Introducing Joe Musgrove, Pick #46 in the 2011 Draft

Below is everything I could gather about the Jays 1st round sandwich pick who became the first signed 2011 drafted player in MLB. Hopefully it lets you know as much as you need to know about him. He joins an already impressive Arsenal of Arms in the Jays Armery.

Introducing Pick #46 Overall: Joe Musgrove

RH Pitcher / 6’5″ 230 lbs / El Cajon, California 

Birth Date: December 4th, 1992

High School Team: Grossmont

 College: NA. Had a commitment to SDU before signing.

Signed For: $500,000

Quick Facts:

• Wore #23 in High School.
• Also played 1B, holding an impressive .434/.504/.783 line with 9 HR and 10 doubles in 106 ABs.
• Was shocked that he was chosen in the 1st supp round in the draft, thinking that going the second round was more likely.
• The Jays were able to draft Joe with the 46th pick, which they obtained for losing C John Buck who signed with the Marlins.
• Barry Zito, Kevin Correia, and Jays infielder Mike McCoy are some of the current MLB players that also played baseball at Grossmont HS.

Stats:

• 2010: 11-1, 2.07 ERA, 77.2 IP, 67 hits, 29 BB, 70 Ks, .238 AA, 3 CG, 5 saves
• 2011: 7-5, 2.40 ERA, 78.2 IP, 99 Ks, 2 saves

Interviews/Videos:

•  You can see a video here from Baseball Beginnings, where it is predicted that he would go to San Diego State University without signing a pro contract.

Pre-Draft Rankings:

• BA: #90

The Jays drafted Joe Musgrove out of Grossmont HS earlier than even he had anticipated, but they got themselves a very high-quality prospect who knows exactly where he stands and what is expected of him in the future. He understands that he has a lot of potential as a workhorse innings eater that a team, now the Jays, can count on to come out every 5th start and give his team a great chance to win.

On being drafted by the Jays, Joe stated the following:

"“I know Toronto had somebody charting me at almost every game I pitched this season,” and added “So when they picked me I was excited more than surprised.”"

So there you have it. The Jays definitely did their homework, as if there was a doubt, and they got someone who is exctited to become a Blue Jays pitcher.

What does Joe bring to the table?

Well, you can get to know him a little more by reading how he describes himself on MySpace:

"“Hey My Name is Joe Musgrove and I am a Junior at Grossmont. I am 100% dedicated to Baseball and Football right now. I play firstbase and I pitch for Varsity. I also play Left Tackle and D end on Varsity Football. I have a Baseball Scholarship to SDSU waiting for me once I graduate and I can’t wait! I am a super chill guy, just Laid back. I am a really nice person, so if you send me a friend request I will most likley add you. I’m a funny dude that likes to have fun and just hang with my friends. So Hit Me Up!!!!”"

Now that you know a little more about the person, here is some information about his stuff.

He was said to be hitting 93 MPH consistently in his last outing of the season this year, but has also been clocked at up to 98 MPH by some scouts, so Joe has plenty of heat to work with. He is said to work in the 91-94 range for the most part. The best parts of his fastball are apparently the late life it has, its heaviness, and that he commands it fairly well. Joe is also armed with a mediocre Change (74-77 MPH), and a Curve (around 76-82 MPH) which has said to have good bite or what some call a “hammer curve”.

His delivery is said to be smooth and easy, as aided by his size and strength. Durability shouldn’t be an issue for Joe unless he adds a whole bunch of weight to his frame. At 6’5″ 230 already and only 18 years old, he could add an inch or two and could also add 1-2 MPH of speed on his pitches as a result. That’s why some people point to him as having more upside than currently meets the eye. If the Jays can add more life to his secondary pitches, he could perform well-above expectations.

While Joe isn’t anyone’s “sexy” pick of the draft for the Jays, he brings as much intrigue as the rest of the high Jays picks. He is not a polished product by any means, but he could move fairly quickly. With his size, strength, velocity, and already impressive fastball, all that’s missing is the sharpening of secondary pitches and experience. It’s no easy task, but with his easy demeanor and the excitement he has for becoming a Blue Jays pitcher, Joe definitely has the potential to make good on his ceiling.

It’ll be interesting to see if and/or where Joe gets to pitch now that he has signed with the Jays. Getting him signed to a $500,000 deal, or $250,000 under slot, quickly should allow him to get 100% of the experience he could expect to get as a Jays prospect in 2011. Something which should help him move a little more quickly in 2012 should he do well and learn a lot this season.

That’s Joe Musgrove as described in a short post for you Jays fans. Hopefully we get some performance data to share with you soon enough and we wish him all the best as we welcome him to the family!

– MG

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