Blue Jays stick to bloodlines, draft Cavan Biggio in 5th round

The Blue Jays are following baseball bloodlines. Toronto has selected Notre Dame second baseman Cavan Biggio, son of Hall of Famer Craig Biggio, with their fifth-round pick in the 2016 MLB Draft.

Biggio, a 21-year-old left-handed hitter, was ranked even higher as a high school prospect in the 2013 draft but a strong commitment to play college ball dropped him very late into that draft (Round 29, Philadelphia Phillies).

Here is what Perfect Game had to say about the Blue Jays selection:

"Biggio only hit .246 and .258 in his first two seasons in South Bend, but he was still an on-base machine, as he has the patient, disciplined approach that one would expect out of the son of a Hall of Fame second baseman. He walked 50 times last season and is well on his way to surpassing that total in 2016 while simultaneously cutting into his strikeout rate. Biggio has an unorthodox setup at the plate with a deep crouch and exaggerated high hand set, but his ability to track pitches cannot be overstated.At times, he may get himself into tough counts by being a bit too selective, but by all accounts he has been able to toe the line between patient and passive much better this season than in the past. He’s noticeably bigger than his father, and as a result owns a bit more raw power and strength, but he doesn’t project to be a middle-of-the-order type as his swing and approach is geared more towards solid line drives and setting the table for others. He’s a solid defender at second, who also has the athleticism to potentially play third base at the next level."

This marks yet another college pick for the Blue Jays, and another positional player from that level behind J.B. Woodman and Joshua Polacios. Biggio’s game is much of what you would expect in a broad-scope look from a college player: solid skills with a high floor, relatively low ceiling, and the potential to rise quickly through the minor league levels.

Earlier Jays draft picks (with links to articles):
Round 1:  RHP T.J. Zeuch
Round 2:  OF J.B Woodman
Round 2:  SS Bo Bichette
Round 3:  RHP Zach Jackson
Round 4:  OF Joshua Polacios

As one might also expect from the son of a Hall of Famer, Biggio’s fundamentals are praised by scouts. Maintaining a high on-base percentage and excelling defensively appear to be his ticket up the ladder as his professional career begins.