Phil Bickford: 2013 MLB Draft 1st Round Pick to the Toronto Blue Jays

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With their first round selection in the 2013 draft, the Toronto Blue Jays selected Phil Bickford the RHP from Oaks Christian High School in California. I’m not going to pretend that I know anything about Phil Bickford, as I quite honestly had no idea who he was until today (I’m not big into the whole mock draft thing, sue me).

How do First Rounders generally impact an MLB team? Well head on over and read our friend Jay Blue’s breakdown of Blue Jays first rounders since 2009 over at Blue Jays from Away to see how long and slow the development process really is!

The Blue Jays are looking to restock their somewhat depleted farm system (although not as depleted as some would have you believe) in this, the 2013 draft, and selecting Phil Bickford is a nice start to doing that.

Here’s to hoping he signs quickly, and we have him in a Blue Jays uniform sooner rather than later (let’s also hope that he reads baseball’s amphetamines policy a little closer than our last first rounder).

Since I don’t know anything about Phil Bickford, I’ll let those who actually know what they’re talking about go ahead and woo you with some poetic waxings about his tools and potential, this from Keith Law:

"“high-upside, high-risk prep right-hander who has velocity and projectability but is a long way away from being a major league starting pitcher.”"

Fro website River Ave Blues

"Bickford’s calling card is his premium fastball. He uses a clean and quick arm action to generate 90-94 mph fastballs from his 6-foot-4 and 185 lb. frame. The pitch runs in on right-handed batters and has touched 96 mph on occasion this spring. His delivery and size suggest he could flirt with the upper-90s as he matures. Bickford lacks a defined breaking ball even though he throws both a slider and curveball. They’re both very rough and fringy pitches at best, so that is a huge concern. He’s a one-pitch guy. Bickford draws rave reviews for his makeup and work ethic. There are plenty more videos on YouTube."

Getting excited? Well you better be, this guy could be playing for the Blue Jays by….2019? But hey, if that seems like a long ways out, just close your eyes and imagine him making his big league début on the newly installed GRASS at the

Rogers Centre

SkyDome!

2013 Statistics

Looks to me like Phil Bickford had himself a season for Oaks Christian Highschool (All Stats compliments of Max Prep)

ERA 0.83

Wins 12

Innings Pitched 84.2

Total Strike Outs 146

Complete Games 6 

Shutouts2