MLB Draft 2017: Blue Jays select Logan Warmoth with 22nd overall pick

With the 22nd overall pick, the Blue Jays have selected shortstop Logan Warmoth out of the University of North Carolina. In mock drafts, MLB.com had Warmoth to be selected with the 21st pick, Baseball America had him going with the 22nd pick, and ESPN.com had him going 23rd.

Warmoth took a huge step forward during his sophomore year breakout season as the full time shortstop for the Tar Heels and did not look back from there. Warmoth continued that momentum into his junior season leading the Heels’ offense with a .336/.404/.554 slash line in 2017. At the plate, Warmoth finally tapped into his power hitting 10 home runs, 19 doubles, and five triples, which allowed him to increase his slugging percentage by nearly 75 points between this spring and last spring. Warmoth also proved to be a dual threat on the bases swiping 18 bags in 21 attempts.

Warmoth’s numbers this season put him in the conversation as the best college middle infielder in this year’s draft. As a gifted hitter with the ability to use the entire field and control the zone, Warmoth has solid upside and could hit 15+ home runs per season at the big league level.

The 21-year-old shortstop has a decent arm to go along with average range which may give him a better future at second base in the majors. However, Warmoth has expressed interest in sticking at short for as long as he can, but said he is willing to make the shift to the other side of the infield depending on the needs of the ballclub.

As a player without any major concerns surrounding his game, Warmoth is a safe pick in the first round. He may not have any standout tools that would have put him in the conversation for being a top-10 pick, but he is a confident ballplayer all around and has the ability to become a solid player for Toronto.

Check out some highlights here:

For more on Warmoth, check out Chris Cotillo’s Q&A with him here.