Blue Jays: Looking at where the unsigned 2021 MLB Draft picks ended up

Last season, the Toronto Blue Jays had 19 draft picks in the 2021 MLB Draft. As compensation for signing free agent George Springer, who rejected a qualifying offer from the Houston Astros, the Blue Jays lost their second-round pick.

Of those 19 selections, the Blue Jays were able to sign 17 of those players, starting with first-rounder RHP Gunnar Hoglund and followed by LHP Ricky Tiedemann, RHP Chad Dallas, and prep-star RHP Irv Carter rounding out the top five rounds. Hoglund never pitched for the Jays as he recovered from Tommy John surgery and was traded earlier this year to the Oakland Athletics as part of the Matt Chapman package.

Tiedemann on the other hand has shot up the Blue Jays’ top prospects charts and is looking to be the steal of the draft, currently pitching out in AA New Hampshire. Other 2021 drafted players on the top prospect board for the Blue Jays include Carter (11th), Dallas (22nd), and Hayden Juenger (26th). The righty throwing Juenger is currently the farthest up the Minor League system compared to his drafted teammates, currently pitching out of the AAA Buffalo Bisons bullpen.

Last season, the Blue Jays were able to sign 17 of 19 players selected in the 2021 MLB Draft. What happened to the other two who did not sign?

Overall, the Blue Jays signed 12 pitchers, two outfielders, two third basemen, and one catcher when all was said and done.

The only two players who did not sign with the Jays last season include 16th-round RHP Micah Bucknam and 20th-round RHP Luke Holman. Both players were high-school seniors at the time of the draft with post-secondary commitments, so it did not seem likely either would sign given their draft positions.

Let’s take a quick look at how they are doing a year after deciding to not sign with the Blue Jays.

Luke Holman

Luke Holman entered the 2021 MLB Draft ranked at #162 overall according to MLB.com and rated the third top prospect in Pennsylvania by PBR. As a high school senior, Holman finished the year with a 0.88 ERA through 13 appearances, allowing just seven earned runs through 55.2 innings pitched while striking out 113 batters.

The Jays likely knew he wouldn’t sign so far down the draft board but selected him in the 20th round, with the right-hander deciding to honour his commitment to the University of Alabama instead.

In his first year with the Crimson Tide, Holman worked exclusively out of the bullpen, appearing in 15 games and earning a 5.68 ERA in the process. He finished the year with a 1.737 WHIP and struck out 24 batters in 19.0 innings of work while also allowing eight walks.

The 6’4″ right-hander struggled out of the gate, allowing six earned runs through his first two games and 3.1 combined innings before settling down, allowing three earned runs combined over his next twelve outings, amassing 20 strikeouts in the process. His last outing of the year saw him put up another three earned runs versus Texas A&M but he ended up leading all true freshmen in relief appearances and struck out three or more batters on four separate occasions this year.

Holman will head back to Alabama next year and eligible for the 2024 MLB Draft.