BREAKING NEWS:Blue Jays Unsigned Draft Pick From The Previous Season And Their Starting Position In 2024.
With the COVID-19 campaign, the number of rounds was lowered to 20 for the 2020 MLB Draft. The Toronto Blue Jays have signed players chosen in this draft very successfully.
Out of the players they selected, only eight chose not to play professionally. Five of those players were prep players who were drafted late and probably would not sign due to their scholastic obligations.
In light of this, let’s examine the destinations that these players have reached over time.
Micah Bucknam(16th round, 2021) – RHP
Micah Bucknam, a right-hander selected late in the 2021 MLB Draft and native of Abbotsford, British Columbia, attended the Mennonite Educational Institute. He made the decision not to sign with the Blue Jays. Rather, he brought his skills to Louisiana State University.
After making a brief stop in Trenton, New Jersey, to participate in the MLB Draft League, Bucknam worked for the Tigers out of the bullpen last summer. He recorded an 11.57 ERA in eight appearances while striking out 14 batters for an 18.0 K/9, with an ERA of 0.53 through five starts and 17 innings. The former member of the Junior National Team won a championship with the Tigers as a true freshman and was recognized as an SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll student while majoring in sports administration. He pitched in the Cape Cod League with Yarmouth-Dennis to end the summer, going 4/3 with a 3.94 ERA, 1.375 WHIP, 1.7 BB/9, and 7 strikeouts in four appearances (three starts).
With the Tigers’ deep rotation, Bucknam is expected to throw out of the bullpen when he returns to LSU this season. Bucknam will be eligible for the 2025 draft, according to the Canadian Baseball Network.