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Blue Jays' Best Value Pick Also Became Their Biggest Draft Surprise
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- Blue Jays' Best Value Pick Also Became Their Biggest Draft Surprise
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Toronto selected Christian Brothers High School catcher Will Brick with the No. 131 pick, adding a player who had been viewed much higher by several public evaluators. Baseball America ranked Brick No. 61 on its BA 500 and described him as a five-star prep catcher, making his fall into the fourth round an interesting development.
The reason Brick stood out starts behind the plate. Perfect Game's latest showcase report praised his "elite level athleticism and actions behind the plate," along with quickness out of his crouch, accurate throws and a good throwing arm. That gives Toronto a catcher who has a real chance to stick at the position and be very good at it.
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The offensive side gives the pick more upside. Brick hit .562 with five home runs, 25 RBI, 28 runs scored, a .651 on-base percentage and a .921 slugging percentage this past spring. Those numbers wont hold up in pro ball, but they are an indication that his offense could be a very valuable tool if it refined.
Brick Brings More Than Tools
Brick also appears to bring strong makeup to the position. His coach at Christian Brothers, Jason Motte , told Gatorade that Brick "knows the game" and praised his ability to "captain the game from behind the plate." Motte also pointed to Brick's passion and willingness to make others around him better.
Being a catcher goes beyond receiving, throwing and blocking. Catchers are asked to guide pitchers, manage the rhythm of a game and earn trust from the staff. If Brick already has those leadership traits, it gives the Blue Jays another reason to believe his skill set can translate to the next level.
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The likely reason Brick fell all the way to No. 131 was the ability to entice him to skip college. With a Mississippi State commitment attached to his profile, teams may have wondered whether he would be willing to begin his pro career rather than cut his teeth at a Divison I college where playing time would be easy to come by.
The Blue Jays making the pick suggests they are confident they can get a deal done. If that confidence turns into a commitment from Brick, then the Blue Jays will have managed to land one of the best high school catchers in the nation in the fourth round.
It will take years to know exactly how the pick pans out, but as of now, it seems that the Blue Jays found more value at No. 131 than anyone expected.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/bluejays/onsi as Blue Jays' Best Value Pick Also Became Their Biggest Draft Surprise .
