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 Bluefield Blue Jays.

Catchers

Santiago Nessy (19 years old)

How he was acquired: Signed out of Venezuela as an international free agent in July 2009 for $750,000

How he fared in 2011: After spending the 2010 season in the Dominican Summer League, Nessy made his stateside debut in 2011 with the Gulf Coast Blue Jays. He hit extremely well, with a .306 batting average and .773 OPS in 35 games. He showed good pop (7 doubles, 3 home runs) and impressive plate discipline (8 walks, 29 strikeouts), something it often takes young latin players a few years to develop. Bluefield should be an interesting challenge for Nessy, as while the bat hasn’t been questioned, his defense has. He’ll be working with a predominantly English speaking pitching staff as well, which could provide additional challenges to the young Venezuelan.

2011 (GCL): 134 AB, .306/.347/.425 (.773 OPS), 7 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 19 RBI, 0 SB, 8/29 BB/K

Hector Alvarez (21 years old)

How he was acquired: Selected by the Blue Jays (from the New York Mets) in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft in December 2011

How he fared in 2011: Like Nessy, the 2011 season was Alvarez’ first stateside, as he played with the Gulf Coast Mets after spending three years in the Venezuelan and Dominican summer leagues. Offense isn’t the calling card for Alvarez, as evident by his .229 average and .615 OPS in 2011 (his career highs in both categories came in 2010, at .249 and .692 respectively). With such a low ceiling as a prospect – with that term used loosely – it’s doubtful Alvarez will be stealing much playing time from Santiago Nessy, who the Blue Jays are hoping to develop into something special.

2011 (GCL): 83 AB, .229/.326/.289 (.615 OPS), 5 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 6 RBI, 0 SB, 12/13 BB/K

Infielders

Art Charles (21 years old)

How he was acquired: Selected in the 20th round of the 2010 draft

How he fared in 2011: Charles spent the entire 2011 season with Bluefield, and performed well, which makes the lack of promotion at least a little surprising. In 250 at-bats (over 68 games), Charles produced an .819 OPS, fuelled by his extra base power – 18 doubles, 3 triples, 11 home runs. Additionally, his 61 RBI led the entire Appalachian League. The strikeout rate was a little concerning, and could be the reason why the Blue Jays chose to hold Charles back. If he gets off to a hot start though, he could find himself in Vancouver or Lansing very quickly.

2011 (BLU): 250 AB, .240/.351/.468 (.819 OPS), 18 2B, 3 3B, 11 HR, 61 RBI, 1 SB, 39/89 BB/K

Christian Lopes (19 years old)

How he was acquired: Selected in the 7th round of the 2011 draft, signed for $800,000

How he fared in 2011: Because of the old CBA, many above slot signing bonuses were held back by the Commissioner’s office until the signing deadline in mid-August. Lopes fell into that category, as the $800,000 he received was much higher than slot for a 7th round pick. As such, he didn’t get into any game action. Despite being drafted as a shortstop, Lopes is a second baseman in the long run, as he has neither the range nor the arm for the left side of the infield. What made Lopes as high draft pick is his bat, as he has an advanced approach and solid power for a middle infielder.

Dickie Thon (20 years old)

How he was acquired: Selected in the 5th round of the 2010 draft, signed for $1,500,000

How he fared in 2011: Thon fell into similar circumstances to Lopes, though a year earlier. His huge signing bonus eliminated the possibility of playing ball in his draft year, so he didn’t make his debut until 2011. The results were mixed, as while he showed plenty of athleticism and an excellent walk rate, he struggled to make contact or generate much power. It was later revealed he suffered a blood disorder in Spring Training as the result of a rare kidney disease that left him weak throughout the year, so the fact he managed to even play is pretty remarkable. Regardless, as a 20 year old still in rookie ball, Thon will need to stay healthy and hit well if he wants to advance and retain that top prospect shine.

2011 (GCL): 121 AB, .223/.369/.322 (.691 OPS), 3 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 15 RBI, 6 SB, 23/44 BB/K

Matt Dean (19 years old)

How he was acquired: Selected in the 13th round of the 2011 draft, signed for $737,500

How he fared in 2011: The Blue Jays made the 2011 draft count, as they went for a ton of expensive high upside high school players. The down side, of course, is that the players are unable to join an affiliate until the following year. Like Christian Lopes, Matt Dean will be making his professional debut, and will round out a top prospect laden Bluefield infield. He has plenty of offensive upside, and when I ranked him as my 13th best prospect in the system over the winter, I predicted a .290/.350/.480 slash line with 15 doubles and 10 home runs. We’ll have to see if he lives up to my lofty expectations.

Christian Frias (22 years old)

How he was acquired: Signed out of Puerto Rico as an international free agent in July 2010

How he fared in 2011: Considering his age, Frias had an extremely disappointing 2011 season in the Gulf Coast League. In 70 at-bats across 33 games, Frias hit only .143 with a .472 OPS. His 1 extra base hit was especially disappointing. While the 15 walks against 13 strikeouts is nice on first glance, one must remember he was facing pitchers primarily three to five years younger than him. Frias will serve as a backup infielder and utility man, as it would be hard to pull Lopes, Thon, or Dean from the lineup at his expense.

2011 (GCL): 70 AB, .143/.315/.157 (.472 OPS), 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 5 RBI, 1 SB, 15/13 BB/K

Chris Peters (23 years old)

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

How he fared in 2011: An undrafted college senior from the University of Cincinnati, Peters was assigned to the Gulf Coast League after signing and performed quite well. His traits from college baseball carried over, as he showed a good plate approach and speed while lacking in the home run department. At 23 years old, Peters is nothing more than organizational depth, though the Blue Jays could be hoping his age and life experiences can give some perspective to this young roster.

2011 (GCL): 118 AB, .246/.321/.364 (.685 OPS), 5 2B, 3 3B, 1 HR, 17 RBI, 3 SB, 14/26 BB/K

Jason Leblebijan (21 years old)

How he was acquired: Selected in the 25th round of the 2012 draft

How he fared in 2011: Jason Leblebijan was drafted out of Bradley University in Missouri, where he was a three year starter at shortstop. His batting average dipped to a career worst .235 in 2012, but he showed some power, leading his team in doubles (16) and total extra base hits (24). He’s very athletic, as Leblebijan also played on the Bradley basketball team. Had he not signed with the Blue Jays, he would have join the Cape Cod League in an effort to boost his draft stock in 2013. With Bluefield, however, he’s expected to serve as a backup infielder.

Outfielders

Jacob Anderson (19 years old)

How he was acquired: Selected in the Supplemental 1st round of the 2011 draft, signed for $990,000

How he fared in 2011: As he agreed to a near-slot signing bonus, Anderson was able to get a couple weeks worth of games in with the Gulf Coast Blue Jays before the end of the season. In what little time he had, he played extremely well, with a 1.098 OPS. Anderson has a true five-tool profile, as he is capable of hitting for both power and average while playing a strong right field. Despite his height (6-foot-4), Anderson also has above average speed, and should prove to be an exceptional base stealer.

2011 (GCL): 37 AB, .405/.476/.622 (1.098 OPS), 2 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 2 SB, 4/8 BB/K

Dwight Smith Jr (19 years old)

How he was acquired: Selected in the Supplemental 1st round of the 2011 draft, signed for $800,000

How he fared in 2011: Smith didn’t get into game action in 2011, but his advanced bat should allow him to make the jump from high school baseball to the Appalachian League without too many difficulties. Smith has ideal bloodlines, as his father (Dwight Smith Sr) played major league baseball for eight years, highlighted by a 2nd place finish in the 1989 Rookie of the Year voting and a 1995 World Series title with Atlanta. Growing up around baseball has given Smith excellent instincts and a good knowledge of the game, allowing his tools to play up.

Eric Arce (20 years old)

How he was acquired: Selected in the 27th round of the 2010 draft, signed for $100,000

How he fared in 2011: Arce has exceptional power given his 5-foot-9 build. Playing for the Gulf Coast Blue Jays in 2011, Arce led the league in home runs (14), walks (38), and OPS (1.058), while also placing in the top 10 in RBI, slugging percentage, on base percentage, runs, and total bases. He could play some left field for Bluefield, but it’s more likely he finds most of his playing time at designated hitter where he can focus on what he is – a power hitter. Arce received a number of awards for his breakout performance, including being named a Rookie Class All Star by Baseball America.

2011 (GCL and BLU): 172 AB, .267/.427/.587 (1.015 OPS), 7 2B, 3 3B, 14 HR, 41 RBI, 1 SB, 40/52 BB/K

Nico Taylor (22 years old)

How he was acquired: Selected in the 38th round of the 2011 draft

How he fared in 2011: As a junior out of Northwood University, Taylor signed early and was able to get his career underway. It paid off, as the 6-foot-4 outfielder got off to an excellent start and opened a lot of eyes. Playing in 30 games for the Gulf Coast Blue Jays, Taylor showed an impressive all around game, with contact, power, speed, and a mature plate approach. If previous numbers carry weight, Taylor should be one of the favorites for playing time in left field.

2011 (GCL): 91 AB, .319/.421/.505 (.926 OPS), 8 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 13 RBI, 2 SB, 15/24 BB/K

Carlos Ramirez (21 years old)

How he was acquired: Signed as undrafted free agent in March 2009

How he fared in 2011: Ramirez returns to Bluefield after spending the entire 2011 season with the club. Despite playing in a career low 40 games, he set career highs in a number of categories including average (.232), slugging percentage (.384), and OPS (.685). With the center and right field positions locked down by Smith Jr and Anderson, Ramirez will fight for stuck fighting for playing time in left field and at designated hitter.

2011 (BLU): 112 AB, .232/.301/.384 (.685 OPS), 7 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 2 SB, 10/39 BB/K

Alex Azor (22 years old)

How he was acquired: Selected in the 10th round of the 2012 draft, signed for $1,000

How he fared in 2011: As a college senior with Navy, Azor hit a more than respectable.322/.419/.408. He was quoted as saying he would have signed for a hot dog, and unsurprisingly received the minimum bonus for a draft pick at $1,000. Azor is in a unique situation, as a Navy graduate he’s expected to serve in the military for five years, during which he will be unable to play for the organization – though it’s been said he’s seeking a 24 month program who student athletes instead. Even if his baseball career is short lived, Azor has “10th round pick by the Toronto Blue Jays” on his resume, which is something no one can ever take away from him.

No. 31: Dickie Thon

Shortstop / 20 years old / 6′2″ 185 lbs

Born: November 16th, 1991 in Houston, Texas

Bats: Right    Throws: Right

High School: Academia Perpetio Socorro (San Juan, Puerto Rico)

College: Signed a letter of intent with Rice University

Acquired: Drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 5th round (156th overall) of the 2010 Amateur Draft, signed for a $1.5 million bonus ($1,338,900 above slot) on August 16, 2010

Pre-2011 Rank: 18

Quick Facts:

• Favorite baseball player is Mickey Mantle
• Son of former Houston Astros infielder Dickie Thon
• Grew up in the United States before moving to Puerto Rico for high school
• Roomed with Jays catching prospect A.J. Jimenez during 2010 instructs
• Former Blue Jay Jose Cruz Jr. is his agent

Career Stats:

Interviews:

• For much more background information on Thon, see my interview with him here
  

Video:

• MLB.com’s 2010 Draft coverage video:

Extra Information and previous experience:

In the spring of 2010, when the Blue Jays were scouting Adeiny Hechavarria, six members of their scouting department watched another shortstop a total of 12 times in his home country of Puerto Rico. His name was Dickie Thon, and a few months later, he was drafted in the fifth round before eventually being handed a $1.5 million signing bonus from the Jays. In addition to being the Jays’ second-highest bonus of the 2010 draft, the figure far surpassed MLB’s recommended slot amount of $161,100.

Due to a strong commitment to Rice University and some candid comments in the media from his father, Thon signed late and did not see any professional action in his draft year as a result. Though he did report to instructs down in Dunedin in the fall and play pro ball in Puerto Rico that winter, Thon had his eyes set on making his pro debut as a member of the Blue Jays organization in 2011.

While he did manage to make his debut last June with the Gulf Coast League Blue Jays, it wasn’t without a few complications. After reporting to spring training and undergoing a routine physical, Thon was initially diagnosed with a blood disorder and was forced to miss some time. But upon further review, it turned out that the Texas native actually had a rare type of kidney disease and was forced to stay on the disabled list for practically all of extended spring training.

After going 7-for-21 (.333) in his first seven games, Thon had a good July at the plate, hitting .269 in 20 contests with a double and three home runs. More impressively, though, were his 16 walks in only 71 plate appearances, which helped him finish the month with a .449 on-base percentage and .911 OPS. He managed only four singles in his final 43 at-bats of the year after that, but his showing in the Gulf Coast League was a beneficial first step to his career.

Thon has improved his pitch recognition considerably and possesses above-average plate discipline. He projects to have some pop in his bat, but he understands that the power will come naturally once he fills out his frame and consistently finds the right pitch to hit. He’s an above-average hitter with good bad speed and projects to be the kind of hitter managers want at the top of their lineup, as he can be both aggressive and extremely patient at the plate when needed.

A gifted overall athlete, Thon played basketball and volleyball in high school while playing baseball, and his natural athleticism shows in the defensive side of his game. He’s never flashy, but makes some of the harder plays look routine and he has the ability to be an above-average defender with an above-average arm. His good footwork and positioning complement his soft hands, and he has inherited incredible baseball instincts from his father that help him as well, especially when reading the ball off of the bat.

Expected 2012 Team: Bluefield Blue Jays (Rookie)

Ultimate ceiling if he puts it all together: Everyday MLB shortstop

Having played just 45 games and missed significant development time since being drafted in 2010, it’s likely that the Jays will keep Thon in extended spring training this year and have him report to another short season club, likely Bluefield or even Vancouver since the team already likes what they see in the 20-year-old. Thon is still considered quite raw, but a strong year from start to finish could work wonders for him in 2013.

“He is coming off a tough year, but he’s worked real hard to put himself in good position,” Thons’s father said in a recent interview with Examiner.com. “He’s going to keep trying to prove himself.”

- JM

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Each team will be divided into two articles; one for every position player on the roster and one for every pitcher. You’ll find out how each player became a part of the Blue Jays organization, how their 2011 season went, and, when possible, there will be a quote from either the players themselves or someone in the industry about them. The goal of these reviews is to increase knowledge of the Jays’ minor league system and to get you ready for when we eventually kick off our second-annual Top 50 Jays Prospects: Jays Journal Edition later this fall.

Players are listed by position and in order of the most games played there. For players who played multiple positions, they will be slotted under whichever position they played the most games at.

For players that played on multiple teams throughout the season, I’ve decided to use whichever team they finished the year with to determine which affiliate they will be listed under. Since both Eric Arce and Dalton Pompey finished the season with Bluefield, they won’t be in this article despite spending the majority of their seasons in the GCL.

Check back Friday for a rundown of the GCL Jays pitching staff.

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(Bryan Green/Flickr)

Born in Houston, Texas, Dickie Thon grew up in the United States before moving to Puerto Rico to attend high school. He was no stranger to Puerto Rico before high school though, or to baseball in general at a young age.

“I moved to Puerto Rico freshman year, but every summer and winter I would go back there to play. I played a bit of Little League in the States. In Puerto Rico I played with Las Lomas; that’s where I developed as a player,” Thon said.

While attending  Academia Perpetuo Socorro in San Juan, Thon used his overall athletic gifts to play basketball and volleyball as an outside hitter for the Puerto Rican national youth team. Thon, who can run the 60 meters in a 6.6 seconds, showcased his speed in Puerto Rico in track and field as well, competing in the 100 meters and long jump as well as becoming the reigning high school champion in the 200 meters.

Thon played baseball primarily for Las Lomas while he was in Puerto Rico because his high school did not have a baseball team, and he feels that having the unique opportunity of playing baseball in two different countries will help him out in the long run.

“It was a good experience. I got to play baseball in two different cultures and I consider myself a fusion of both styles of play,” he said.

Growing up, Thon and his father spent time watching old movies, the New York Yankees’ YES network and classic baseball games together, while talking about baseball overall. Dickie Joe watched tapes and documentaries of Mickey Mantle, his favorite baseball player, who retired in 1968, 23 years before Thon was born. Mantle is definitely a good choice for a favorite baseball player, but Thon was not as specific when asked what his favorite baseball team was.

“Mickey Mantle is my favorite player but really I’ve never had a favorite team. I could say the [Houston] Astros of the 80′s because of my dad,” he said.

Who exactly was Thon’s dad?

That would be Dickie Thon Sr., a former Major League shortstop who had stints with the Angels, Astros, Padres, Phillies, Rangers, and Brewers. Touted as a future Hall of Famer by some, Thon Sr. is best known for when his career was permanently altered on April 8, 1984 when he was hit in the face by a fastball from New York Mets pitcher Mike Torrez. The pitch broke the orbital bone around Thon Sr.’s left eye, ending his season, and when he returned in 1985 he just wasn’t the same, suffering from problems with depth perception. Looking back at the incident, many people have thought about what Thon Sr.’s career could have been like had he not suffered the injury.

Following his father’s footsteps as a shortstop, Thon Jr. had never experimented play anywhere else on the diamond.

“Not really [no], I was raised playing shortstop and love that position,” he said.

Aside from good baseball genes and growing up in the game of baseball, Thon’s father has given him his fair share of advice over the years as well.

“Ever since I was little he guided me to play the correct way. I always remember he told me, ‘once you become a professional, you are one 24/7, and when you play, always give the fans their money’s worth. Give the fans a show,’” Thon said.

Even though he’s described as a raw player from a developmental standpoint, Thon has already exhibited above-average tools across the board. Scouts feel he’s farther away from the Majors than most people think, but his great speed, plus arm, fringe power, and above-average plate discipline should help him develop into an effective Major League shortstop in the future.

When asked what aspect of his game he feels is the strongest, Thon mentioned something not normally found on a traditional scouting report.

“I think my attitude towards the game. I was brought up to have the most respect to the game and to play your heart out every play,” he said.

The Blue Jays must have understandably been impressed with not only Thon’s skill set, but also his maturity towards the game, as they selected him with their 5th round selection (156th overall) in the 2010 draft.

Thon was far from surprised that Toronto was the team that wound up selecting him, though.

“I was actually practicing, and Toronto [being] the team [that] selected me wasn’t really a surprise. They were present the whole year, and they have selected many great Puerto Rican players so I thought it was a great opportunity,” he said.

Image courtesy of Bryan Green via Flickr

Drafting Thon was the easy part for the Jays. Managing to sign him was widely considered the hard part.

After apparently turning down a more lucrative scholarship to the University of Florida, Thon signed a letter of intent with Rice University. His commitment to the school was rumored to be so strong that many clubs were nervous about drafting him due to their skepticism about being able to actually sign him. The Jays, however, always remained interested, even if it involved taking a risk.

“All teams knew how my approach towards the draft was. The Jays were always around despite that,” Thon said.

Thon’s father also felt very strongly about his son attending Rice. Many were skeptical the Jays would be able to sign Thon after his father had some interesting comments in an interview with FOX 26 Houston about how the Jays were handling his son’s signing process.

“Toronto wanted to take Joe in the compensatory round, but we couldn’t agree [on the signing bonus],” Thon Sr. said.

“[He] is not a fifth-rounder and I don’t like the way [Toronto] treated him during the draft. They kept calling to see if we were going to come down. Our commitment is very high to Rice and it is going to take a lot for him to go to Toronto. He is committed to Rice and I’m leaning toward Rice. He is going to be a better player after going to Rice.”

When negotiations got a little dicey, Thon and his family turned to Jose Cruz. A familiar face for Blue Jays fans, it was the same Jose Cruz Jr. who spent over five Major League seasons in a Jays uniform.

“The Cruz family is very close to my family, since our parents played a lot together. Cruz Jr. is my agent , [so] they helped out with the negotiations,” Thon said.

In the end, the Blue Jays were able to pry Thon away from his commitment to Rice, agreeing on a $1.5 million signing bonus. The bonus was a clear example of how money is there for GM Alex Anthopoulos from Rogers, as it was $1,338,900 above the recommended slot amount and more money than 12 first round draft picks signed for.

At the time of the draft, after his comments to FOX 26 Houston were published, it seemed fair to assume that Thon’s father and the Blue Jays must have soured their relationship as a result. Thon Jr. was able to set the record straight on that when asked if there was actually any bad blood between his father and the Blue Jays.

“Not at all, we have a good relationship with the Jays, the negotiations went very well. The only thing we asked for was to make an agreement with enough time to notify Rice [of] my decision, which [the Blue Jays] respectfully did,” he said.

Thon was far from disappointed or surprised that he was selected in the 5th round, too.

“I knew how the draft was. The fact [the Blue Jays] gave me the opportunity to play pro for them was an honor, and I’m very proud to be a part of this organization,” he said.

Shortly after the signing was officially announced, Thon was able to get his first taste of professional baseball with the Jays. He reported to the Jays’ instructional league in the fall and definitely liked what he saw.

“It was a great experience, [my] first taste of pro ball. I can’t wait to head back,” he said.

Despite being new to the Blue Jays organization, Thon saw some familiar faces when he arrived at the instructional league.

“A couple of guys like Justin Nicolino, Angel Gomez and my roommate A.J. Jimenez,” he said.

After the instructional league, Thon increased his offseason workload to better prepare for his first professional spring training.

“I played winter ball in Puerto Rico with the Gigantes de Carolina, but now I’m practicing in the morning and training in the afternoon,” he said.

It was recently announced that Thon has reported to Dunedin as 1 of 35 minor league prospects that were invited to take part in the Blue Jays’ mini-camp. It’s unclear if the situation has changed since, but at least at the time of this interview, Thon said that the Jays haven’t let him know where he’ll play in 2011 yet.

“No idea, it all depends how you show up in spring training and how you produce,” he said.

Even though he’s considered to be far away from the Majors right now, Thon is yet another prospect with a high ceiling that is a welcome addition to the Blue Jays’ minor league system. With all of the shortstop prospect attention being focused on Adeiny Hechavarria, Blue Jays Director of Amateur Scouting Andrew Tinnish recently said that he wouldn’t be surprised if Thon was just as good as, if not better than, Hechavarria.

If that becomes the case, the Jays could have an embarrassment of riches at shortstop for years to come.

-JM

Image courtesy of Bryan Green via Flickr

#18 Dickie Joe Thon

Shortstop / 19 years old / 6′2″ 185 lbs

Born: November 16th, 1991 in Houston, Texas

Bats: Right    Throws: Right

High School: Academia Perpetio Socorro (San Juan, Puerto Rico)

College: Had signed a letter of intent with Rice University

Drafted By: The Toronto Blue Jays in the 5th round (156th overall) in the 2010 First-Year-Player Draft

Jersey Number: #5 in the Blue Jays’ Instructional League

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First, kudos to Marcum who brought the Jays to within 9 games of both the wild card and the AL East lead. Second, congrats to Anthopolous who continues to get the job done in an extremely encouraging manner.

Here’s a rundown of the last minute signings completed by Alex and the Jays:

1st rounder Deck McGuire, $2 million ($209,000 million over MLB’s recommended slot amount)

I do not make any pretention of believing Deck McGuire will be anything greater than a great #3 starter with a slight possibility of being a number 2 if everything falls into place and his experience makes him better. His stuff just doesn’t play that highly. However, his floor is high, meaning that the Jays are pretty well assured of getting a #4 starter at a minimum, which makes the cost of signing him inevitably higher.

2nd rounder Griffin Murphy, $800,000

This was a crucial signing for the Jays as Griffin was the top LHP they got in this draft class and a real talent who has top of the rotation potential. He’s already a blogger-prospect favorite for the Jays writers and will surely make BA’s top 30 Jays prospect list in 2011.

4th rounder Sam Dyson, $600,000

The 5th RHP to be drafted by the Jays in the top 4 rounds, Sam gets a nice bonus for a 4th rounder but will have to fight off a bunch of talented guys to get any sort of shot at being a starter in The Show for the Jays. He’s also the smallest of the 5 RHP drafted in the first 4 rounds, making him the immediate underdog. (more…)