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Blue Jays: What the mock drafts are predicting for today’s MLB Draft

By Tyson Shushkewich |
SECAUCUS, NJ - JUNE 07: The draft board is seen prior to the start of the MLB First Year Player Draft on June 7, 2010 held in Studio 42 at the MLB Network in Secaucus, New Jersey. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
SECAUCUS, NJ - JUNE 07: The draft board is seen prior to the start of the MLB First Year Player Draft on June 7, 2010 held in Studio 42 at the MLB Network in Secaucus, New Jersey. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
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Jay Allen of John Carroll Catholic hits against Westminster Christian in the FHSAA Class 3A State Baseball semifinals on Monday, May 24, 2021, at CenturyLinks Sports Complex in Fort Myers. Westminster won 3-0.
Jay Allen of John Carroll Catholic hits against Westminster Christian in the FHSAA Class 3A State Baseball semifinals on Monday, May 24, 2021, at CenturyLinks Sports Complex in Fort Myers. Westminster won 3-0. /

The Toronto Blue Jays will be selecting 19th in this year’s MLB Draft happening later today, with scouting director Shane Farrell and general manager Ross Atkins looking to add to an already potent farm system.

While the organization may not get as lucky as they did last year with Austin Martin falling to them at #5, the Blue Jays will have to work with limited bonus money ($5,775,900, third lowest in the league) and no second-round pick after the George Springer singing this past off-season. This may seem like a tough stance for the Blue Jays to be but there will still be a lot of quality players available when the Jays take the podium later tonight. The slot value at #19 is valued at $3,359,900 dollars.

That being said, media sources and sports journalists have done numerous mock drafts and in-depth analyses for this year’s MLB Draft, with Jays Journal contributors also getting in on the fun. Let’s take a look at what the sources are predicting as the Blue Jays head into this year’s MLB Draft.

The Toronto Blue Jays will select #19th overall in this year’s MLB Draft, with multiple sources predicting the organization picking between OF Jay Allen, LHP Anthony Solometo, and C Harry Ford.

Jay Allen – Outfielder

John Carroll Catholic High School

Source – ESPN insider Kiley McDaniel, Eric Longenhagen and Kevin Goldstein with Fangraphs, and Mike Axisa with CBS Sports

In this mock draft scenario, the Blue Jays appear to be heading towards a high school center fielder in Jay Allen, the #33 ranked prospect in the draft this year by MLB.com.

Allen is an athletic player that has power in the batter’s box and an arm that bodes well for a player patrolling the outfield. Currently playing center field, the 6’3″ righty-batter is a three-sport athlete at John Carroll Catholic High School (football and basketball). He currently has a commitment to the University of Florida to play baseball, so if the Blue Jays do draft Allen, they will have to convince him to forego his college commitment.

Scouts believe that he could make the transition to a corner outfield position over time but adding an outfielder to the Blue Jays system is not a bad thing, especially if he can hit for power. High school players always have the added risk when it comes to college commitments and development issues but if the bat can perform and the money is there, Allen would be a great addition.

The fact that three insiders/journalists have Allen going to the Blue Jays is kind of shocking, especially since the MLB Draft can go sideways pretty quickly when it comes to predictions and mock drafts. Apparently, the Jays have been interested in the high schooler since last year, which could mean a lot or could mean nothing in the grand scheme of things.

The last time Ross Atkins used the first pick in the draft on a high school player was Jordan Groshans back in 2018 and the last time the Blue Jays drafted a high school outfielder at the top spot was D.J. Davis back in 2012 under Alex Anthopoulos, who never reached the major league stage.

Bishop Eustace’s Anthony Solometo delivers a pitch during the Diamond Classic baseball tournament quarterfinal game between Bishop Eustace and Kingsway played at Bishop Eustace High School in Pennsauken on Tuesday, May 18, 2021. Bishop Eustace defeated Kingsway, 2-1.High School Baseball Bishop Eustace Vs Kingsway 1
Bishop Eustace’s Anthony Solometo delivers a pitch during the Diamond Classic baseball tournament quarterfinal game between Bishop Eustace and Kingsway played at Bishop Eustace High School in Pennsauken on Tuesday, May 18, 2021. Bishop Eustace defeated Kingsway, 2-1.High School Baseball Bishop Eustace Vs Kingsway 1 /

Anthony Solometo – LHP

Bishop Eustace High

Source – Edward Sutelan from Sporting News, Jonathan Mayo from MLB.com, and Joe Tansey from Bleacher Report 

Another prospect tied to the Blue Jays organization, multiple journalists are predicting that the club will select high school southpaw Anthony Solometo out of Pennsauken, New Jersey.

Ranked at #17 by MLB.com, Solometo has a fastball that sits in the low 90’s and a slider that gets swings and misses when it is on point. He has a delivery that rivals MacKenzie Gore with the high leg kick and deception towards home plate and is regarded for his ability to command the strike zone, an attribute that goes well for a high school senior. His changeup needs some work in order to be a consistent go-to pitch but that is something the Blue Jays can develop as he progresses through the minor league system.

After a solid campaign at Bishop Eustace High this past year, there is a good chance that Solometo may be gone before the Jays step up to the podium with teams like the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals ahead of them. The left-hander does have a commitment to North Carolina that teams will need to consider before drafting him but something that could easily be fixed when money is on the table.

Adding a high school pitcher is always a risk in that the transition from prep school to professional baseball can be a bit too much, especially if the said player fails to adapt/develop when facing more advanced hitters. Solometo appears to be ready for the jump and still has some potential to grow into his 6’3″ frame, meaning an uptick in velocity could be in the future.

Given his command is considered advanced amongst his high-school counterparts, it will be interesting to see if the Blue Jays choose to go with Solometo with their first pick, with Ross Atkins never selecting a high school pitcher with his first pick since joining Toronto in late 2015. The last time the club selected a high-school pitcher with their first pick was Phil Bickford back in 2013 (again under A.A.), who ended up going to college instead of signing with the Jays.

Three journalists are predicting Solometo the Blue Jays, with Jonathan Mayo from MLB.com stating that the left-hander “seems almost locked in with a team”. While the MLB Draft is always a wild-card, it seems like it is a two-player race at this point as to whether the Jays will select Solometo or OF Jay Allen, with the decision being easier if one is off the board before the team is able to select anybody at #19.

TORONTO, ON – MARCH 30: General manager Ross Atkins of the Toronto Blue Jays looks up during batting practice before the start of MLB game action against the Detroit Tigers at Rogers Centre on March 30, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – MARCH 30: General manager Ross Atkins of the Toronto Blue Jays looks up during batting practice before the start of MLB game action against the Detroit Tigers at Rogers Centre on March 30, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /

Harry Ford – Catcher

North Cobb High School

Source – Michael Bradburn and Bryan Mcwilliam with theScore

While the Blue Jays are stocked with catching talent within the farm system in Alejandro Kirk, Riley Adams, and Gabriel Moreno, Michael Bradburn and Bryan Mcwilliam with theScore.com predict that the organization will scoop up #13 ranked high school catcher Harry Ford with their 19th overall pick.

Ford is widely regarded for his athleticism and ability to hit for contact and power in the batter’s box, with the ability to spray ball across the diamond against advanced pitchers his age. Standing at 5’10”, the Georgia native has an impressive bat speed that helps him generate power and plus speed on the base paths, clocking in at 6.42 seconds over the 60-yard dash, something not usually seen with catchers.

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The issue with drafting a catcher out of a high school is whether or not they can stay at the position as they move through the farm system. Scouts believe he has the ability both offensively and defensively to stay behind the plate, a good vote of confidence considering he has limited experience at other positions. If the position doesn’t work out for Ford, the Jays could try him up the middle or have him in the outfield considering his arm does rate at 55 per MLB.com. Ford does have a commitment to Georgia Tech, something teams will have to consider during the draft.

With selecting Harry Ford, it would most likely fall into the “drafting the best player on the board” type of scenario, as the Jays don’t necessarily need another catcher with options like Kirk and Moreno in the system but he has a lot of potential to turn into a top tier prospect with high upside. He has garnered comparisons to Hall of Famer Craig Biggio and if Ford is still available when the club steps up to the podium, don’t be surprised if the Blue Jays pull the trigger on another catcher.

Even if he can’t hold onto the catcher role, having an athletic player like Ford is an asset rather than a deterrence, even if he is patrolling a corner outfield position instead of where he was drafted at.

Next. Toronto Blue Jays: Mid-Term Report Card. dark

The last time the Blue Jays selected a catcher with their first pick in the MLB Draft was Matt Stark back in 1983. J.P. Arencibia (2007) and Max Pentecost (2014) were the most recent catchers drafted by the Blue Jays in the first round, however, they were not the first selection by the team that year.

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