Blue Jays: Time is ticking as MLB draft pick deadline looms

The Toronto Blue Jays front office have done an admirable job locking up their latest crop of draft picks, however, there are a couple of big names that still remain unsigned.

This year the signing deadline is July 12 at 5 p.m. ET so the Blue Jays have just over two weeks to convince the likes of 3rd round selection Dasan Brown and 9th round pick Philip Clarke to sign on the dotted line and join the professional ranks.

The Jays have signed eight of their top ten picks with Brown and Clarke the only two remaining. The brain trust has signed a number of under slot deals to free up additional funds to use as leverage.

The high schooler is committed to Texas A&M but the Blue Jays are said to be willing to go above the allotted $678,600 for the 88th overall pick. Brown was also just named the 2019 Prep Baseball Canadian Player of the Year.

Philip Clarke is a highly touted sophomore catcher from Vanderbilt University, who fell to the Jays in the ninth round due to concern with signability. Many prognosticators ranked him in the mid 100’s of eligible players while the Jays snagged him 267th overall. However, It is going to take more than the allocated $154,900 to pry the bat first catcher away from Vandy.

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Some of the other remaining unsigned draft picks are Brandon Eisert (18th Rd.), Gustavo Sosa (19th Rd.), J-C Masson (26th Rd.), Roel Garcia (27th Rd.), Noah Myers (30th Rd.), Daniel Batcher (33rd Rd.), Connor Phillips (35th Rd.), Octavio Corona (39th Rd.), Miguel Obeso (40th Rd.)

Nate LaRue, Owen Diodati, and Braden Halladay have already advised the Blue Jays that they will not be signing with the club. The Jays have inked 27 of their draft picks thus far as well as two undrafted players in Kyle Huckaby and Alex Nolan.

With any luck, the brain trust can lock up a few more before the deadline but the clock is definitely ticking for tough signs like Brown and Clarke.