3 college pitchers the Blue Jays should target in Round 1 of the MLB Draft

Joe Whitman

With MLB.com ranking Joe Whitman at 37, he may sound like an underwhelming option to some. However. there's plenty to like about him.

In a draft with few quality southpaw options, Whitman stands out. Any uncertainty comes purely from a lack of a long track record, with him only becoming a full-time starter this year.

That said, the 21-year-old was excellent in his one season at Kent State. He went 9-2 in 15 starts for the Gold Flashes, with a 2.56 ERA and 11.1 strikeouts per nine innings among his highlights.

Whitman allowed two or less runs in all but a couple of his starts. As a result of everything achieved, he was voted MAC Pitcher of the Year and named First-Team All-America.

At 6 ft 5 in and 200 lbs, the Akron, Ohio native is an imposing presence, armed with three quality pitches. He mostly relies on a fastball-slider combination more than his changeup, with the slider being his best overall pitch.

Helping Whitman ultilize his physical attributes effectively, is a strong mindset. As per Dan Zielinski of Baseball Prospect Journal, he said:

"Mentality on the mound is my biggest strength. I like to go after hitters and attack them with my best stuff and try to get them out as quickly as possible."

Overall, the combination of Whitman's size, talent, mentality and being a left-handed pitcher is extremely intriguing. Despite his current ranking, Blue Jays fans should not be disappointed if the team does end up picking him.