastball that has been clocked up to 97 mph.

Donahue, who lists himself as a pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays in his Twitter bio, is surely an easy sign by the Blue Jays, one that will likely be for below the recommended slot amount of $308,700 in an effort to save cash to sign other, higher-profile picks like Alford and 50th overall selection Matt Smoral.

Brad Delatte, LHP (5th round, 175th overall) — Nicholls State University (Louisiana)

A 6-foot, 175-pound relief pitcher out of Baton Rouge, La., Brad Delatte is another pick that the Blue Jays will look to save some slot money on to apply to other selections. With a recommended slot amount of $231,100 and as another college senior, the Jays should certainly be able to do that.

In 31 appearances (all in relief) for the Nicholls State University Colonels this season, Delatte went 0-2 with a 2.86 ERA in 34 2/3 innings. He allowed 24 hits, issued 18 walks and racked up 35 strikeouts while limiting opposing hitters to a .198 average, second best among Colonel relievers. The 22-year-old also had a stint with the Thunder Bay Border Cats of the Northwoods League in 2010, where he went 1-1 with a 2.43 ERA, 30 strikeouts and 28 walks  in 40 2/3 innings.

Eric Phillips, 3B (6th round, 205th overall) — Georgia Southern (Georgia)

(georgiasoutherneagles.com)

Right-handed hitter Eric Phillips, a standout with Georgia Southern University, seems like a more honest/appropriate pick by the Blue Jays in this spot, which has a recommended slot amount of $173,200. This past season, the third baseman appeared in a team-high 60 games, hitting .391 (best among starters) with a .459 on-base percentage and .563 slugging percentage.

His 93 hits, which included 24 doubles and five home runs, were easily a team-high, and he set a new school record for career hits. On top of drawing 25 walks, Phillips went 29-for-33 (88%) in stolen base attempts. He played on the same team as Victor Roache, the 30th overall pick this year by the Milwaukee Brewers. In an interview with times-georgian.com, Phillips had a couple of interesting things to say.

““I had about five or six teams ready to take me in the sixth or seventh round and [the Blue Jays] were the first one to me. … They were very excited. They think I’m a valuable ballplayer.”

Ian Parmley, OF (7th round, 235th overall) — Liberty University (Virginia)

After being named a JUCO All-American Pacific Division outfielder at Monroe Community College, Ian Parmley transferred to Liberty University in Virginia, where he hit .312 in 60 games with 10 doubles and a .405 on-base percentage, according to his college bio. After also pitching at Monroe, Parmley was exclusively a position player with the Liberty Flames.

With a .368 slugging percentage against non-elite competition that was second-worst among Liberty regulars this past season, Parmley doesn’t fit the mold of a seventh round pick, which implies that the Blue Jays are looking to sign him for below the $145,000 recommended slot amount for this selection.

Harrison Frawley, C (8th round, 265th overall) — Coastal Carolina University (South Carolina)

(goccusports.com)

A senior at Coastal Carolina University, 6-foot catcher Harrison Frawley hit .296 in 60 games with eight doubles, 33 walks, and a .411 on-base percentage. He caught 503 of CCU’s 560 innings (90%), and reached base in 52 of his 60 games. A defensively-gifted catcher, Frawley threw out 49 percent of basestealers (25-of-51) this season while adding seven pickoffs, according to his college bio. The recommended slot amount for this pick is $135,400.

From a post-draft article on CCU’s website:

“Frawley had an impressive senior year, both on and off the field. He was named first team All-Big South and was one of 12 semifinalists for the Johnny Bench Award, which annually goes to the nation’s top catcher. Off the field, Frawley was a first team Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-America and 2012 Big South Baseball Scholar-Athlete of the Year. He graduated summa cum laude with a 3.94 GPA in physics.”