Blue Jays select Tim Piasentin 143rd overall

With the 143rd overall selection, the Toronto Blue Jays select Canadian prep 3rd baseman Tim Piasentin from Foothills Composite High School.

Piasentin, a native of Coquitlam, British Columbia, is a toolsy infielder with loud present-day tools. He’s a physical toolshed standing at 6’3, 200 lbs at the ripe age of 18 years old. MLB Pipeline ranked him as the 160th prospect in their top 250. Piasentin’s best attribute is his power. Having already produced exit velocities north of 110 MPH, the British Columbia native has shown the ability to get to high velocity during games and shows potential for at least an average hit tool.

He is considered the best Canadian prospect in this draft class and is the second Canadian selected by the Blue Jays, as they also selected New Zealand-born, Canadian-raised Micah Bucknam in the fourth round.

Piasentin showed off his power by winning the home run derby a the Blue Jays Futures Academy Showcase at the Rogers Centre last September. Talent evaluators project him for a 60-65 grade power tool in the future if it clicks. The BC native has struggled against spin, but mainly due to the fact that there are so few elite pitching prospects with the ability to spin the baseball in Canada. It’s expected he can refine that area of his game in pro ball with the necessary repetitions.

On the dirt, Piasentin has a plus arm but struggles with range, specifically going to his left. Evaluators are mixed on his chances of sticking at the hot corner, as some see a move to 1st base likely as he continues to fill out his already lofty physical frame.

This is a ceiling over floor pick for the Blue Jays, as Piasentin represents a chance at easily plus power in his future with a hit tool that won’t submarine his chances at making it to the highest level. Whether he sticks at the hot corner or eventually moves to the right side of the infield isn’t as detrimental to his stock as it otherwise would be for others because the Coquitlam natives bat is his calling card and if properly developed, will play nearly anywhere they pencil his name on the lineup card.