Blue Jays 2022 Day 2 Draft Recap: Rounds 3-10
Two high school prospects headlined Toronto's four-player haul on Day 1 of the 2022 MLB Draft, with Brandon Barriera and Tucker Toman headlining the Jays' opening crop of picks. On Day 2, the organization changed strategies.
Toronto added eight collegiate vets from rounds three to 10 during the second day of draft selections this year, and here's a bit about those eight prospects who could soon join the farm system:
Round 3, 98th Overall — OF Alan Roden, Creighton
The Blue Jays put a premium on contact with some of their early-round selections, as Roden joins Cade Doughty and Josh Kasevich as some of the top contact players in the entire draft. The Creighton outfielder struck out just eight times in his 242 PA with the Blue Jays this year.
Roden was MLB Pipeline's 175th ranked player in the class ahead of the draft.
Round 4, 128th Overall — RHP Ryan Jennings, Louisiana Tech
Unranked on MLB and BA's pre-draft ranking, Jennings represented a Day 2 trend for the Jays, as one of eight college selections. In his 90.1 innings pitched (14 starts) for Louisiana Tech in 2022, Jennings posted a 5-1 record, 3.59 ERA, with 95 strikeouts and 37 walks.
Round 5, 158th Overall — LHP Mason Fluharty, Liberty
Round 6, 188th Overall — RHP T.J. Brock, Ohio State
The Blue Jays went back-to-back relievers with Fluharty and Brock in the middle rounds of Monday's selections.
In Fluharty, they have a spinning lefty who missed bats with a breaking cutter and sweeping slider for Liberty this season.
Brock reached 99 MPH with his fastball, paired with a high-80s slider, to close out games for the Buckeyes.
Round 7, 218th Overall — 1B Peyton Williams, Iowa
At 6-foot-5, 255-pounds, Williams is a 1B/DH with some heavy projectable power. He hit 21 homers during his 107 collegiate games with Iowa, ranking within the Big Ten's top 15 in homers and slugging percentage in 2022.
In April 2021, he hit a 430-foot grand slam against Minnesota that registered 109 MPH off the bat:
PEYTON WILLIAMS GRAND SLAMMA!!#Hawkeyes | #Hellerball pic.twitter.com/YiDJUhrENX
— Iowa Baseball (@UIBaseball) April 10, 2021
Round 8, 248th Overall — OF Dylan Rock, Texas A&M
A 23-year-old redshirt senior for the Aggies, Rock posted some of the best numbers in the SEC this year. His 1.109 OPS this year was ninth in the conference, just behind Astros first-round pick Drew Gilbert.
As an older player, Rock may not possess the highest ceiling of Toronto's selections, but with good bat speeds, pull power, and more walks than strikeouts with the Aggies this year he could climb into the Jays' mid-minors quickly.
Round 9, 248th Overall — RHP Devereaux Harrison, Long Beach State
Another college reliever, Harrison struggled in 2022 after dominance in the Dirtbags bullpen in 2020 and 2021. He posted a 6.15 ERA in 2021 (after seasons of 1.32 and 1.57) as his walks and homers ticked up and strikeouts fell this year. He flashes a mid-90s fastball, alongside a split change and slider.
Round 10, 248th Overall — LHP Ian Churchill, University of San Diego
After pitching in relief for Arizona in 2020 and 2021, Churchill transferred to San Diego this year and worked out of the rotation and 'pen. In 54 total innings (four starts) he struck out 9.5 batters per nine.
Churchill works from a lower left-side arm slot, flashing a fastball that sits just below 90 MPH.
Mitch Bannon is a baseball reporter for Sports Illustrated covering the Toronto Blue Jays and their minor league affiliates.Twitter: @MitchBannon