Blue Jays First-Round Pick Could Become Best Player in 2025 MLB Draft Class
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The Toronto Blue Jays have finished up a fantastic first half of the season with the best record in the American League East.
Things have gone very well for the Blue Jays of late, and the organization has to be pleased with the direction of the team.
With the contract situation of Vladimir Guerrero being resolved after he signed a massive long-term deal, that has helped set the tone of the franchise moving forward.
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Knowing they have their star first baseman locked up for potentially the rest of his career, it allows Toronto to focus on building around him.
They were aggressive in free agency and have continued trying to upgrade the roster that way. But they have also focused on internal development to create stars.
On Sunday, the Blue Jays were on the clock with the eighth overall pick in the MLB draft and made their selection with improving the future of the infield in mind.
More News: Blue Jays Select JoJo Parker With Eighth Pick in First Round of 2025 MLB Draft
Keith Law of The Athletic (subscription required) recently wrote about Toronto’s first-round pick, JoJo Parker, potentially becoming one of the best players in the draft.
“He’s strong enough to get to more power if he stays back on the ball better, which I don’t even think will cost him that much contact. He could easily end up one of the top 3 players in the class with the right help at the plate.”
There is a lot to like about the talented shortstop out of high school, and Parker will be joining the organization as a fairly well-balanced prospect.
According to MLB Pipeline, the 18-year-old received a very strong grade of 55 overall. While his fielding might need some work, he was graded very well both in terms of his hitting and power numbers.
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Parker received some serious praise from Law being called potentially a top three player in the class considering where he was drafted. The skill set at the plate could make that realistic.
While he won’t be coming up to the Majors anytime soon, it will be interesting to see if drafting Parker has any impact on the future of Bo Bichette with the Blue Jays since he is set to hit the open market at the conclusion of this campaign where he is expected to get paid.
Whether or not that happens with Toronto remains to be seen, but Parker is going to be an appealing prospect to watch develop.
With an elite skill set at the plate to start, the 18-year-old very well could end up being one of the best players in a draft class that was lacking a clear top choice.
For more Blue Jays news, head over to Blue Jays On SI.
Nick Ziegler is an alumnus of the Connecticut School of Broadcasting. He has been working in sports media covering the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL for nearly a decade with various publications online. With his free time, Nick enjoys being at the Jersey Shore with his wife, daughter, and their golden retriever. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @NickZiegler20.