This will be my first attempt at writing for a sports blog or publication. While most of my time has been spent on the subject of politics, I jumped at the opportunity to write for www.JaysProspects.com and embrace what has long be a love of mine – baseball – specifically pitchers.

The Toronto Blue Jays have been blessed with pitching opportunity after pitching opportunity in recent drafts. Those opportunities have turned into the likes of starting pitchers Brett Cecil and Jesse Listch, and current All-Star (and a personal favourite of mine) Ricky Romero.

With McGuire, what do the Blue Jays have on ‘Deck?

Last year, the Toronto Blue Jays General Manager, Alex Anthopoulos made the bold move of selecting Georgia Tech ace Deck Maguire. Pegged by many to go later, rather than earlier in the first round, McGuire was taken 11th overall by the Jays. I’ll admit to being initially hesitant on the move at first. McGuire did not seem to have the makings of a future Cy Young contender, nor was a pitcher necessarily what the team required.

However; McGuire has proven since his time as a professional began that he has what it takes to be a contributor at the major league level one day. To date; while doing his time with the Class A Dunedin Blue Jays, McGuire has gone 6-3 in 16 starts with a 2.72 ERA. As long as he can keep that ERA below 3.00 and take his starts deeper to bring up his win totals, he should be due to make an appearance in New Hampshire by next season.

McGuire brings to the mound a fastball with little to no movement that tops out just south of the 95 mph range. He balances that up with a solid slider that’ll push over the 85 mph mark and perhaps one of the more impressive changeups in Jays’ system today. What all this means for him and the Jays is a strike thrower with strong command and big presence on the mound. He’s good. There is no denying that.

But unfortunately, in my opinion, he won’t be the best. McGuire is just about at his ceiling. There’s no room for improvement. I believe hands down he is the best pitcher in the Jays system never to throw a pitch at the Major League level. But his fastball has a tendency to flatten out with overuse. There’s no doubt he’ll get his chance with the big club in Toronto eventually, but I would be surprised to see him as even a top three starter.