With the 957th overall pick of the 2019 Draft, the Blue Jays selected RHP Braden Halladay, the son of franchise great and soon to be Hall-of-Famer Roy Halladay. But that’s not the number that matters.
Exercising an all-too-rare deft touch for this front office, the Jays drafted Halladay in the 32nd round, Roy’s now retired number. Most courtesy picks tend to be in the last few rounds, so at first glance it seemed quite early, but the symbolism strikes a pitch perfect note.
GM Ross Atkins on selecting Braden Halladay in the 32nd round of the MLB draft. His late father, HOF pitcher Roy “Doc” Halladay wore number 32 with the #BlueJays
— Hazel Mae (@thehazelmae) June 5, 2019
“He’s headed to Penn State, but we’re glad to have drafted him.”
Thank you @BlueJays for drafting me in the 32nd round today! It’s a great honor! It’s with mutual understanding that I’ll still be honoring my commitment to Penn State! I look forward to college and bettering myself as a player and person, thank you to all who have supported me! pic.twitter.com/tUcKWZESPl
— Braden Halladay (@BradenHalladay) June 5, 2019