MLB
With the 12th overall pick in the 2018 MLB draft, the Toronto Blue Jays selected Jordan Groshans. Groshans is a high school shortstop out of Magnolia, Texas. The young infielder was ranked 31st among the top 200 prospects. He has committed to attend the University of Kansas in the fall, but the Blue Jays are clearly looking to tempt him away. Last year, 9 of their top 11 picks were college players. In the recent past, the Blue Jays have shown a clear preference for college players over high school players. They do not seem to be following that same pattern this year.
Skills
Groshans’ best raw skill is his power with the bat. He has hitting skills and pitch discipline, both of which have improved this spring. His arm is also impressive, and although he played shortstop in high school many speculate that he will move to third as a pro. He played third base for his high school team occasionally as well. Vladdy Jr is poised to take over for Donaldson when the veteran eventually leaves the team. Perhaps the Blue Jays are hoping to keep Groshans at short to replace the oft-injured Tulo when his days are over. That, of course, is a long-term solution. Last year, the Blue Jays used their second pick to select Logan Warmouth, also a shortstop, out of the University of North Carolina.
Breaking Tradition
With their first-round pick in each of the last 4 drafts, the Blue Jays have selected a pitcher. Many speculated that the same would be true this year. When the Blue Jays selected Jordan Groshans, they proved everybody wrong. Their farm system has depth where fielders are concerned, most notably with Vladdy Jr, Bo Bichette and Cavan Biggio at Double-A. The Jays pitching has been a problem these last few months, but this is not the NFL. The MLB draft is a long-term plan. They need pitchers now and the draft is not necessarily the best way to go about that. No one official has said or even implied that Toronto is in a rebuild. Below-average performances from the team this year have fans screaming for someone’s head, or at least answers. The farm system is one of the best in baseball, and the front office is aware of that. Toronto’s future is secure and this draft will hopefully only make it even better.
Written by Susannah Schmidt
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