Blue Jays Select Sean Reid-Foley 49th Overall

June 6, 2014

	Date of Birth:	August 30, 1995 (18)
	Hometown:	Jacksonville, Florida
	Height:	6’3″
	Weight:	216 lbs
	Bats/Throws:	R/R
	Position:	RHP
	School:	Sandalwood HS (FLA)
	Commitment:	Florida State
	Baseball America Rank:	19th
	MLB.com Rank:	18th
	Perfect Game / Baseball Prospectus:	22nd

• Struck out all six batters he faced at 2013 Perfect Game national showcase
• Finished HS senior year with a 0.64 ERA and 120 strikeouts in 65 2/3 innings in 2014
• Finished HS with a two-year K:BB ratio of 5:1 (237:48) in 136 innings
• Will likely command more than the recommended slot value of $1,128,800

After selecting right-handed pitcher Jeff Hoffman (9th overall) and catcher Max Pentecost (11th overall), the Blue Jays when with their norm: a high school pitcher with tons of upside in right-hander Sean Reid-Foley. Under the Alex Anthopoulos regime, Blue Jays fans have been accustomed to hearing the words tall, athletic and projectable when it comes to high school arms — Reid-Foley fits the bill as that describes him perfectly. With his 6-foot-3,  216-pound frame, the 18-year-old still has room to develop a little more velocity on his fastball, which currently sits between 91 and 93 MPH currently and can touch the mid-90’s.

Reid-Foley combines good command with a great four-pitch mix, including a plus-slider, curveball and change up. He throws across his body with a high arm-slot, which the Blue Jays will potentially look at tweaking to make his delivery more fluid. His athleticism allows him to repeat his delivery, which is a good sign for a high-school pitcher. His slider is his best secondary offering that sits in the low-80 MPH range. Command is key for any pitcher and is usually the last piece of the puzzle to come together for any young pitcher. Having said that, Reid-Foley has proven to be a strike thrower and the ability to have fastball command which should give him an advantage when making the transition to pro ball. The Blue Jays stress that a good changeup is key to the success of a young pitcher, and that philosophy should help turn Reid-Foley’s into an average to plus pitch down the road. This, along with his command, makes Reid-Foley an intriguing arm to follow as he progresses through the system, assuming he signs with the Blue Jays.

After slipping to the second round of the 2014 MLB Draft, there could be some signability issues that surface. But with the assumed savings the Blue Jays could possibly receive from the Hoffman and Pentecost bonuses, though (assuming they sign as well), there should be plenty of money to get a deal done.

 

Baseball America:

In 2013, just three Florida prep pitchers went in the top 10 rounds. This year three could go in the first round, and Reid-Foley could be the first. He showed consistent velocity on the showcase circuit and had one of the top outings at East Coast Pro last summer, and he has built on that this spring, showing the makings of a mid-rotation starter. In a recent outing he sat 92-95 mph, touching 97. He throws his fastball with his fingers held together, giving the offering above-average glove-side run. His mid-80s slider is an above-average offering, though he can get on the side of the pitch. He also has feel for a changeup with at least average potential. His fourth offering was a curveball that he used in the summer, flashing average, though he shelved the pitch as his breaking balls began to run together. Reid-Foley is a natural strike-thrower who pounds the zone and mixes his pitches well, and evaluators lauded his competitiveness. Some scouts don’t like the way his arm works in the back, but he is able to repeat his delivery. At 6-foot-2, 216-pounds, the Florida State signee has a large frame and a strong, durable build made to handle innings.

ESPN:

Reid-Foley is one of several Florida arms who have a chance to go early come June. His fastball has late life and will sit 91-93 mph, occasionally getting up to 95. His breaking ball is inconsistent and there’s some noticeable arm angle changes, but at its best it offers plus spin and late bite, and he has good feel for the pitch.

What keeps Reid-Foley below some of the other arms in the class, however, is a lack of a quality third pitch. He will occasionally throw a change, but there’s noticeable arm speed difference and it’s clear he’s not comfortable throwing it yet. He pounds the strike zone from a clean arm action with minimal effort, so if the pitch improves he has a chance to be a No.3 starter, with a quality high-leverage bullpen arm as a floor.