Blue Jays: Looking at the players drafted under Atkins who did not sign

MLB Draft  – 2021

Round 16 – Micah Bucknam RHP

A product of Abbotsford, British Columbia, Micah Bucknam was selected by the Blue Jays in the 16th round of the 2021 MLB Draft. The right-hander decided to not sign with the club, instead deciding to pursue post-secondary opportunities south of the border. He originally had a commitment to the University of Washington but now appears set to join Louisiana State University for the 2022 campaign.

Bucknam features a fastball in the low-90s and a change-up that is his go-to offspeed pitch to go alongside a work-in-progress curveball.

Round 20 – Luke Holman RHP

Ranked at #172 by MLB.com heading into the 2021 MLB Draft, right-hander Luke Holman was a late-round draft pick by the Blue Jays but it was clear the club was never going to be able to sign him.

He reportedly turned down an $800K offer from the Chicago Cubs who were planning to use their third-round pick on him, eventually asking for $50K more before the club drafted another player. Another club offered him $700K in the third round but he turned that down as well. Holman was looking for a deal worth $1 million.

Holman will now look to improve his draft ranking by attending the University of Alabama. As a high school senior, Holman pitched to an 0.88 ERA with 113 strikeouts and only 22 walks through 55.2 innings pitched, finishing with a 7-1 record.