The 2015 MLB Draft will take place on Monday, June 8, and this year's class has provided many early first-round scenarios because there's no clear-cut top player that has attracted the Arizona Diamondbacks, who have the No. 1 overall selection.
ESPN Insider Keith Law released his second mock draft last week and his third is on the way, but he had one college prospect jump from the No. 11 overall pick (Cincinnati Reds) in his first mock to the No. 3 overall pick (Colorado Rockies) in his second. That player is Tyler Jay of the University of Illinois.
The left-hander has been a reliever for the Fighting Illini since 2013 and owns a 10-5 record with a 1.47 ERA, .166 opponents' batting average, 137 strikeouts 24 saves in 70 games (122 1/3 innings). For the second straight season the Rockies own the worst ERA (4.80) in the MLB at this point in the year and their pitching staff needs serious help. Jay has the potential to become a starter, which raises his stock.
"The Rockies want a pitcher and have been very heavy on Jay lately, especially because he's one of a few arms in this draft who could help a major league team this season," Law wrote.
"Jay will show four pitches and projects as an above-average three-pitch starter in pro ball even though he has been used almost exclusively in relief by the Illini this year. Scouts have had a few glimpses of him working in longer outings and believe that despite his slight frame and cross-body delivery, he'll end up in the middle of a major league rotation," he added.
The latest mock drafts from Baseball America and FanGraphs also have the Rockies selecting Jay third overall.
But again, it all depends on what happens with the first two picks because shortstops Dansby Swanson (Vanderbilt) and Brendan Rodgers (Lake Mary High School) are projected to go in those spots. The Rockies would probably be interested in grabbing one of them if they fall to No. 3 because their current situation with Troy Tulowitzki has not been boding well for the future.
Nonetheless, Jay remains one of the top pitching options come June 8. His fastball sits between 93-95 mph and his arsenal of pitches features a changeup, slider and curveball.
"Jay has pitched in the bullpen all season so he actually comes into the draft with a reasonably fresh arm," says Law in his Mock 2.0 analysis. "And although he's worked in relief, pitching coach Drew Dickinson has done a nice job keeping him stretched out and on more of a regular schedule, so that if a team wants to take him and transition him to the rotation in pro ball, they feel like they can do so."
One American League scout told Jim Callis of MLB.com that Jay is "better than Kyle Freeland or Brandon Finnegan were last year," both of whom were taken in the top 17 last year.
The first few picks of the 2015 draft still remain up in the air, but Jay's stock has been on the rise as of late, so keep an eye out for him to be the first pitcher taken on Monday.
