Article: Twins Select Tyler Jay Sixth Overall

[Cody Christie]

With the number six pick in the 2015 MLB Draft, the Twins selected Tyler Jay, a left-handed pitcher from Illinois. This was a pick that was hard to peg down as there was no consensus on what would happen with the early picks in the draft. To read more about Jay, check out his Twins Daily pre-draft profile.Leading up to the sixth pick, the Arizona Diamondbacks had the first overall pick for the first time since 2005 when they selected Justin Upton. Arizona selected college shortstop Dansby Swanson out of Vanderbilt University. There was no clear-cut number one player in this year's draft so the Diamondbacks went with the player they were rumored to be zeroed in on over the last few days.

 

They were followed by the Houston Astros who were compensated for not signing 2014 No. 1 overall pick Brady Aiken. On a day when 2012 first overall pick Carlos Correa was making his MLB debut, Houston took another shortstop Alex Bregman. Colorado kept the early trend alive by taking Brendan Rodgers, the third straight shortstop selected. This was the first time in MLB history where shortstops were taken with the first three picks.

 

Dillion Tate became the first pitcher off the board when the Texas Rangers took him fourth overall. Houston had two of the top five picks and they took high school outfielder Kyle Tucker. His brother Preston Tucker already plays for the Astros.

 

The Twins left players like Daz Cameron, Carson Fulmer, and Andrew Benintendi on the board.

 

Feel free to discuss the Twins selection in the comments below and check back at Twins Daily over the next couple days as the 2015 MLB Draft continues.

 

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[DaveTMpls]

I am a big fan of this pick. I've wanted the Twins to pick a LHP with their first pick since they began the season with five right-handed starters.

[gunnarthor]

I'm ok with the pick. I figure they'll put him in the pen for the rest of the year and then let him start next year. 

[Captain Hindsight]

Sigh...Not the name I was hoping to hear. Hopefully this kid makes me look like a fool for doubting him. 

[Boom Boom]

In general I'm not a fan of selecting relievers this high in the draft, even if the plan is to turn him into a starter.

[mnsportsgeek]

Not a fan of this pick. I like him as a reliever, but you don't take a guy this high and keep him as a reliever. We're going to ruin him trying to turn him into a starter.

[Dman]

Guy has shut down stuff. Rockies were gonna take him at three and I bet the Whitie sox would have grabbed him had he fallen to them. Most scouts felt he had the stuff to start. Twins converted Duffy they can convert Jay.

[Winston Smith]

I'll let you know what I think of this pick in about 5 years.

[Thrylos]

Really happy that the Twins picked need (LHSP) for once, instead of someone's kid or grand kid. 

 

On the other hand, I don't think that Jay was the best LHP arm available.  

 

He has started a grand total of one (1) game in College, but he has a plus to plus plus FB that sits in the mid 90s and peaks to the high 90s (as a reliever) which he commands and controls well, a plus slider, and an average plus hammer curve.  Pretty sure that he will learn the change in this system now and he might have success.   Endurance is the key here.   Speaking of, people are going to say that he is too short to be an effective starter.  He is Jimmy Key's size, but profiles more of a strikeout pitcher.  I'd take Jimmy Key with 30% more strike outs any spot on a draft.

 

Not a bad pick, and thrilled that the Twins picked a LHP (finally.)

[Brock Beauchamp]

I am a big fan of this pick. I've wanted the Twins to pick a LHP with their first pick since they began the season with five right-handed starters.

While I have no real opinion on this pick, drafting for need is the biggest mistake one can make in baseball.

[Siehbiscuit]

Completely disagree on "ruining" him by having him start. There's no basis for this. He hasn't only been a three out guy.

 

The kids arm has low mileage and has 3 good pitches. Give the kid a chance.

[gunnarthor]

BA on him: “The pitcher more scouts seem to believe in than ever is Illinois lefthander Tyler Jay. It is ironic to say the least that it’s the college closer in Jay—who leads the nation in ERA and ranks fifth in strikeout-to-walk ratio—whom most scouts believe can start, and the two starters scouts see as big league impact relievers in Fulmer and Tate. “If you’re going to take a short college pitcher,” one scouting director said, “and you compare Jay to Fulmer, Jay does it easier, does it cleaner. He throws as hard (92-96 mph), maybe not as firm as Tate but he’s no slouch. He has as good or better breaking ball (a devastating mid-80s slide piece). He’s shown a good changeup. He’s been extended. He’s as athletic. And he’s lefthanded.”

[wyatt827]

I hate this pick.. He's a reliever and I believe he turns into a Brian duensing type player. Woulda liked Whitley or Cameron even fulmer more

[twinssouth]

I like the pick. Power lefty hard to come by. Hits 98 and watching MLB.com, saying he has 3 pitches. Twins can take the Finnegan route last year where he ended up with the Royals in the pen and now back in the minors working as a starter. Read last week, a scout was saying, if he had been starting, he could have been the 1st pick in the draft. Pair him up with Melotakis when he comes back from TJ next year and we have some amazing lefty's in the minors; Jay, Melotakis, Gonsalves and maybe the best of the bunch in Thorpe.

 

Just doesn't sound like there are any sure bets in this draft, as to pitchers. The Rangers picked Tate at No. 4 and Mayo said he could end up in the pen. So, looks like a crapshoot this year. I just wanted the highest upside guy. Since it's not Aiken, I'm happy with Jay.

[Monkeypaws]

 

Completely disagree on "ruining" him by having him start. There's no basis for this. He hasn't only been a three out guy. The kids arm has low mileage and has 3 good pitches. Give the kid a chance.

And no command issues.

Not who I was looking for, but I like the pick a lot. 

 

Here's hoping he isn't Ryan Mills 2.0. Looks like he has all you could want apart from "downward plane."

 

Nice add to the system.

 

[SwainZag]

 

I hate this pick.. He's a reliever and I believe he turns into a Brian duensing type player. Woulda liked Whitley or Cameron even fulmer more

 

Duensing could and will not ever come close to hitting 98 on the gun.

[markos]

I'm not thrilled about this pick, but there wasn't anyone left who I liked a ton better. I'm definitely going to cheer for the kid, and I hope that he makes the adjustment to the rotation without any issues. But he has only picked 122 innings total in his college career, so it will be a big question mark if he can adjust to 180+ innings per season.

[30whales]

I know that an easy comparison for Jay is Sale but is that very accurate? I honestly don't know and am asking. He said on MLBNetwork that he has kind of modeled his game after Billy Wagner as of late. Hopefully that can be a starting like Billy Wagner though.

[Monkeypaws]

That's the truth Markos - I liked the Red Sox pick, but in my shortsighted manner, the Twins apparently got the best LHP in the draft. Filled a need, perhaps bpa, no complaints.

[Monkeypaws]

Actually, none of the top three pitchers taken, up to pick 16, are bigger than Tate at 6'2". Our guy is 6'1.

 

A trend?

[ALessKosherScott]

I hate this pick.. He's a reliever and I believe he turns into a Brian duensing type player. Woulda liked Whitley or Cameron even fulmer more

I'm not a fan of this pick either. Any time the Twins take a pitcher with any kind of effort in his delivery it never ends well (Mills, Johnson, Wimmers, Hunt). But to be fair to Jay, he's more Perkins than Duensing.

[nicksaviking]

I know that an easy comparison for Jay is Sale but is that very accurate? I honestly don't know and am asking. He said on MLBNetwork that he has kind of modeled his game after Billy Wagner as of late. Hopefully that can be a starting like Billy Wagner though.

Sale was a starter and threw just as hard as Jay does from the pen. The Twins better be sure that mid 90s fastball as a reliever doesn't turn into a low 90s fastball as a starter. Good luck with that.

 

I hope it works out, and there's no reason he can't be the first from the draft class to the MLB level, but the team's record of drafting pitchers buys them no benefit of the doubt.

[Monkeypaws]

I think there will be value in this pick - one way or another

[PseudoSABR]

Has there been any question from actual scouts about his capacity to start? I certainly haven't heard any.

[cmb0252]

Turned off the TV after the pick. Just don't see it. Hopefully I'm wrong....

[Bob Sacamento]

Baseball America's Scouting Report on Tyler Jay:

 

Jay was a prep punter and punt returner in football and has a muscular, athletic 6-foot-1, 185-pound frame. He's has taken off as Illinois' closer during the Illini's storybook 2015 season, which included a 24-game win streak. Jay first emerged as the closer as a sophomore, earning a spot with USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team as the only lefthander in the bullpen. While he excels in a short-relief role, he's held firm stuff over extended outings, such as a five-inning early-season start against Lamar and a six-inning outing at Penn State. He ranked second in the nation in ERA and was overpowering hitters with a 92-96 mph fastball from a quick-armed, high-energy delivery with a long stride and deception. Scouts were mixed on whether or not Jay could start, but he'd maintained similar velocity when extended, and he's shown a four-pitch mix. His low 80s slider earns "wipeout" designation from scouts, while he locates both an average curveball and change. Jay was trending toward the top half of the first round and could be the first player from the draft class to reach the majors if he stays in a relief role.

[30whales]

I know drafting for need is not really the smart thing to do in the MLB Draft but we definitely needed a lefty starting prospect not many that I can think of other than Gonzalves.

[Bob Sacamento]

 

I know drafting for need is not really the smart thing to do in the MLB Draft but we definitely needed a lefty starting prospect not many that I can think of other than Gonzalves.

It just worked out that he's a lefty but the Twins took him as they believed he was the best player available.

[nicksaviking]

I know drafting for need is not really the smart thing to do in the MLB Draft but we definitely needed a lefty starting prospect .

You sure that's what they drafted?

[30whales]

 

You sure that's what they drafted?

 

Confident in it.