Sean Reid-Foley making his case to be Blue Jays top pitching prospect

Sean Reid-Foley was selected in the second round of the 2014 MLB Draft by the Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays pitching prospect depth took a serious hit at last year’s deadline, but the talent at the top remains strong.

Beyond Sean Reid-Foley, Conner Greene, and Jon Harris, Angel Perdomo, Francisco Rios, and Justin Maese have continued to establish themselves with strong seasons. T.J. Zeuch, 2016’s first-round pick, will eventually find his slotting in the mix as well. Depending on the lens this group is viewed through, the 20-year-old Reid-Foley is putting forth a strong argument to be considered at the top.

Last night against the Charlotte Stone Crabs, Reid-Foley bounced back from his poorest outing of the year (5.2 IP, 6 ER) by striking out 10 over six innings and allowing just one hit.  Since his promotion from the Lansing Lugnuts up to the advanced-A Dunedin Blue Jays, it’s been much of the same.

More from Toronto Blue Jays News

• Matt Chapman has been exactly what the Blue Jays needed
• Blue Jays: The goalposts are moving in the right direction
• Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays advance to the Championship Series
• Blue Jays: Comparisons for Alek Manoah’s Second Season
• Blue Jays: Adam Cimber, the unlikely decision King

Reid-Foley made eight starts for Dunedin in 2015, but found trouble with his control. He walked 24 batters in 32.2 innings, posting an ERA of 5.23. In 2016, Reid-Foley has proven to be up for the challenge through his first seven starts.

Over those 43.0 innings, Reid-Foley has struck out 54 batters and walked just nine, all the while sitting quite comfortably in the mid-90s. After struggling under the challenge of a promotion last season, he’s given the organization exactly what they’d hoped for in his second go-around.

Reid-Foley admits that he’s done some growing up this year, but on the mound, much of his advancement can be credited to a more consistent delivery.

“At times, it was a little too rotational,” he told Sam Dykstra of MiLB.com. “I was across my body more than I normally am and pulled a couple of fastballs to my arm side. With my delivery, the main goal is to get through the baseball and throw the ball downhill…. It’s not going to be perfect. That’s never going to happen. But I need to slow down, find my rhythm. If I’m more in the zone, that’ll make guys swing a lot more. I think I can be better than giving up two walks.”

With 101.0 innings now under his belt in 2016 (already up from 96.0), Reid-Foley could be positioning himself to pitch close to a “full” season next year.