5 sluggers that might pique the Blue Jays' interest in this year's MLB Draft

Tommy White (LSU)
21 y.o / RHH / 3B/1B

"Tommy Tanks" helped anchor a national championship winning lineup in the Bayou last year and although he hasn't quite kept up his incredible production, he has an enviable blend of contact and power. #20 is starting to look more and more like his range and MLB Pipeline sent him to the Jays in their recent mock draft.

White offers power, production, and winning pedigree to a ballclub that has been lacking in all of those areas in recent years. His electric bat speed, raw strength, and knack for the barrel has allowed him to be one of college baseball's most proficient home run hitters and he's shown the ability to hit it out foul pole to foul pole.

White is also rarely beat in the zone, he's quick to a fastball and covers other pitches well. A slugger with this little swing-and-miss isn't often seen and it's part of what makes him exciting. The problem has been his approach. White loves to swing early in the count which has helped him keep his strikeout numbers low but it's also affecting his walk numbers. His tendency to chase has rarely hindered him in college but more advanced pitchers will take advantage of that and will be able to get him whiffing more and also limit is ability to do damage consistently.

White has shown some improvement in the plate discipline department this season. His walk rate is up to the point where he's walking as much as he is striking out. However, the ticked up discipline has come with a bit worse overall production compared to last year. If he can find a good balance between the two approaches with pro instruction, he'll likely keep mashing at the next level.

Mashing is what White will have to do to be a successful big leaguer. He's limited athletically at third base and projects as a first baseman at the next level. The offensive bar at first base is a steep one especially for right handed hitters like White. There's optimistic angles on a pick like this given his lofty offensive potential but it's also not difficult to pick out areas of concern. Regardless, it appears that White may end up in the mix and that makes him worth covering.