2014 Blue Jays Draft | Signings, Bonuses and Rumors Thread

[Angrioter]

Dusty Isaacs or Todd Isaacs Jr?

 

The Rajai version

 

6.15 in 60 yards

[NorthOf49]

Could be a case where Toronto offered him Pillar money ($1000), and he has to decide if he wants to grind out a minor league career or get the proverbial "real job".

There was a senior sign guy (Alex Azor) the Jays drafted a couple years ago who said he would have signed for a hot dog!

 

This guy can get a real job after washing out of MiLB in a couple years. You kinda have to accept just for the experience.

[Caper]

There was a senior sign guy (Alex Azor) the Jays drafted a couple years ago who said he would have signed for a hot dog!

 

This guy can get a real job after washing out of MiLB in a couple years. You kinda have to accept just for the experience.

 

 

 

He was basically a military guy, he knew he was just going to get a camp out of it.

[imsorry4beatinU]

Don't have exact numbers off hand, but f*** all.

 

Ranges from about 1100 per month in the low minors, and AAA salaries start at 2150 per month when it's your first year there.

 

The only real money being made in the minors is when teams sign guys who have played in the majors before on minor league deals. they earn 6 figures generally, but it's low 6 figures. The up and coming kids make sweet f*** all and unless they have a huge signing bonus or a wealthy family background, they don't make enough to be considered above the poverty line.

 

Damn, didn't realized it was that low. That's a tough decision for sure.

[imsorry4beatinU]

Don't have exact numbers off hand, but f*** all.

 

Ranges from about 1100 per month in the low minors, and AAA salaries start at 2150 per month when it's your first year there.

 

The only real money being made in the minors is when teams sign guys who have played in the majors before on minor league deals. they earn 6 figures generally, but it's low 6 figures. The up and coming kids make sweet f*** all and unless they have a huge signing bonus or a wealthy family background, they don't make enough to be considered above the poverty line.

 

Not a lot. It scales with level, but I think they start out at <$1500/month or so (I'm basing that off my memory, so I could be off...) plus about $10/day per diem when they're on the road.

 

Damn, didn't realized it was that low. That's a tough decision for sure.

[flafson]

It's actually not that bad. I used to get about $200 in the army. That was considered high because I was in a combat unit.

Having said that, I didn't need to worry about rent or meals because the army provided that.

Half the people had cell phone bills that were higher than the money they got.

[burlingtonbandit]

There was a senior sign guy (Alex Azor) the Jays drafted a couple years ago who said he would have signed for a hot dog!

 

This guy can get a real job after washing out of MiLB in a couple years. You kinda have to accept just for the experience.

 

Yeah but if you can make $45,000 a year out of school because of your degree or do you want to sign for a 2,000 and make 1K a month? Seems like a pretty easy decision to me.

[JaysFan4Ever]

Yeah, unless he's got a wife and kid already... That can be really hard on a family.

 

 

 

Not a lot. It scales with level, but I think they start out at <$1500/month or so (I'm basing that off my memory, so I could be off...) plus about $10/day per diem when they're on the road.

 

 

If this is correct than between $5,000-7,000 over a 5 month period:

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/mlb/news/20140212/minor-league-baseball-players-lawsuit/

[Angrioter]

It's even harder for 16 year olds from the Dominican, who have to adjust to a new life in the USA and don't speak English, leaving everything behind in the hopes that they could one day make it to the MLB.

 

Yeah, definitely.

 

My older brother (SS) could have signed for 50 thousand dollars and my father objected.

[flafson]

Yeah but if you can make $45,000 a year out of school because of your degree or do you want to sign for a 2,000 and make 1K a month? Seems like a pretty easy decision to me.

 

It's not so easy to make 45k a year out of school in today's economy...

[Caper]

Yeah, definitely.

 

My older brother (SS) could have signed for 50 thousand dollars and my father objected.

 

Think of the hut you could have bought with that. Your 16 brothers and sisters would have loved it.

[Angrioter]

Top 25 MLB Draft Prospects

MATTHEW POULIOT

 

Because of some family health issues, I didn’t feel I had watched enough baseball to write a proper notes column this week. What I did do, though, was view all of the scouting clips of this year’s top draft picks that I could find. Therefore, what we have here is one amateur’s ranking of the 25 best 2014 MLB draft picks for fantasy purposes.

 

1. Carlos Rodon - LHP White Sox - No. 3 overall pick (college)

The assumed No. 1 overall pick entering the year, Rodon’s stock slipped some because of fluctuating velocity and concerns about his workload; he topped 130 pitches twice for NC State this season. Still, he was showing pretty good velocity at the end of the year, hitting 95 mph on the gun at times, and he’s the most polished of all of the college starters. His slider is an excellent pitch that should produce strikeouts in the pros nearly as easily as it did in college. He’s a threat to crack the White Sox rotation in the early portion of next season and quickly emerge as their No. 2 starter if he stays healthy.

2. Alex Jackson - OF Mariners - No. 6 overall pick (high school)

Primarily a catcher in high school, Jackson will be moving to the outfield in the pros, as many projected. He offers a smooth right-handed stroke that should produce homers as well as line drives, and now that he’s free of catching responsibilities, he has a chance to move relatively quickly for a high school product. He’s viewed as having the highest ceiling of any hitter in the draft.

3. Bradley Zimmer - OF Indians - No. 21 overall pick (college)

The lanky, 6-foot-5 Zimmer is pretty good as is -- he hit .368/.461/.573 with seven homers in 220 at-bats for the University of San Francisco this season -- but it’s easy to imagine him taking quite a step forward in the power department as he starts spending more time in the weight room as a pro. Given his nice swing and the likelihood of added strength, it wouldn’t surprise me if he proves to be the best college position player in the draft.

 

4. Tyler Kolek - RHP Marlins - No. 2 overall pick (high school)

Kolek gets the nod over Brady Aiken here mostly because he’s going to the National League and also partly because he was drafted by a team that isn’t going to let him stew in the minors once he shows he’s ready. I don’t think Kolek is quite the pure prospect that Aiken is, but he does have that Roger Clemens-, Josh Beckett-type Texas sheen. A big right-hander with a mid-90s fastball, a curve and a slider, he’s certainly not lacking in the upside department.

 

5. Brady Aiken - LHP Astros - No. 1 overall pick (high school)

Aiken soared up draft boards this spring to become the first high school pitcher taken No. 1 overall since the Yankees chose Brien Taylor in 1991. He’s a more polished prospect than Kolek with his 91-94 mph fastball, a looping curve that he spots well and a mediocre changeup. Still, I’d give Kolek the better chance of reaching the majors first, just because one is a Marlin and the other is an Astro. It should also be noted that Aiken was one of the youngest players in the draft; he doesn’t turn 18 until August. He has terrific long-term potential, just perhaps not as much as Kolek.

 

6. Kyle Schwarber - C/OF Cubs - No. 4 overall pick (college)

The Cubs are telling everyone who will listen that Schwarber, who was rated by most as someone who would go in the 10-20 range, was the No. 2 player on their board behind Aiken. Schwarber has the numbers to back it up, having hit .358/.464/.659 with 14 homers in 232 at-bats for Indiana University this season. Still, it seems that even the Cubs are less than confident that he’ll make it to Chicago as a catcher. If they decide to move him to the outfield, he could reach the majors more quickly than any other position player in the draft. It seems to me that he’s far more likely to become an average regular than a star.

 

7. Tyler Beede - RHP Giants - No. 15 overall pick (college)

The Giants previously had four top-15 draft picks in 15 years and come away with Tim Lincecum (10th in 2006), Madison Bumgarner (10th in 2007), Buster Posey (fifth in 2008) and Zack Wheeler (sixth in 2009), which would seem to bode pretty well for Beede. The Vandy product was originally drafted 21st overall by the Blue Jays out of high school. His results have been a bit on the inconsistent side, though perhaps not as much as the numbers suggest. While he followed up a 14-1, 2.32 ERA in his sophomore campaign by going 8-7 with a 3.58 ERA as a junior, his peripherals were actually a bit better this year (most notably, his walk total dropped from 63 in 101 IP to 47 in 103 IP). The fact that he did get drafted into a great situation in San Francisco is weighed into his ranking here. He’s also getting extra credit because I put a fair amount of stock into Brian Sabean’s talent for picking young pitching.

 

8. Michael Conforto - OF Mets - No. 10 overall pick (college)

Conforto got drafted 10th overall on the promise of left-handed power; he hit .345/.504/.547 with seven homers in 203 at-bats for Oregon State this year. His looping swing figures to leave him vulnerable to belt-high pitches, but he has the discipline not to chase balls he can’t hit, which should lead to decent OBPs even if his batting averages are fairly low. He projects as a left fielder in the pros.

 

9. Nick Gordon - SS Twins - No. 5 overall pick (high school)

Tom’s son and Dee’s younger brother, Nick Gordon has a big arm and plenty of speed. He also has the swing and build to hit for a little power down the line. It’s just going to take a long time for him to put all of his tools together and emerge as a major league shortstop. There’s a good chance he’ll prove worth the wait, but it is the wait that drops him a few spots here.

 

10. Aaron Nola - RHP Phillies - No. 7 overall pick (college)

It’s no surprise that the Phillies grabbed the most major league-ready player available when they picked at No. 7. Nola has faced some of the best competition in the country at LSU, and he went 11-1 with a 1.47 ERA and a 134/27 K/BB ratio in 116 1/3 innings this season. He slings the ball from a low three-quarters angle, which makes him an injury risk in the minds of some, but he could emerge as a middle-of-the-rotation starter as soon as next summer.

 

11. Luke Weaver - RHP Cardinals - No. 27 overall pick (college)

Weaver’s slight build makes one wonder how he’ll hold up -- despite being 6’2”, he’s listed at 170 pounds, putting him in a two-way tie for the lightest player to go in the first round -- but he has a good low-90s fastball that runs away from left-handed hitters and a quality changeup. Also, while he’s not particularly comparable to Michael Wacha, it’s true that both slipped in the draft because of concerns over their breaking balls. Weaver’s top two pitches are good enough to allow him to advance quickly.

 

12. Touki Toussaint - RHP Diamondbacks - No. 16 overall pick (high school)

If Toussaint adds velocity as he fills out his 6-foot-3 frame, he could prove as dominant as any pitcher in the class. His 12-to-6 curveball is going to be a terrific weapon regardless. He’s a 90-93 mph guy right now, but added strength and better mechanics might push him towards the mid-90s.

 

13. Casey Gillaspie - 1B Rays - No. 20 overall pick (college)

It seems to me that the Rays made a mistake choosing Gillaspie over Zimmer when they picked 20th. The younger brother of White Sox third baseman Conor, Casey is a switch-hitter with power, but he’s limited to first base and he might not hit for average from both sides of the plate.

 

14. Erick Fedde - RHP Nationals - No. 18 overall pick (college)

A potential No. 3 starter with a low-90s sinking fastball, slider and changeup, Fedde was selected 18th overall just two days after undergoing Tommy John surgery that will keep him out for the next year. The Nationals have never been shy about targeting talent that may have slipped because of injury, and Fedde would have gone in the top 10 if his elbow had help up just a little bit longer. They won’t mind waiting the extra year for him.

 

15. Monte Harrison- OF Brewers - No. 50 overall pick (high school)

One of the best athletes in the draft, Harrison will have to decide between signing with the Brewers or going to Nebraska to play wide receiver. He’s a raw prospect likely to need several years in the minors, assuming he signs in the first place, but he’s also one of the handful of players here with the tools to become a fantasy superstar.

 

16. Jeff Hoffman - RHP Blue Jays - No. 9 overall pick (college)

A likely top-five pick before blowing out his elbow and requiring Tommy John surgery, Hoffman was the first of the Jays’ two first-round picks. He was throwing in the mid-90s with a good curve and an average changeup before getting hurt, and he offers more upside than several of the pitchers ahead of him here. However, both the Tommy John surgery and the getting drafted by an AL East team result in him being dinged as a fantasy prospect.

 

17. Derek Hill - OF Tigers - No. 23 overall pick (high school)

Hill can fly in center, but I’m not sure about the bat. In high school, he used a big leg kick to try to hit for power, when he should be hitting the ball on the ground and using his legs to reach base. In a best-case scenario, he could be a leadoff hitter with big steal numbers someday.

 

18. Michael Chavis - SS Red Sox - No. 26 overall pick (high school)

The Red Sox announced Chavis as a shortstop, but most expect him to move to second or third before he reaches the majors. That presents a problem for his path to Boston, particularly if Xander Bogaerts ends up at the hot corner for the long haul, but it’s still a distant concern. Chavis had one of the best line-drive swings in the draft, and he possesses surprising home run power, too, for a guy who stands 5-foot-10.

 

19. Nick Howard - RHP Reds - No. 19 overall pick (college)

Howard transitioned from starter to closer at Virginia this year and racked up 19 saves and a 50/12 K/BB ratio in 29 1/3 innings. The Reds are expected to move him back to the rotation, eventually anyway. If they want to keep him in relief for now, he might be a candidate to help them in the second half of this year. Come 2015, he should definitely be in a minor league rotation working on polishing up his slider and changeup. A future as a major league closer is a possibility, but ideally, his secondary pitches would come along well enough to keep him in the rotation.

 

20. Nick Burdi - RHP Twins - No. 46 overall pick (college)

The first pure reliever drafted, Burdi had an 0.51 ERA and a 62/10 K/BB ratio in 35 1/3 innings for Louisville this year. He throws in the high-90s with a hard slider, giving him definite closer potential. Of course, the Twins already have a pretty good one of those in Glen Perkins under control through 2018, which is why Burdi doesn’t rank higher on the list. Much could happen in the next couple of years, but Burdi projects as a setup man initially.

 

21. Max Pentecost - C Blue Jays - No. 11 overall pick (college)

Pentecost, a product of Kennesaw State, should be a big-league catcher, but his bat is a question mark. This year’s .423/.483/.631 line came against weak competition in the Atlantic Sun Conference. More important was his impressive showing as the MVP of the Cape Cod League (with wood bats) last year. He’s going to need at least a couple of years in the minors in order to put things together.

 

22. Zech Lemond - RHP Padres - No. 86 overall pick (college)

Petco pushes Lemond into the top 25 here, but he was a potential third-round steal no matter where he went. After a couple of years as a reliever, Lemond moved into Rice’s rotation in March without nearly enough preparation and came down with a sore elbow as a result. However, before that happened, he should very good stuff as a starter, with a fastball that continued to touch the mid-90s and a hard curve. His arm may not hold up, but if it does, he should prove to be a fine starter in a great situation in San Diego.

 

23. Sean Newcomb - LHP Angels - No. 15 overall pick (college)

The first ever University of Hartford product to go in the first three rounds (Jeff Bagwell went in the fourth), Newcomb is a big left-hander capable of throwing in the mid-90s. He’s less polished than most of the other college hurlers drafted early; his slider needs tightening up, his changeup is raw and his control is below average (he walked 38 in 93 1/3 innings this year despite overmatching the competition to the tune of a 1.25 ERA). Still, there’s a lot for the Angels to work with here.

 

24. Jack Flaherty - RHP Cardinals - No. 34 overall pick (high school)

The Cardinals went with possible below-slot guys with some early picks so that they could afford to sign Flaherty away from North Carolina. While he doesn’t have any one huge weapon at the moment, Flaherty draws raves for his easy delivery and pitching aptitude. He could move relatively quickly for a high school pitcher.

 

25. Braxton Davidson - OF Braves - No. 32 overall pick (high school)

The Braves gave up their first-rounder to sign Ervin Santana, but they got the No. 32 pick in return for losing Brian McCann. Like so many other Braves early picks over the years, Davidson is a toolsy high schooler from the South (North Carolina, in this case). He offers terrific power potential, but he looks like a low-average guy right now.

 

Hoffman to low

[Angrioter]

 

[GD]

Hoffman to low

 

I object to every single ranking on that list.

[imsorry4beatinU]

Attaboy attaway! signing

After struggling through a hand injury his entire senior baseball season in college this spring, Morganton native Aaron Attaway said he was just hoping somebody would give him the opportunity to play in the pros.

He got that chance Saturday in the third and final day of the 2014 MLB Draft, when the Toronto Blue Jays announced they were selecting the former Patton High, Burke County Post 21 American Legion and Western Carolina University shortstop in the 20th round (of 40 rounds total).

“I’m more than ready,” Attaway said. “I’m excited to get to Tampa.”

Tampa, Fla., is his first destination. Attaway flies out Tuesday and will spend six days there starting Wednesday for post-draft rookie minicamp. He’ll then find out if his first pro homefield will be located in West Virginia with the Bluefield Blue Jays in rookie ball or in Western Canada with the Vancouver Canadians in short-season low-A ball. Either way, he said the season starts on or around June 19.

Attaway spent last summer playing in California and said he wouldn’t mind a return stint on the opposite coast.

“Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing like the North Carolina mountains,” Attaway said. “But I loved the West Coast. It was awesome. It was a good experience, I know that.”

Attaway found out he’d been drafted via text messages from friends, which came about 10 at once right after Saturday’s news.

“I was watching (the draft) on the computer to start the day,” he said. “Then I started getting too nervous and stopped. I figured if it works out, it works out and if it doesn’t, it doesn’t. I went out and washed my car.

“When I heard, I was shocked, happy, excited. All my life I’ve worked hard for this, and it’s finally a dream that came true.”

Attaway’s senior year didn’t go as planned on paper. After three excellent seasons at WCU in which he hardly missed a game, the hand injury made things tough. But his whole body of work on the diamond was validated with Saturday’s selection.

“Getting hurt humbles you a little bit,” he said. “I don’t think I took anything for granted before, but I had never been injured really. I can tell you now, I want to make the most of this opportunity. I’m happy the Blue Jays gave me this chance.”

Attaway was a key member of the 2004 Morganton Little League All-Star team that reached the World Series in Williamsport, Pa., finished fourth in the nation and played on ESPN.

 

http://www.morganton.com/sports/attaway-more-than-ready-for-chance-in-pros/article_4cf21efc-ef44-11e3-9718-001a4bcf6878.html

[imsorry4beatinU]

Sean Reid-Foley signing

 

 

 

[pickoff22]

Sean Reid-Foley signing

 

Amazing. Link? Details?

[flafson]

[imsorry4beatinU]

[Ehjays]

 

AWESOME!!!

 

One very important piece of our draft complete

[z3r0s]

huge win. With Hoffman and Penecost being very signable, this is setting up to be a nice little draft.

[imsorry4beatinU]

Lane Thomas signed for overslot

 

Bearden High School's Lane Thomas was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the fifth round of the 2014 Major League Baseball draft on Friday afternoon.

 

Thomas was a University of Tennessee commit and planned to be a Vol unless a team offered him the right price.

The Blue Jays did just that, offering him more than his $343,000 slot value.

 

"I mean it's unbelievable," said Thomas. " just kind of sat around waiting last night and I didn't really want to watch the whole [draft] because it takes forever, with a lot of time between picks. So, I just woke up today and kind of did what I would normally do- just hang out and wait around see if anything happened. So, it's very exciting."

 

Thomas leaves for Florida on Saturday for the Blue Jays mandatory physical.

 

In his senior season he had 18 home runs in 41 games with the Bulldogs. He finished his career at Bearden with an impressive .376 batting average, 44 doubles, nine triples, 36 home runs, 123 RBIs and 177 runs scored over the course of four seasons.

 

While he primarily played centerfield for the Bulldogs the Blue Jays have listed him at right field.

 

http://www.wate.com/story/25716512/beardens-lane-thomas-drafted-to-the-blue-jays

[Angrioter]

Jacksonville (Fla.) Sandalwood right-handed pitcher Sean Reid-Foley, a Florida State signee, was selected No. 49 overall by the Toronto Blue Jays.

A tweet sent out by him last evening indicates that he will join the Blue Jays in the near future.

While he says he is heading to Clearwater, the Blue Jays are actually based in Dunedin which is just 10 minutes away.

http://floridastate.247sports.com/Board/36/Contents/FSU-signee-Sean-Reid-Foley-indicates-he-is-turning-pro-29042469

[imsorry4beatinU]

Looks like Dave Pepe and Cliff Brantley are headed to dunedin

 

https://mobile.twitter.com/dpepe7?p=s

[Ehjays]

 

On his twitter account he now has PRO baseball player

[imsorry4beatinU]

I looked in the map where Clearwater was too lol. Thank god it wasn't near florida state

[imsorry4beatinU]

On his twitter account he now has PRO baseball player

 

He is by far the most excited to be a blue jays

[Angrioter]

 

Cobi Johnson is the son of former MLB reliever Dane Johnson (who’s also a roving minor league pitching instructor for the Blue Jays), Cobi is one of the more polished high school right-handers in this year’s draft class—though that probably shouldn’t come as a surprise given his bloodline.

[TDotttt2005]

As a strategic decision, do they not announce these bonuses until after the signing period? ie. if player A has leverage, and knows that player B has leverage and has signed for under-slot, they could hold out for more money knowing that the team has banked some savings.

[imsorry4beatinU]

Most of the stuff you are posting has already been posted (Thomas, Brantley, Pepe, Attaway)

 

has it, my bad.