After selecting Arjun Nimmala with the 20th overall pick in last year’s MLB Draft, the Toronto Blue Jays find themselves picking in the exact same spot in 2024
However, it appears that this year’s pick might look significantly different than the then-17-year-old high school shortstop they picked last July.
The top of the 2024 Draft class is very heavy on college hitters and severely lacking on high school talent. The Blue Jays have been linked to a number of potential impact bats that are projected to go anywhere from the mid-teens to the late 20s, most of which are coming from the college ranks.
But, of course, teams are prepared to go in any number of directions with their picks as the draft board plays out, and Toronto could dip into another demographic if a player it likes falls into its lap.
With all that said, here are five players that could be available for the Blue Jays to take at No. 20 on Sunday night:
Seaver King
Position: INF/OF
Height: Six-foot | Weight: 195 lbs
2024 Stats: 60 G | .308 AVG | 16 HR | 64 RBI | 59 Runs | .377 OBP | .577 SLG | 11 SB
After starting his college career with NCAA Division II Wingate, Seaver King transferred to Wake Forest for his junior year and established himself as a first-round talent.
The right-handed swinging King played all over the diamond for the Demon Deacons, starting games at second base, third base, shortstop and in centre field. While the majority of his time was spent at third, his speed could land him in the outfield long-term.
Offensively, King excels at putting the ball in play with impressive bat speed that helped him tap into some more power as he arrived at Wake Forest. He only struck out 34 times over 284 plate appearances this spring, which is particularly impressive based on his free-swinging approach.
King’s most standout tool is his speed. Given a 65 grade for his running by MLB Pipeline, the Athens, Ga. native only stole 11 bases but will commonly wreak havoc on the basepaths and use his speed to his advantage on defence, as well.
A College Catcher
The Blue Jays have been frequently linked to the group of college catchers who have a chance to go in the first round. Caleb Lomavita, Malcolm Moore and Walker Janek have all been connected to Toronto in the lead-up, with each bringing something different to the table.
Starting with Lomavita, the Honolulu, Hawaii native is perhaps the most well-round of the three. An excellent contact hitter and great athlete, Lomavita took strides defensively over the course of his college career at California and has hit at every stop along the way.
|
Catcher |
Games |
AVG |
HR |
RBI |
Runs |
OBP |
SLG |
SB |
|
Caleb Lomavita |
55 |
.322 |
15 |
52 |
51 |
.395 |
.586 |
12 |
|
Walker Janek |
58 |
.364 |
17 |
58 |
55 |
.476 |
.709 |
13 |
|
Malcolm Moore |
54 |
.255 |
16 |
36 |
42 |
.414 |
.553 |
0 |
Janek is the best defender of the group, winning college baseball’s Buster Posey Award as the nation’s best catcher at Sam Houston State in 2024. Janek may not be as proven offensively as Lomavita and Moore, but he posted a career-best 1.185 OPS this spring.
Projected to go to Blue Jays in Baseball America’s Mock Draft on Friday, Moore has the longest track record of being a productive hitter. Playing two years at Stanford, the six-foot-two backstop smacked 31 home runs with a career .958 OPS. However, there are some questions about whether he can stick behind the plate or not, which could result in a long-term move to first base.
Tommy White
Position: 3B
Height: Six-foot-one | Weight: 228 lbs
2024 Stats: 66 G | .330 AVG | 24 HR | 70 RBI | 61 Runs | .401 OBP | .638 SLG
If you like homers, “Tommy Tanks” is your guy.
White arrived in the college ranks and set the record for most home runs (27) hit in a single season by a freshman in NCAA history. That was while he was at NC State, but after transferring to LSU for his sophomore and junior years, he didn’t slow down at all.
In three collegiate seasons, White hit 75 home runs, drove in 249 runs and posted a 1.123 OPS. Not only can White slug, but he also possesses a plus-hit tool that helped him strike out in less than 15 per cent of his plate appearances.
Simply put, the dude can hit.
However, there are some concerns with the rest of his game. White played third base throughout his time at LSU, but is graded as a well-below-average runner and is projected to end up as a first baseman as a professional. He could have the arm to play third at the next level, but likely won’t have the range to stick on the left side of the infield.
Brody Brecht
Position: RHP
Height: Six-foot-four | Weight: 235 lbs
2024 Stats: 15 GS | 78.1 IP | 4 W | 3.33 ERA | 128 SO | 49 BB | 1.21 WHIP | .165 BAA
Moving away from some of the college hitters, Brody Brecht is one of the more intriguing talents in this draft. The Athletic’s Keith Law also projected Brecht to land in Toronto on Friday.
Brecht arrived on campus at Iowa as a two-sport athlete and spent his sophomore year lining up at wide receiver for the Hawkeyes before shifting his focus to baseball full-time as a junior.
The six-foot-four righty has big stuff, which helped him post a 37.2 per cent strikeout rate in 2024 over 78.1 innings. His fastball sits anywhere from 96 to 99 m.p.h. with cutting action, and he’s worked up to 101. However, he struggles with commanding the heater, and he walked 49 hitters for Iowa.
Even with the elite fastball, Brecht’s slider is more commonly graded as the better pitch. It has a ton of horizontal movement, and according to Baseball America is the offering he throws most.
Jurrangelo Cijntje
Position: SHP
Height: Five-foot-11 | Weight: 200 lbs
2024 Stats: 16 GS | 90.2 IP | 8 W | 3.67 ERA | 113 SO | 30 BB | 1.10 WHIP | .211 BAA
One of the most unique draft prospects in recent memory, Cijntje enters the draft as a switch-pitcher with the ability to throw 90 m.p.h.-plus from both sides.
The five-foot-11 Curacao native is looking to become the first full-time ambidextrous pitcher to start in MLB in the modern era.
Cijntje spent two years at Mississippi State, and emerged as one of the top pitchers in the nation, striking out 113 hitters over 90.2 innings and 16 starts in 2024.
A natural lefty, Cijntje is more effective from the right side, sitting around 95 with his fastball while topping out at 99. He also throws a hard slider as a righty and would only flip around to throw with his left hand in certain left-on-left matchups.
His stuff still plays as a southpaw, throwing a 91 m.p.h. Heater and low-80s sweeper.
