GDT: MLB Draft, June 10, 2020

[jaysguy44]

Austin Martin Twitter update, he is now following the Bluejays 😀

 

Oh it's a sure thing boys, he's signing!

[AintNoThang]

I have a question: hypothetically, say if the Jays pay above the allotted amount and the 5% they're allowed to go over, what kind of penalty will result? Is it just financial or is there a forfeit of a pick or something along those lines?

[Orgfiller]

I have a question: hypothetically, say if the Jays pay above the allotted amount and the 5% they're allowed to go over, what kind of penalty will result? Is it just financial or is there a forfeit of a pick or something along those lines?

 

Ask and ye shall receive.

 

https://www.mlb.com/news/2020-mlb-draft-bonus-slots

If a club exceeds its assigned pool, it faces a penalty. Teams that outspend their allotment by 0-5 percent pay a 75 percent tax on the overage. At higher thresholds, clubs lose future picks: a first-rounder and a 75 percent tax for surpassing their pool by more than 5 and up to 10 percent; a first- and a second-rounder and a 100 percent tax for more than 10 and up to 15 percent; and two first-rounders and a 100 percent tax for more than 15 percent.

 

In eight years with these rules, teams have exceeded their allotments a total of 149 times but never by more than 5 percent. Twenty-one of the 30 teams outspent their pools last year.[/Quote]

[Ray]

Austin Martin Twitter update, he is now following the Bluejays

 

Oh it's a sure thing boys, he's signing!

 

Really doesn’t make sense for him to not sign.

 

Boras will play hardball, but he’ll sign.

[BlueRocky]

Max Meyer reached a deal with the Marlins pending physicals, rumoured 7M to 7.2M.

 

I’m expecting Martin to sign for something similar, maybe a little bit higher.

[AintNoThang]

Max Meyer reached a deal with the Marlins pending physicals, rumoured 7M to 7.2M.

 

I’m expecting Martin to sign for something similar, maybe a little bit higher.

 

So what's it going to take to get there? If they go 5% over, how much do they need to save on the other signings? Also, worst case scenario, can they not sign the number 5 pick and use all that money to get it done?

[BlueRocky]

They’re roughly at 6.6 M with the 5% over money. If 7.2 is the number, they’d have to save around 600K.

 

Assuming the report Van Eyk is signing for slot/slight above is accurate, they’ll need to save 400-600K between picks 77, 106, and 136. Those three picks combine for around 1.75 M, so you need to save roughly a third of that.

 

They cannot just unsign the 136th pick, failing to sign means you lose the whole slot money. If that’s their plan they needed to get someone willing to sign for minimum on 136 (AKA punting a pick) but that doesn’t seem to be the case here.

 

Either picks 77, 106, 136 go below slot deals, or Martin’s asking price isn’t as high as we thought. That’s why the 42nd pick was telling of the current bonus negotiation with Martin, the fact they didn’t punt any picks mean they probably have it worked out.

[Ray]

So what's it going to take to get there? If they go 5% over, how much do they need to save on the other signings? Also, worst case scenario, can they not sign the number 5 pick and use all that money to get it done?

 

Assuming we allot the entire 5% overage onto Martin, we can offer him about $6.7M. Which means we’ll have to save $300K-$400K between the other picks.

[BlueRocky]

 

95 MPH with late movement and high-spin, filthy 12-6 curveball.

CJ Van Eyk was very well regarded by the Jays. There’s a lot to like here for a second round pick.

 

We talked about this before the draft: Grab the best hitter available at #5 and then go ham on college arms. You know you’re getting elite hitting with Austin Martin, so they had the luxury to roll with three college arms with upside.

 

The bulk of the under-slot money is likely coming from #77 ($793,000), but Trent Palmer is an intriguing arm too.

This looks like a solid draft overall.

 

Van Eyk interview:

Van Eyk interview 2:https://youtu.be/QmzVnyG0rPw

Van Eyk throwing session:

Edited June 13, 2020 by BlueRocky

[BlueRocky]

https://theathletic.com/1869780/2020/06/13/bowden-lets-take-a-look-at-the-winners-and-losers-of-this-years-mlb-draft/

Winners

 

Toronto Blue Jays

 

The Blue Jays, with the fifth overall pick, somehow ended up with the second-best player in the draft in Vanderbilt infielder and outfielder Austin Martin. The 21-year-old has the best hit tool of any player in this draft and has the versatility to play second base, shortstop, third base, center field and left field. He has tremendous bat speed, athleticism and plate discipline and has off-the-charts pitch recognition. He has a high baseball IQ and special instincts. He’s a flat-out winner.

 

The Blue Jays can now add him to their plethora of talented, young position-player core — including infielders Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette and Cavan Biggio — as they continue to try and build a sustainable contender. How Martin got to Toronto was surprising and fascinating. The Tigers, as expected, took the best overall player in this draft in third baseman Spencer Torkelson. The Orioles then shocked everyone when they decided to do a pre-cut deal with outfielder Heston Kjerstad. The Marlins entered the draft with the strategy to take pitchers, so they selected right-hander Max Meyer, who has the best slider in this draft class. Once they took Meyer, the Royals couldn’t pass up southpaw Asa Lacy, who they felt was the best pitcher in the draft and the only pitcher that profiles as a future ace. That left Martin to fall into the laps of the Blue Jays and the champagne popping began north of the border.

 

The rest of Toronto’s draft was just as dominating. They pounded the pitching market with their next three choices. They took right-handed pitcher CJ Van Eyk from Florida State with their second pick at No. 42. Van Eyk profiles as a polished middle-of-rotation type starter who should be quick to the big leagues. They then snapped Trent Palmer from Jacksonville and Nick Frasso from Loyola Marymount. Palmer is a 6-1, 230-pound right-hander who has both started and relieved. He has an overpowering upper-90s heavy sinking fastball with two potential plus secondary pitches in his changeup and slider. He could also get to the majors quickly, at least as a reliever, if the Blue Jays decided to put him in that role. Frasso has a 6-5 pitching frame, a power arm and above-average athleticism. He may take a while to develop but there is a lot to work with. Their fifth-round pick was outfielder Zach Britton from Louisville. Britton had a .446 on-base percentage this season and had a Division I-leading 11 doubles. He’s got a sweet left-handed swing with gap-to-gap power. If the doubles power eventually translates to home run power, he could end up as a long-term answer in left field. All in all, this was a special draft for the Jays.

 

https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2020-mlb-draft-prospects-chat-32520/

 

Logan Field (MI):

Who are some guys on the college end who had slow starts or were injured and their stock dropped that could be steals in later rounds? Someone like Matheu Nelson or Parker Chavis come to mind. Thank you!

 

Carlos Collazo: Two we've already mentioned fit those categories with Freddy Zamora and Casey Martin. Not sure how much Martin will slide at this point, but he certainly started slow. Parker Chavers at Coastal is an excellent pick for that as well. He has some really interesting tools. Believe he was set to come back near the end of the season. JT Ginn fits the injured category but if you want him you better take him in the first, so not sure if that's the answer you're looking for. Is Kevin Abel that guy? He was pretty good before all the injuries. Loyola Marymount RHP Nick Frasso actually might be my favorite answer for this question. That guy is interesting.

Edited June 13, 2020 by BlueRocky

[DigitalRock]

Where them Shatkins haters at? This org is set up nicely with a load of young talent.

[Spanky99]

Where them Shatkins haters at? This org is set up nicely with a load of young talent.

 

Not many on this forum.

[Krylian]

I think it's fair to say that the Jays will make a play at Betts. Whether the offer would be considered acceptable is a different story, but assuming the rumours of a tabled offer to Gerrit Cole were true, then it's likely safe to assume that Betts would interest the front office as well, and they have the financial flexibility to make things interesting if they choose to.

If that happens, the playoffs will be easy to make.

 

Exactly.

[Jimcanuck]

It's a very difficult path to a championship if the Jays do not make a couple more big free agent signings in addition to Ryu.

 

If championship is the goal, Betts is an ideal target.

[Krylian]

No idea who this guy is but thought I'd post it just cause

 

[Krylian]

[BlueRocky]

https://theathletic.com/1863718/2020/06/10/the-fire-and-fun-of-austin-martin-i-hate-losing-even-more-than-i-like-winning/

Harrison Ray remembers the first time he interacted with Austin Martin.

 

Ray wasn’t particularly impressed.

 

This was well before Ray and Martin played together at Vanderbilt, before they won a national championship in 2019, and before they provided constant entertainment for teammates through their jabbering and trash-talking.

 

It was back when Ray was nearly 8 and Martin was 6, the youngest player on the Central Florida Bobcats travel baseball team.

 

“He was shy, younger than everybody, smaller than everybody,” Ray said of Martin. “And just not the same attitude and same persona as the kid we now know as Austin.”

 

The kid we now know as Austin Martin is arguably the best all-around college baseball player in the country. So good that he was selected No. 5 overall by the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday in MLB’s annual first-year player draft.

 

A 6-foot, 170-pound, premium athlete from Jacksonville, Fla., Martin has tremendous barrel-to-ball skills, burgeoning power, solid speed and the ability to play multiple defensive positions, including center field, third base, second base and shortstop. He also has an all-consuming will to win.

 

But back when he was a 6-year-old tossed onto a travel team of older boys?

 

“He really wasn’t good at that age,” Ray said. “That’s the funny part about the whole story. He was just the kid that we threw out in left field just because.”

 

Martin was a star shortstop at Trinity Christian Academy in Jacksonville and won a Florida state championship as a sophomore. He was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 37th round in 2017 but chose to attend Vanderbilt.

 

It seemed like an odd fit. Martin was a free spirit, a little rough around the edges. Vanderbilt is a private university in Nashville that’s occasionally referred to as “Harvard of the South.”

 

But DJ Svihlik, then the Commodores’ recruiting coordinator, loved Martin’s ability and versatility and thought he could help Vanderbilt’s perennial contending ballclub. When head coach Tim Corbin met Martin, he liked the kid right away.

 

“You could detect there was immediate confidence. It was real. … There was something about him that was real,” Corbin said. “He probably did not have Vanderbilt on his radar of schools, initially. He probably didn’t see the importance of private school education. And then, once he got here, he grew into a Vanderbilt student-athlete.”

 

Initially, some of the older players on the team weren’t quite sure about Martin. It’s not that he was disrespectful or arrogant, but he also wasn’t a typical awestruck freshman.

 

“It was an interesting first impression coming in. He came in a lot louder than some other guys,” said Julian Infante, a Miami Marlins minor leaguer who was a Vanderbilt junior in Martin’s freshman year. “I didn’t care, but a lot of guys, obviously, can be offended or get scared off by that initially. But I like when people bring their own personalities into a program and obviously mold into it but keep their personalities.”

 

Martin, now 21, remains a distinct individual. His friends say he has an artistic flair and is excellent at freestyle rap. With time off during the pandemic, he’s been learning how to play the ukulele. His style of dress is based on “the vibe” he is feeling. Last week, he wore a fedora for the first time because “the vibe said wear a fedora, so I came out wearing a fedora.”

 

Corbin finds it endearing that Martin hasn’t lost his individuality even as he tempered his personality, his brashness, to fit in with older teammates such as Infante.

 

“It’s just taking sandpaper and filing people down to a point that they start to understand that I can be me, I can be comfortable in my own skin. But now I can start to understand the abilities of other people and … how I have to blend with a group of people rather than being the rock that’s thrown into a blender that just stops the blending process,” Corbin said. “I think, for Austin, he just learned how to blend with a group of people over time because he was around the right type of people.”

 

Early in Martin’s sophomore year, he was late to a few classes, which Corbin deems unacceptable. So, Martin had to sit out a three-game series.

 

“For 18 years, when I’ve sent someone back for games, they just don’t show up,” Corbin said. “So, I sent him home, back to the dorms, and the kid unlike any other person before, he came back to the stadium and watched us play.”

 

But Martin didn’t sneak into the outfield bleachers where he couldn’t be seen. With a hoodie sweatshirt pulled over his head, Martin spent three games next to Corbin’s wife, Maggie, who sits right behind home plate.

 

“That was really for Coach Corbin, because I know he doesn’t think that I notice, but during the games, I notice he peeks up there a lot,” Martin said. “So, I definitely had to place myself right next to her. But the whole reason I was there was to watch my guys play.”

 

It was a flash of true character that Corbin will never forget.

 

“That’s awesome. That kid wants to be there. He’s in pain because he can’t play,” Corbin said. “But he’s also telling the coach, ‘All right. I’ll do that, but this is what I’m gonna do.’ So, you saw the compete in his actions, just by how he was wearing the punishment.”

 

Last fall, Martin had the opportunity to become a leader and work with Vanderbilt’s younger players. He was held out of scrimmages because of a minor knee issue, but instead of watching from the dugout, he was in the coach’s box, instructing his teammates.

 

“Just him being there, coaching, helping, talking to guys, talking them through different situations,” said Ray, Vanderbilt’s senior second baseman and Martin’s former youth teammate. “I just saw him truly mature, truly saw what he could do as a leader with that opportunity. It was pretty cool for me to just sit there and see like the 6-year-old I knew and then truly see him turn into this great player, this great person and great leader.”

 

 

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt)

Elite athletes often reach that status because they want it more than everyone else. It goes beyond simply wanting to win.

 

“Truth be told, I hate losing even more than I like winning. I just don’t like when people have an upper hand on me. In anything,” Martin said. “From on the field, to video games to card games with my 4-year-old sister. It doesn’t matter. I am there to win every single time. And I’ll let you know when I do it, too.”

 

Like the time Martin got a Mortal Kombat video game and began boasting that he was unbeatable. He invited Ray over to his dorm to play. Somehow, Ray won three straight times and left the room as an undisputed champion.

 

The next day, Martin made Ray return to play again.

 

“That time, I didn’t even come close to winning, and I think we played like five or six times. I had no shot,” Ray said. “I think I just walked out of the room on the last one. And I didn’t talk to anybody for the rest of the night. He definitely practiced all day.”

 

“That might be a true story,” Martin said, laughing. “Of course, I was up all night (practicing).”

 

Martin’s and Ray’s chirping sessions are legendary at Vanderbilt. They’re always jawing while taking infield reps or getting on everyone during batting practice.

 

“They are both really smart, so when they hit in the same BP group, it’s just fun being around them because they go back and forth on each other,” said Vanderbilt hitting coach Mike Baxter.

 

Baxter said Martin has “a pretty sharp tongue” but also an uncanny ability to read people and make the environment fun.

 

“He’s very aware, and he’s got a great feel of people around him and their personalities and their behaviors,” Baxter said. “So, when he pops off, whether it is to (Ray) or anybody, it’s usually pretty on-target.”

 

When the games occur, though, Martin reels in the emotions and the trash talking. That’s when the business at hand is winning.

 

Corbin said he believes great players who become great leaders have the ability to coax their teammates beyond what they think they can do on the field, then have an empathetic ear and a caring heart when the games end. Martin, he said, possesses that trait.

 

“I think that’s the part of leadership that’s unique,” Corbin said. “The guy that can get between the white lines and can push people, but then can get away from the white lines and can sit down with people and can talk and listen to them.”

 

When the COVID-19 pandemic halted the college baseball season in March, Martin was 16 games into what was shaping up as his best season.

 

He was hitting .377 with a career-high 1.168 OPS. He had three homers, three steals, 10 walks and only two strikeouts in 69 plate appearances. A young Vanderbilt squad was 13-5.

 

“I wish the season would have played out. I had high hopes for the team this year,” he said. “But I’m just grateful that I had that time spent at Vanderbilt and I’m grateful now that I get extra time with some of my family.”

 

That’s a been a consistent theme throughout Martin’s life: a closeness to his family.

 

His father, Chris, an air traffic controller, and his mother, Daisy, a registered nurse, are no longer together, but Martin remains extremely close to both and to his two sisters.

 

Jenessa, 15, is “extremely smart. She’s going on summer camps to Harvard. She’s had the opportunity to meet Nobel Prize winners.” Then there’s 4-year-old Leilani, who is often the primary subject when Martin returns to Nashville after being at home on break.

 

“That right there is probably the pride and joy of his life, his littlest sister. He is always showing me a picture of her, showing me a video,” Ray said. “That’s definitely big for him, just the love for his family.”

 

Making his parents proud and paving a path for his siblings are always at the forefront of his mind, Martin said.

 

“My parents are great role models for (my sisters) to look up to,” he said. “But I do want to show them that anything you want to do in life, if you put your mind to it and you work hard enough, you can accomplish anything.”

 

Well, almost anything. He has had one thing trip him up in the past year or so. It just happens to be Infante’s favorite story about Martin.

 

When they lived together last year in a dorm apartment, they decided to get a dog. In between classes and practice, they went to an animal shelter and fell in love with a pit terrier named Skyy who remained calm and happy while the rest of the animals howled and barked.

 

“We buy her that day, take her back to the dorm,” Martin said. “Then all hell broke loose.”

 

For some reason, Infante said, Skyy targeted Martin.

 

“This dog had a great personality, a great dog,” Infante said. “But every time we would come back to the room, she had eaten something of Austin’s. She destroyed his Beats headphones, so he was pissed about that. She would rip up his homework.”

 

Martin tried to roll with it. But it was like the dog was testing him.

 

“It just got to a point where Austin just despised the dog,” said Infante, whom the Marlins drafted in the 36th round last year. “We still loved her in every way. But she literally picked on him, which I found hilarious.”

 

Ultimately, Martin’s three roommates cut him a break. They found a family in Nashville who could give Skyy a better life and they rehomed her. Martin still gets teased about the dog that ate his homework — and ate nearly everything else — but he tries to keep a sense of humor about it.

 

“She peed on Julian’s bed at least 100 times that year, which was funny to me,” Martin said. “I enjoyed that, but that was the only time we got along.”

 

 

(Courtesy of Vanderbilt)

Offensively, there are no obvious concerns about the right-handed hitter who seemingly barrels every hittable pitch he sees.

 

“He has a superior ability to cover multiple speeds on the amateur level. That’s what always stood out to me. He didn’t have to cheat to a pitch to get to it,” said Baxter, who spent parts of six seasons in the majors. “He could sit on a fastball and hammer a breaking ball that was hung. That’s a very advanced skill. There are a lot of big leaguers that can’t do that, in all honesty.”

 

Martin hit 14 homers in two-plus years as a collegian, but the power is developing, and Baxter believes Martin can be a 20-plus-homer guy in the majors while stealing bases and hitting for a high average. Maybe an Anthony Rendon type of hitter if he progresses.

 

“This is gonna be an all-around offensive player in the big leagues,” Baxter said. “He’s exactly where he should be at 21 years old. He’s got room in the frame, and he has developed an elite barrel. You look at this kid in five years, he’s gonna be physical. He’s gonna be physically much stronger than he is now.”

 

If there is any question about Martin, it’s tied to his defense. Where will he play in the majors?

 

“I think he could turn out be one of the better players at (whatever) position he plays,” Ray said. “Whether that is center field, second base, third base, shortstop. I guess I see center field for him. I think he enjoys that a lot, loves the freedom out there to roam around and track balls down.”

 

As a freshman, Martin started at five positions and DH. As a sophomore, he primarily played third base and was named to the SEC all-defensive team. This year, he started the season at third but moved to center field early in the year when the Commodores had a need.

 

“The reason you move people around in certain positions is because they can. And the second reason you move people around is because you trust them. If you don’t trust them to do it, then you don’t do it,” Corbin said. “He did it here because he could, and because he could do it well.”

 

Corbin said Martin could master any position if given enough reps. If it were up to him, Corbin said, he would make sure Martin was around the action as much as possible.

 

“I think you want him in the middle of the field,” Corbin said. “I think you just want him as a triangle player. And a triangle player, at least the way we talk about kids, is second, short, center.”

 

Martin was almost exclusively a shortstop until getting to Vanderbilt. He said he’d be fine with settling on one spot again if that is what a team wanted.

 

“I’m always curious to find out if I stuck at one position, how good I could get there,” Martin said. “But that also doesn’t mean I’m saying I don’t like and value that I’m a utility player.”

 

To continue the overriding themes here, Martin is confident he can succeed wherever he is placed. He just wants to give his team the best chance to — you guessed it — win.

 

“My answer will always be, ‘Where do you need me to help you guys win?’” Martin said. “There’s no set thing in my heart about playing anywhere. I just want to go play. That’s it.

 

“Just give me a bat, give me a glove, put me in a lineup and let’s play.”

 

Great article on Austin Martin.

The Athletic is not expensive and really worth it for content like this.

[THANOS]

“Truth be told, I hate losing even more than I like winning. I just don’t like when people have an upper hand on me. In anything,” Martin said. “From on the field, to video games to card games with my 4-year-old sister. It doesn’t matter. I am there to win every single time. And I’ll let you know when I do it, too.”

 

That part there ^

 

https://media.tenor.com/images/a823e1b6d167ebba7ea97b828d085557/tenor.gif

[Slade]

 

Sounds like he's already got his deal.

[Forever92]

Sounds like great draft. I don't know my prospects but most excitement I have seen over a Jays draft ever.

[BlueRocky]

UDFA is officially openned, Baseball America setup a tracker here: https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2020-mlb-undrafted-free-agent-tracker-agreements-for-all-30-teams/#BlueJays

 

Let’s see how many 20K signings we’ll get.

[Krylian]

MATT JONES: Arkansas Hogs' coach Dave Van Horn expects third round pick OF David Calabrese, of Ontario Blue Jays to sign with the Los Angeles Angels. @Angels @OntarioBlueJays

 

https://t.co/5AkBcEx8J6

[jaysguy44]

Hype

 

 

[King]

High Schoolers who would have signed for hundreds of thousands are now signing for 20k. This is madness

[TheHurl]

High Schoolers who would have signed for hundreds of thousands are now signing for 20k. This is madness

 

I would love to know what s*** the scouts are feeding them. No summer league...too many players on college teams, you won't get looks. With no pro ball you will be watched directly by big league evaluators at the training facility.

[L54]

Why the f*** would a single high schooler sign for 20k? They should fire their advisors immediately

[BlueRocky]

Hype

 

 

 

Would Martin post “new beginnings” if the deal wasn’t done?

[AintNoThang]

High Schoolers who would have signed for hundreds of thousands are now signing for 20k. This is madness

 

Who of interest has signed?

[Krylian]

Would Martin post “new beginnings” if the deal wasn’t done?

 

Yes.

 

Yu Darvish has taught me to not count my chickens.

[TheHurl]

Why the f*** would a single high schooler sign for 20k? They should fire their advisors immediately

 

I had a bad non scholarship college experience (leaving in my first year) and I still wouldn't give that up for $20k even in hindsight. L54, if you had a time machine do you have an amount that you would accept to forgo your college?