Blue Jays fourth-round pick gets paid over-slot bonus for all the right reasons

The Toronto Blue Jays inked their fourth-round draft pick, right-handed pitcher Landen Maroudis, to a drastic over-slot deal at $1,500,000. 

Maroudis was selected with the 121st pick and the slot value attached to where was selected was just $547,100. Some may say this bonus, which came in at nearly $1 million over the determined slot, was unnecessary, however, I would endorse the fact that good pitching, projection, and future value is what earns the coin, and Maroudis will earn every penny of it. 

Out of Calvary Christian High School in the sunshine state of Florida, Maroudis is highlighted as a key piece on the roster, and a popular name in all of high school baseball. He’s also played for the Top Tier American travel team. He’s ranked 72nd among MLB’s top 200 draft prospects for 2023, ranked 47th nationally by Perfect Game, as well as a national position ranking of 13, a state overall ranking of 11, and a state position rank of four.

The North Carolina State commit has a ton to offer the Blue Jays organization, inclusive of his tools, repertoire, and his youth. His raw-developed talent shows the symptoms of the possibility to develop into a high-quality pitcher.

6’3” at 190lbs, Maroudis brings total athleticism and a rubber arm to the bump. His long-limb body allows good strides and reach to the plate, with a strong arm and well-repeated delivery. He lets it go from a three-quarter arm slot with momentum in the motion. His showcase footage seems a bit laggy, but his game speed is up to par with more to go from a college baseball standpoint. He’s very composed in most circumstances and calculates his matchups well. 

He throws three pitches at an above-satisfactory level (55-grade), fastball, changeup, and slider. His changeup fades down to the knees and below with an approximate 9-10 mph difference. His slider slurves from the right-handed batter’s box to the left with flying action, this would be his out pitch and a projectable pitch to develop.  His fastball is his main stock, maxing 96mph, consistently at 94-95mph with room to elevate that velocity a few more miles per hour. Maroudis throws a ton of strikes which compliments his velocity. His command is good and can be a whole lot better in time. 

My comparison to Maroudis is Tyler Glasnow of the Tampa Bay Rays. Both power-right handers with similar repertoires, deliveries and attributes. Glasnow was drafted in the fifth round by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2011; he received a $600,000 over-slot deal. These two situations are not very far off physically and financially, although Maroudis got paid well.

If we look at the comparisons, the projection for Maroudis could be at par if all works out. An arm with such attributes can lead a Blue Jays farm system to a high rank, setting up an important piece of the future rotation.