Cole Carlon: The Blue Jays Draft a Pitcher Who Was on Many Teams’ Radar

The MLB draft began today.

The White Sox held the No. 1 overall pick. And if you want to know how to pronounce Roch Cholowsky's name, don't ask the commissioner…

In Canada, people are mainly watching what the Toronto Blue Jays are doing and which Canadian prospects are being drafted.

Among Canadians, outfielder Carter Beck was notably the Braves' first-round pick, 26th overall. #AlexAnthopoulos

And what about the Blue Jays?

The team didn't have a pick until the 39th spot, and the Toronto Blue Jays set their sights on pitcher Cole Carlon.

He's a left-handed pitcher who had been pitching at Arizona (NCAA) for several seasons but has only been a starter for the past year.

That said, several rival teams had their eyes on him before the 39th pick. Why?

Because he's 6'5″ and his release point—à la Trey Yesavage—is higher than average. Because his fastball approaches 100 miles per hour. Because his slider is worth the trip. Because he struck out 133 batters in 83.2 innings.

It's too early to tell whether the pitcher will remain a starter in the pros. But in any case, the Blue Jays have acquired an intriguing arm with a high ceiling.

• The 103rd overall pick in the draft.

• Jim Thome's son in Chicago.

• LeBron in Ohio…

• The Top 10.

• Yoshinobu Yamamoto will not pitch in the All-Star Game.

Created by humans, assisted by AI.