2022 MLB Draft: Way too early draft targets for the Blue Jays first pick

Andrew Dutkanych – RHP

School: Brebeuf Jesuit Prep School (Indiana)

Age: 18   Height: 6’3″

Currently ranked by MLB.com at #23 and ProspectsLive.com at #26, Andrew Dutkanych is one of the top right-handed prep school pitchers in a loaded 2022 MLB Draft class. Hailing from Indianapolis, Indiana, Dutkanych has a pretty solid arsenal that features a 60-grade slider, 55-grade fastball, and a 55-grade curveball to go along with a work in progress changeup. His fastball sits in the low 90’s and can touch the mid 90’s but his slider is regarded as his best offering, a solid offspeed pitch that sits in the high 80’s and has lots of swing and miss potential. He has a clean and repeatable delivery to the plate and should fill out his 6’3″ frame as he continues to develop, which should carry well to continue as a starting pitcher once he turns pro.

The right-hander is no stranger to the Perfect Game circuit, where he has held his own over time and was named to the Top Prospect Team at the 2021 National Showcase. He also plays third base and right field but it appears the pitching route will be the one most scouts and teams looking to select the Indiana product will be looking to develop. As a junior for Brebeuf Jesuit last year, he posted a 1.02 ERA through 62.0 innings with 111 strikeouts and 22 walks through 11 appearances.

He currently has a verbal commitment to Vanderbilt, which is a bit scary to see coming into the 2022 MLB Draft considering how strong of a baseball program they have. This will most likely cost the Blue Jays some more money than what the projected slot value will be, as he could choose to not sign and go to post-secondary, but one would imagine the club will do its due diligence before selecting him to see how he feels about the joining the organization and turning pro prior to selection.

Brandon Barriera – LHP

School: American Heritage (Florida)

Age: 17         Height: 6’1″

Sticking with high school players with a Vanderbilt University commitment, southpaw Brandon Barriera is MLB.com’s third-ranked left-hander pitcher and second-ranked prep school lefty at #22 overall. In Baseball Prospect Journal’s mock draft, Dan Zielinksi III believes the Blue Jays will use their pick on Barriera if he is still on the board.

A product of American Heritage School in Plantation, Florida, Barriera is regarded as being one of the more rounded prep pitchers when it comes to his arsenal, possessing excellent control and delivery of his fastball, slider, and changeup, all of which grade at 55. Scouts believe his changeup has the ability to be a plus pitch and his fastball sits in the low 90’s but can touch the mid-90s, which is encouraging for a player who still has room to grow and develop. Since 2019, Barriera has accumulated a 2.19 ERA with a 1.07 WHIP through 17 outings and 89.2 innings pitched and is also no stranger to the Perfect Game scene as well.

Scouts are concerned that his size won’t play out to be a starter later down the road as he develops but they are encouraged by the way he commands his presence on the mound. His delivery is smooth and he has a strong sense of the strike zone on the mound, limiting walks and throwing strikes while attacking hitters.

The commitment to Vanderbilt is a bit risky considering it is a prominent program and the Blue Jays may have to go over slot value to sign the left-hander if they choose to select him at #23.

Cam Collier – 3B

School: Chipola Junior College (Florida)

Age: 17         Height: 6’2″

While Blue Jays fans may be looking at Jose Ramirez or Matt Chapman to take over third base right now, if the front office is looking for a potential replacement who is three to five years away from the show, Cam Collier may be the right choice.

He was originally looking to be a high draft pick in 2023 but got his GED early and reclassified for the 2022 MLB Draft, intending to play ball for Chipola Junior College this season instead of returning to high school. A product of Mount Paran Christian, Collier will be one of the youngest players eligible to be drafted next season and many scouts will most likely be making their way to Florida to see him play this Spring. MLB.com has him ranked at #21 and ProspectsLive.com has him at #32.

A left-handed batter, Collier has a solid swing and easy barrel-to-ball power with a very quick bat through the strike zone. He was excellent throughout summer ball programs like Perfect Game and scouts alike were impressed with how he made hitting look easy at the plate. Defensively, he has a strong arm and grounds the ball well at third base making it seem like he could stick at the position long term. This could change over time but the arm strength is there and the athleticism is present that makes it seem like he could hang onto the role for a long time. His run times are average at best but it’s the bat and arm that will be his calling.

If he impresses early at Chipola, don’t be surprised if his draft ranking shoots up and he is off the board before the Blue Jays step up to the podium. If he chooses to not sign, Collier also has a commitment to Louisville in his back pocket if needed.

Landon Sims – RHP

School: Mississippi State

Age: 21         Height: 6’2″

In 2019, Landon Sims already had a commitment to Mississippi State and ended up going undrafted as a high schooler, mostly because of the post-secondary opportunity and some issues with his control on the mound.

A reliever his first two seasons at State, Sims posted a 1.82 ERA through 32 appearances with 123 strikeouts through 69.1 innings of work. He also racked up 13 saves for the Bulldogs last year and was a big part of their College World Series run, appearing in four games and allowing only one run through four hits while striking out 15 and helping Mississippi State win the World Series.

Although he has been used as a reliever for his collegiate career, Sims will make the transition to the rotation next season. He features a fastball, slider, and changeup in his arsenal, with his fastball sitting in the mid-90’s and a slider that keeps hitters on their toes and grades well at 70. He uses his fastball a majority of the time and he can overpower hitters in the box, evident by his 16.0 K/9 rate last season.

Prospectslive.com has Sims ranked at #23, the same draft spot the Blue Jays have in the 2022 MLB Draft. MLB.com has him listed a bit higher at #19. It will be interesting to see if the right-hander can carry the same stats he posted the past two seasons into 2022 when he becomes a starter, possibly enhancing his draft ranking before it takes place later this summer.

Dylan Beavers – OF

School: California

Age: 20       Height: 6’4″

The 2022 MLB Draft is filled with lots of young talented prep outfielders like Druw Jones and Elijah Green but also some talented collegiate outfielders in Brock Jones, Chase DeLauter, and Gavin Cross.

Dylan Beavers also joins this list, ranked at #25 by MLB.com and #24 by ProspectsLive.com. A left-handed hitter, Beavers has spent the past two seasons at California with the Golden Bears and has posted solid numbers as one of their primary outfielders. He owns a .297/.393/.598 slash line through 239 at-bats and has racked up 19 home runs, 52 RBI, and a .992 OPS in 67 games. He also played summer league ball in the prestigious Cape Cod League with the Cotuit Kettleers last year, appearing in eight games and posting a .586 OPS with seven hits through 30 at-bats. Defensively, Beavers splits his time between centre and right field.

With the 2022 MLB Draft turning into focus, the Blue Jays have the 23rd overall pick and could use it on a variety of different players this summer.

He did struggle in the Cape Cod League, which is a bit concerning heading into his draft year but a strong Junior campaign at California could squash those fears if he can continue to hit well from the left side. Scouts are concerned that pitchers could figure him out quickly and continue to pitch him inside but the power stroke and some development in the minor leagues could turn him into a lefty powerhouse at the plate. His plus arm and athleticism will also be able to keep him in either centre or right field for the long term as well.

Depending on how the previous rounds shake-up, some are projecting quite a few of the outfielders to come off the board early before the Blue Jays step up to the draft board at #23. While the current outfield core is a bit crowded at the moment, having a player like Beavers in the farm system when Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Teoscar Hernandez become free-agency eligible after the 2023 season would be a solid insurance plan if he can continue to hit well.

Peyton Pallette – RHP

School: Arkansas

Age: 20       Height: 6’1″

If the Blue Jays are looking to add a college pitcher at the 2022 MLB Draft, Peyton Pallette could be a solid option for the Blue Jays if he is still on the board.

A right-hander at Arkansas these past two seasons, Pallette split his time between the bullpen and the rotation last season for the Razorbacks, authoring a 4.02 ERA through 15 appearances (11 starts). He would strike out 67 batters and author a 10.8 K/9 with a 1.268 WHIP through 56.0 innings. His season came to an end in mid-May when he left a game with an elbow injury and he feared that he would have to go under the knife for Tommy John surgery. He avoided surgery and should be good to go for his Junior year at Arkansas.

His Major League comparison is right-hander Walker Buehler, which is a pretty strong vote of confidence for a pitcher heading into his draft year. Pallette features a fastball that sits in the mid 90’s but has touched 99 MPH and he features a put-away curveball that has an excellent spin rate and he is not afraid to throw to batters on both sides of the plate. He also features a changeup that keeps hitters off balance but it is not as refined as his fastball or curveball. Prospectlive.com projects in their Mock Draft that the Blue Jays will select Pallette this upcoming draft.

The biggest question regarding the right-hander is his overall health, as he will need to prove in 2022 that the elbow injury is behind him and Tommy John surgery won’t be required. This is always a risk when drafting players but the Blue Jays were not afraid to take Gunnar Hoglund last year when he dropped down in the MLB Draft after going under the knife. If Pallette is there, the Blue Jays could take him off the board.