Question time: Who would you take for the Jays in the Rule 5 draft?

There has been depressingly little for Blue Jays news of late. The Dallas Keuchel rumor seems farfetched to me. I can’t imagine there is a chance of us getting him. Or that the team is really considering the idea.

And the team is likely shopping Russell Martin pretty hard, but there aren’t any rumors of value about where he might be heading.

So I thought I’d just ask a question: If you were running the Jays who, if anyone, would you pick up in the Rule 5 draft?

I see that MLB.com is going to live stream the draft. I guess they are trying to get the word “pass” to trend on Twitter.

Anyway....they also have a list suggesting the best player available from each MLB team (Forrest Wall is the one the list from the Jays, I’m doubtful anyone will pick him up but never know I guess. I’d think one of the pitchers would be more likely to be taken).

Now is I was running the Jays, who I would pick would depend on what trades we could make this winter. If we could trade Justin Smoak (which I’m thinking might be a long shot, since the Rays just waived C.J. Cron. I don’t know that there is much of a market for first basemen).

But, if a trade was out there for Smoak, I’d be looking at Josh Ockimey, from the Red Sox. Smoak turns 32 tomorrow. He’ll be moving into this mid-30s when our young core is ready to win, so I’m not sure that he’ll be helpful at that point. But Ochimey is 23, has power, he’s not a sure thing, but he could grow with the other young players. He’d compete with Tellez for the first base job in the future.

Without a trade of Smoak, Jake Gatewood might be someone to look at. He’s likely to miss much of 2019 with a torn ACL, so he’s be easy to hide away for the year, and we could look at him in 2020.

The team might be more likely to go fro a pitcher. Tyler Jay, from the Twins might be interesting to the Jays. Riley Ferrell, of the Astros, could be someone they could put in the back of the bullpen.

If we weren’t so deep in infielders, Richie Martin would be great to have, but we don’t have room.

Anyway, the question is “Who would you take for the Jays in the Rule 5 draft?” Give us your answer.