Well a lot of Blue Jays fans were upset that Clint Frazier, Trey Ball and Austin Meadows were taken before the Blue Jays selection at #10 in the MLB draft but the team did select a high risk/reward high school right handed pitcher.
Phil Bickford was the selecton by the Toronto Blue Jays.
From Big League Futures:
Player: Phil Bickford
Position: RHP
School: Oaks Christian (CA)
Date of Birth:
Height/Weight: 6’4/200
Bats/Throws: R/R
2013 Class: HS Senior
Committed To: Cal State Fullerton
Scouting Report:
- Tall, large frame
- Strong lower body
- Staggered setup with unorthodox delivery
- 3/4 arm slot
- Hides ball well
- Fastball can show heavy sink
- Fastball has hit 97
- Slider with fair depth, shows swing and miss potential
- Good feel for mid 80′s change
- High ceiling arm
Keith Law was quote pre-draft as saying the Blue Jays might take Bickford “tell him to take less money or go to school” as he heard Bickford put out a huge bonus demand before the draft. Law also stated Bickford is a “high-upside, high-risk prep right-hander who has velocity and projectability but is a long way from being a major league starting pitcher”.
Bickford, who John Sickels of Minor League Ball has as the eleventh best pitcher in the class, “has rocketed up mock draft charts with his strong play of late, including striking out 17 batters last weekend. He is considered a high-risk pick since his skills remain so raw and he has yet to develop a decent breaking ball. But he can already throw a fastball in the mid-90s and some scouts believe he’s just getting started.”
Here are some videos of Bickford in action.
AL Eastbound & Down 