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Blue Jays: Top 10 Rule 5 Selections in Team History

By David Corcoran

TORONTO - 1987: George Bell of the Toronto Blue Jays looks on during an MLB game at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto, Canada during the 1987 season. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
TORONTO - 1987: George Bell of the Toronto Blue Jays looks on during an MLB game at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto, Canada during the 1987 season. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /
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DUNEDIN, FL – FEBRUARY 24: General view of the Toronto Blue Jays logo painted in the grass prior to a Grapefruit League spring training game against the Atlanta Braves at TD Ballpark on February 24, 2020 in Dunedin, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

In previous articles, I have looked at the top positional players, as well as pitchers drafted and developed by the team and international free agents signings.  Another way of developing your organization is selecting players during the Rule 5 Draft.

During the course of the Blue Jays organization they have done well selecting players in the Rule 5 draft, specifically in the 1980’s, and have done decent in the last couple of years as well.  In previous drafts, the Blue Jays have selected an AL MVP, as well as the left side of their infield for their first World Series victory.

#10. Bob Davis – 1978

Many Blue Jays fans might not remember Bob Davis or and others might never have even heard of him, but he was selected by Toronto in 1978.  After playing parts of five seasons with the San Diego Padres through the 70’s he was left exposed for the Rule 5 Draft going into the 1978 season.  There isn’t much to Davis’ history as he was the team’s back-up catcher for two years.  He played just 123 games for the Blue Jays, with 1980 being the better of the two seasons when he hit 11 doubles with a .216 average.  He was released after the season and only got into one major league game after that.  With the Blue Jays being only a couple years old they needed a stop gap and that was what he was until he was replaced by Buck Martinez.

#9. Elvis Luciano – 2018

This pick is hard to judge as we have only seen one season of Elvis Luciano. He also just turned 20 years old during Spring Training this year, so it could be a really good selection.  Luciano was originally signed as an international free agent in 2016 by the Arizona Diamondbacks, and later packaged to Kansas City in the middle of the 2018 season.

Luciano got into 25 games last season and he struggled a bit, pitching to a 5.35 ERA and had trouble with control as he walked 24 batters in just 33.2 innings, leading to a WHIP of 1.78.  He got hurt in June and missed the majority of the second half, but came back in September to pitch in six innings only walking one batter and giving up three hits and no runs.  Luciano also failed to walk a batter in three Spring Training outings this year.

More Articles About Blue Jays Draft History:

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