LOS ANGELES – The Toronto Blue Jays selected 18-year-old Brandon Barriera of Hollywood, Florida on Sunday with his first pick and 23rd overall in the draft for first-year Major League players.
The six-foot-two, 180-pound Barrier is a left-handed pitcher who plays college baseball at the American Heritage School in Plantation, Florida. Barrier regularly touches 96 miles per hour with the radar gun and has been up to 98-99. He is committed to attending Vanderbilt.
Jackson Holliday and Druw Jones, sons of MLB All-Stars Matt and Andruw, were taken to Baltimore and Arizona with the first two amateur draft picks.
Holliday, whose father is a former christening champion, was chosen by Baltimore over Jones with some surprise.
“A difficult decision,” Orioles general manager Mike Elias said. “I’d like to decide what to order at a five-star restaurant.”
The draft continues tonight with the completion of Round 1, two first round clearing elections, Round A of the competitive balance, Round 2, Round B of the competitive balance and six clearing selections of the second round.
The Blue Jays will make three additional selections tonight, with numbers 60, 77 and 78. The draft will continue Monday with rounds 3-10 and conclude Tuesday with rounds 11-20.