2020 Toronto Blue Jays Draft Results | Signings, Bonuses and Rumors

[glory]

The Jays channel just uploaded a short clip from an introductory meeting they held with Austin Martin:

 

Interesting tidbit:

 

 

 

Obviously we gave the kid $7M, but kid looks like he's genuinely enthused to be here. Really great to see.

 

Also probably incredibly relieved he doesn't have to play for teams with long rebuilds ahead of them like the O's or the Tigers.

 

The Jays are a perfect spot for draft picks. Super young team on the rise, pay minor leaguers more than most (all?), and we have recent history to show that once there’s a winner on the field the atmosphere is amazing (thank you Joey Bats). Plus Shapiro now has a history of successfully bringing Boras clients to Toronto. When you look at the top 5, Martin is probably relieved he wasn’t picked anywhere else, other than Miami (where the team sucks but a young millionaire would enjoy it).

[Ray]

The Jays are a perfect spot for draft picks. Super young team on the rise, pay minor leaguers more than most (all?), and we have recent history to show that once there’s a winner on the field the atmosphere is amazing (thank you Joey Bats). Plus Shapiro now has a history of successfully bringing Boras clients to Toronto. When you look at the top 5, Martin is probably relieved he wasn’t picked anywhere else, other than Miami (where the team sucks but a young millionaire would enjoy it).

 

Giants also increased minor league salaries and stipends.

[BlueRocky]

He’s from Jacksonville Florida. So getting picked by Miami would be like staying home.

 

Also I think their scouting director was from Vanderbilt and his teammate JJ Bleday is also there.

[max silver]

Giants also increased minor league salaries and stipends.

 

For guys like Martin who just pulled in a $7 million bonus it seems doubtful that the small salary increase would really factor in much if at all to him signing with the Jays. For guys like the undrafted free agents and later round picks (in normal draft years) the extra wages would likely be more on an enticement.

[BlueRocky]

[metafour]

What exactly was the logic with Detroit caving in to Boras like that on Torkelson?

[Deadpool]

What exactly was the logic with Detroit caving in to Boras like that on Torkelson?

 

Boras REALLY wanted that ivory back-scratcher...

[BlueRocky]

Torkelson great grandchildren’s college education and PlayStation XVI gaming setup won’t pay for itself.

[Boxcar]

Boras REALLY wanted that ivory back-scratcher...

 

Are you criticizing an agent for doing his job rather than Tigers ownership for caving to his demands?

[Deadpool]

Are you criticizing an agent for doing his job rather than Tigers ownership for caving to his demands?

 

I was making a joke comparing Boras to Monty Burns. Yes, I know Burns ivory back-scratcher was only $500, but that was at least 20 years ago and inflation...

[Laika]

What exactly was the logic with Detroit caving in to Boras like that on Torkelson?

 

It was basically slot value. I don't think you can call that caving. Detroit probably decided it wasn't worth jerking their preferred player around for a few hundred thousand dollars in order to maybe sign someone slightly better later on.

[metafour]

It was basically slot value. I don't think you can call that caving. Detroit probably decided it wasn't worth jerking their preferred player around for a few hundred thousand dollars in order to maybe sign someone slightly better later on.

 

It was full slot value - but the power behind the 1st overall pick is an assigned slot so high that its silly to just hand the whole thing over, which is why it rarely happens. Adley Rutschman set a new bonus record last year at $8.1 million, with the same slot value ($8.42 mill) as this year's 1st overall pick. Detroit just kind of blew that record out of the water with the full slot, and is Torkelson even a better prospect than Rutschman? I think that any time you hand over the full slot at #1, you are absolutely caving, because what power does the player actually have? I'm not really surprised because Detroit isn't exactly a "creative thinking" organization, but it really wasn't the best move to optimize their return.

[King]

It was full slot value - but the power behind the 1st overall pick is an assigned slot so high that its silly to just hand the whole thing over, which is why it rarely happens. Adley Rutschman set a new bonus record last year at $8.1 million, with the same slot value ($8.42 mill) as this year's 1st overall pick. Detroit just kind of blew that record out of the water with the full slot, and is Torkelson even a better prospect than Rutschman? I think that any time you hand over the full slot at #1, you are absolutely caving, because what power does the player actually have? I'm not really surprised because Detroit isn't exactly a "creative thinking" organization, but it really wasn't the best move to optimize their return.

 

Does it matter? I am sure that Detroit decided it wasn't worth jerking their player around for a few hundred thousand dollars in order to possibly sign someone slightly better later on.

[Laika]

It was full slot value - but the power behind the 1st overall pick is an assigned slot so high that its silly to just hand the whole thing over, which is why it rarely happens. Adley Rutschman set a new bonus record last year at $8.1 million, with the same slot value ($8.42 mill) as this year's 1st overall pick. Detroit just kind of blew that record out of the water with the full slot, and is Torkelson even a better prospect than Rutschman? I think that any time you hand over the full slot at #1, you are absolutely caving, because what power does the player actually have? I'm not really surprised because Detroit isn't exactly a "creative thinking" organization, but it really wasn't the best move to optimize their return.

 

No, but it was perhaps the best move to optimize their relationship with TORK!

[metafour]

Does it matter? I am sure that Detroit decided it wasn't worth jerking their player around for a few hundred thousand dollars in order to possibly sign someone slightly better later on.

 

Does it matter? Probably not, but a smart organization strives to squeeze out every efficiency available to them, down to the last drop. Is Detroit a smart organization?

 

What they did was pointless and to no benefit of themselves. I don't believe that any offer similar to what Rutschman signed for last year would be "jerking Torkelson around", especially considering that he offers virtually no defensive value. The fact that he even went 1-1 as a RHB 1B-type is already a "record breaking" draft moment.

 

I never claimed it was some colossal mistake - but it sure as s*** wasn't optimal planning and negotiation.

[John_Havok]

Does it matter? Probably not, but a smart organization strives to squeeze out every efficiency available to them, down to the last drop. Is Detroit a smart organization?

 

What they did was pointless and to no benefit of themselves. I don't believe that any offer similar to what Rutschman signed for last year would be "jerking Torkelson around", especially considering that he offers virtually no defensive value. The fact that he even went 1-1 as a RHB 1B-type is already a "record breaking" draft moment.

 

I never claimed it was some colossal mistake - but it sure as s*** wasn't optimal planning and negotiation.

 

He was a junior, could have easily went back to school and went #1 again next year to some other team willing to give him the full slot.

 

You don’t dick around the kind of talent that breaks Barry Bonds college records and would have set the all time College HR record if not for COVID. Why quibble over a few hundred grand when next year the slot is likely going to be even higher

[TheHurl]

It was full slot value - but the power behind the 1st overall pick is an assigned slot so high that its silly to just hand the whole thing over, which is why it rarely happens. Adley Rutschman set a new bonus record last year at $8.1 million, with the same slot value ($8.42 mill) as this year's 1st overall pick. Detroit just kind of blew that record out of the water with the full slot, and is Torkelson even a better prospect than Rutschman? I think that any time you hand over the full slot at #1, you are absolutely caving, because what power does the player actually have? I'm not really surprised because Detroit isn't exactly a "creative thinking" organization, but it really wasn't the best move to optimize their return.

 

Adley and Gunnar Henderson both were BHSC clients. Baltimore had the upper hand in dealing there.

[Spanky99]

He was a junior, could have easily went back to school and went #1 again next year to some other team willing to give him the full slot.

 

You don’t dick around the kind of talent that breaks Barry Bonds college records and would have set the all time College HR record if not for COVID. Why quibble over a few hundred grand when next year the slot is likely going to be even higher

 

Would be very easy to do so in a Covid year as well. There was no point in f***ing around to squeeze a bit of money.

[metafour]

He was a junior, could have easily went back to school and went #1 again next year to some other team willing to give him the full slot.

 

You don’t dick around the kind of talent that breaks Barry Bonds college records and would have set the all time College HR record if not for COVID. Why quibble over a few hundred grand when next year the slot is likely going to be even higher

 

I had an entire post lined up to respond to this that could axed as I was trying to post it.

 

No, Torkelson would not have made any more money next season as a Senior with no leverage. He would have almost certainly lost money. No team is going to give a Senior the #1 overall slot when they have zero reason to. They don't even give the full slot to Juniors (which is the entire point of this discussion).

 

Playing the market appropriately is not "dicking" anyone around. Austin Martin was every bit "deserving" of the full #2 overall slot ($7.79 million) on talent and yet we "only" gave him $7 million. Were we "dicking him around"? We could have easily punted the Trent Palmer pick entirely and paid Martin the full #2 slot like he wanted from Baltimore. We of course didn't, because we accurately understood that $7 million was a fair offer and that he'd be foolish to test the waters for more money next season. Even Boras understood that.

 

Also, you're out to lunch if you think that the slot values are going to increase next year. They stayed the same from 2019 to 2020 and are obviously tied to league financial performance. We're playing a 60-game season...why the hell would MLB and the Owners agree to INCREASE the amateur slots next year? If anything, the slots will DROP to reflect the shortened season.

[Laika]

I had an entire post lined up to respond to this that could axed as I was trying to post it.

 

No, Torkelson would not have made any more money next season as a Senior with no leverage. He would have almost certainly lost money. No team is going to give a Senior the #1 overall slot when they have zero reason to. They don't even give the full slot to Juniors (which is the entire point of this discussion).

 

Playing the market appropriately is not "dicking" anyone around. Austin Martin was every bit "deserving" of the full #2 overall slot ($7.79 million) on talent and yet we "only" gave him $7 million. Were we "dicking him around"? We could have easily punted the Trent Palmer pick entirely and paid Martin the full #2 slot like he wanted from Baltimore. We of course didn't, because we accurately understood that $7 million was a fair offer and that he'd be foolish to test the waters for more money next season. Even Boras understood that.

Also, you're out to lunch if you think that the slot values are going to increase next year. They stayed the same from 2019 to 2020 and are obviously tied to league financial performance. We're playing a 60-game season...why the hell would MLB and the Owners agree to INCREASE the amateur slots next year? If anything, the slots will DROP to reflect the shortened season.

 

Toronto picked Martin 5th and paid him the 2nd highest bonus in the draft, $800k over slot. Toronto dicked around Nick Frasso a bit to appease Martin. Your above bolded paragraph is just confused and does not make a clear point.

[metafour]

Toronto picked Martin 5th and paid him the 2nd highest bonus in the draft, $800k over slot. Toronto dicked around Nick Frasso a bit to appease Martin. Your above bolded paragraph is just confused and does not make a clear point.

 

Its not confused at all.

 

Had Detroit given Torkelson a little bit more than what Rutschman received last year, he still would have been the highest paid player in this draft - by over a million dollars. Thats the entire reason why virtually every #1 pick under the current system signs for under-slot: even under-slot at #1 is more than anyone else is going to get, and its more than what the player would receive the following year as well.

 

We did not dick anyone around. Frasso was signed for an amount that he agreed upon before even being selected. Thats how these things work under the current system.

[Laika]

Its not confused at all.

 

Had Detroit given Torkelson a little bit more than what Rutschman received last year, he still would have been the highest paid player in this draft - by over a million dollars. Thats the entire reason why virtually every #1 pick under the current system signs for under-slot: even under-slot at #1 is more than anyone else is going to get, and its more than what the player would receive the following year as well.

 

We did not dick anyone around. Frasso was signed for an amount that he agreed upon before even being selected. Thats how these things work under the current system.

 

Your point about Martin made no sense - that was all I was saying.

 

For all we know the Orioles or Marlins were prepared to give Torkelson $8M+ if Detroit let him slide.

 

I generally agree though that Detroit does not have an impressive front office so it is possible that they just got out-negotiated by a superstar agent.

[metafour]

Your point about Martin made no sense - that was all I was saying.

 

It makes entirely perfect sense. The argument that you guys are presenting is that Torkelson is fully deserving of the #1 slot, and thus giving him say "only" ~$8.1 million is "dicking him around". So much so, that supposedly he could just go back to school and get the full slot next year as a Senior (he absolutely wouldn't, in fact he'd get low-balled regardless of what records he broke). By the same logic, I think we'd all agree that Martin is "worthy" of the full #2 slot, especially when there is an argument to be made that he's just as good a prospect or better than Torkelson depending on the parameters one looks at. He obviously wanted the full slot from Baltimore - and dropped past their pick because of it. So following that thought process, we dicked Martin around by not meeting his demands, because we in fact didn't even give him the slot value of the #3 overall pick ($7.22 million). Saying that he got the 2nd highest bonus doesn't disprove this line of logic, as my argument isn't resting on Detroit hypothetically low-balling Torkelson in any way - my only claim was that giving him the full #1 slot was unnecessarily caving and that a more data-driven team would have maximized the bargaining power that inherently comes with the holding the #1 overall pick, which they didn't do.

 

For all we know the Orioles or Marlins were prepared to give Torkelson $8M+ if Detroit let him slide.

 

But my argument is that Detroit would still be offering him $8+ million, with Adley Rutschman's bonus last year as the barometer for Detroit's hypothetical offer. They just went ahead and gave him $300K+ more than what Rutschman signed for last year, and they really didn't have to do that, nor did they make a smart move by not doing more diligent negotiating. Torkelson really has no legitimate bargaining power in turning down $8+ million, just like Martin had no real bargaining power in turning down $7 million from us even though it was less than what he obviously was hoping to receive.

[Laika]

It makes entirely perfect sense. The argument that you guys are presenting is that Torkelson is fully deserving of the #1 slot, and thus giving him say "only" ~$8.1 million is "dicking him around". So much so, that supposedly he could just go back to school and get the full slot next year as a Senior (he absolutely wouldn't, in fact he'd get low-balled regardless of what records he broke). By the same logic, I think we'd all agree that Martin is "worthy" of the full #2 slot, especially when there is an argument to be made that he's just as good a prospect or better than Torkelson depending on the parameters one looks at. He obviously wanted the full slot from Baltimore - and dropped past their pick because of it. So following that thought process, we dicked Martin around by not meeting his demands, because we in fact didn't even give him the slot value of the #3 overall pick ($7.22 million). Saying that he got the 2nd highest bonus doesn't disprove this line of logic, as my argument isn't resting on Detroit hypothetically low-balling Torkelson in any way - my only claim was that giving him the full #1 slot was unnecessarily caving and that a more data-driven team would have maximized the bargaining power that inherently comes with the holding the #1 overall pick, which they didn't do.

 

You tried but it still doesn't make sense. Martin's basis for making #2 slot value demands largely evaporated when he slid to the 5th pick.

 

To say that Toronto dicked Martin around by not giving into his demands is just some stubborn dumb f*** s***. Grow up metafour!!!!

[BlueRocky]

Okay so.. one side thinks the Tigers paid too much. Another side thinks Tigers did just fine.

 

Does it really matter? Didn’t Detroit sign all their picks? They had a pretty decent draft overall, Dinger, Cabrera and Workman are really good college players with some upside. Even Colt Keith is an interesting pick.

 

Edited July 22, 2020 by BlueRocky

[Spanky99]

Okay so.. one side thinks the Tigers paid too much. Another side thinks Tigers did just fine.

 

Does it really matter? Didn’t Detroit sign all their picks? They had a pretty decent draft overall, Dinger, Cabrera and Workman are really good college players with some upside. Even Colt Keith is an interesting pick.

 

You're right, it doesn't matter.

[Krylian]

Okay so.. one side thinks the Tigers paid too much. Another side thinks Tigers did just fine.

 

Does it really matter? Didn’t Detroit sign all their picks? They had a pretty decent draft overall, Dinger, Cabrera and Workman are really good college players with some upside. Even Colt Keith is an interesting pick.

 

 

It's all how you look at it. If they were able to save a few hundred thou with Tork then maybe they could've drafted a higher ceiling player(s) and have extra cash to throw at him/them. You can spin this argument any way you want.

[TwistedLogic]

Apologies for taking forever to update the original post. Everything is up to date now (not that it matters anymore).