Blue Jays select LHP Kirby Snead in the 10th round of the 2016 MLB draft

With their 10th round pick in the 2016 MLB Draft, the Blue Jays selected Kirby Snead, a left-handed reliever from the University of Florida 312th overall. Snead was Baseball America's 427th ranked 2016 draft prospect, and 455th for Perfect Game, and has worked out the bullpen in all three of his years at the University of Florida.

This is a classic Blue Jays pick - they love their pitchers, and especially college relievers, from UF (aka Pitcher U). This is the third straight year and the fourth the past six years they've drafted one in rounds 6-10: Anthony Desclafani (6th round 2011), Justin Shafer (8th round 2014), Danny Young (8th round 2015). I thought the target this year might be Dane Dunning - a reliever with potential to start like DeSclafani - but he went in the first round. The other candidate was Shaun Anderson, but he went in the 3rd round. At that point, I despaired for the Gator Streak, but then came Kirby Snead.

Snead has been a reliable performer our of the Florida bullpen, working 110 innings over his three seasons with a 2.54 ERA and 22 walks against 88 strikeouts. However, over his last two years his strikeout rate was closer to one per inning. Unlike some of the other Florida relievers drafted by the Jays, Snead doesn't figure to start, profiling as more of a situational lefty. He should be assigned to Vancouver, and come in somewhat below slot.

In April 2015 - the middle of the college season - Snead and fellow 2016 draftee A.J. Puk were arrested after climbing a construction crane on campus at night, with both apparently having been drinking. They were suspended from the baseball team for a while, and faced third-degree felony trespass charges that were downgraded to misdemeanors.