Blue Jays: The 2021 draft class and where they will start the season

Low-A Dunedin Blue Jays

Ricky Tiedemann – LHP

The Blue Jays second pick of the draft via the third round, left-hander Ricky Tiedemann was not selected during the shortened 2020 MLB Draft and eventually settled in at Golden West College for the 2021 season. Through seven starts, Tiedemann struck out 60 batters through 38.1 innings, finishing the year with a 2-1 record and a 3.55 ERA.

Tiedemann wouldn’t pitch with an affiliate program after being drafted but instead went to the Blue Jays development complex and has impressed early this spring under the guise of the Blue Jays staff. He added a few MPH to his fastball and added some muscle in the offseason and now finds himself as the organization’s top-ranked prospect pitcher at #6 overall.

Conor Larkin – RHP

A senior with Penn State, right-hander Conor Larkin authored a 4.26 ERA through 50 games (23 starts) with the Nittany Lions before being drafted in the ninth round by the Blue Jays. After starting 12 games last season and posting a career-high 63.2 outings, Larkin did not report to an affiliate team after being drafted.

Connor Cooke – RHP

After three years with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, right-hander Connor Cooke posted a 2.03 ERA through 18 appearances and was drafted in the 10th round by the Jays. Cooke got into some games in Minor Leagues last season, five total outings of relief work split between Rookie Ball and Low-A where he gave up four hits and one home run through 5.0 innings with eight strikeouts.

Trenton Wallace – LHP

Drafted in the 11th round, University of Iowa alum Trenton Wallace finished out the season in Low-A with Dunedin, appearing in five games and allowing four earned runs through 8.1 innings of relief work.

While he is currently assigned to Dunedin, he is currently not listed on the roster at this time. He could potentially be starting the year in Rookie League ball so it is a bit of a wait-and-see at this point for Wallace.

Matt Svanson – RHP

Drafted in the 13th round out of Lehigh University, senior Matt Svanson amassed a 4.49 ERA with 113 strikeouts through 146.1 innings of work throughout his four years. Earning a spot in the rotation in his sophomore campaign, the right-hander’s best season came during his draft year, where Svanson made 12 starts and authored a 2.30 ERA through career-high 70.1 innings.

After the draft, the Jays decided to give the Illinois product some reps in Dunedin out of the bullpen, where he appeared in 11 games and racked up five saves while surrendering only four earned runs through 15.2 innings.

Damiano Palmegiani – 3B

A product of the Vauxhall Jets Academy and hailing from Burnaby, British Columbia, infielder Damiano Palmegiani boosted his draft stock with a solid season at the College of Southern Nevada last year. Palmegiani smashed 26 home runs and led the team with his .389 batting average and 1.388 OPS, eventually leading to him being drafted in the 14th round.

The righty-batter finished the 2021 season with the FCL Blue Jays in Rookie Ball, going 13 for 39 (.333) and adding two home runs and nine RBI compared to seven walks and nine strikeouts through 17 games while manning the hot corner to a .903 fielding percentage. The BC product also found himself in some Spring Training action earlier this week, hitting into a force out at second base during his only at-bat.