RHP Jordan Balazovic
RHP Jordan Balazovic
Hometown: Mississauga, Ont.
B-T: R-R.
Ht: 6’ 4” Wt: 175.
Team: Ontario Blue Jays/DBacks Scout Team/Canadian Junior National Team/C-Auburn
Coaches: Mike Steed, Dan Bleiwas, Shawn Travers, Doug Mathieson, Greg Hamilton.
2016 season _ Dominican summer trip: In five innings against the Cubs did not allow an earned run nor walk a batter, allowed three hits with four strikeouts, retiring 12 in a row ... Four scoreless without allowing a hit, walking one, striking out four, 88-90 MPH, up to 91 a couple times ... PBR Ontario ProCase: 91 mph, best pitching prospect on the mound ... Extended spring trip: Four scoreless against the Jays extended, did not allow a hit and struck out six. Three scoreless innings allowing one hit with four strikeouts against the Braves ... Spring Florida trip: Was 91-92 mph in Arizona vs. Cincinnati Reds minor leaguers with a plus breaking ball ... Was 90-91 mph inn Florida and "was easy" ... Retired eight in a row after issuing a one out walk, had three strikeouts in three innings vs. Blue Jays minor leaguers ... Three innings, one run, one strikeout against the Tigers ... At Mississauga Bureau camp: Threw before 18 scouts at Ontario Blue Jays clubhouse.
MLB Pipeline Scouting Report: Jordan Balazovic | Rank: 127
School: St Martin (Can.) SS Year: Senior
Position: RHP Age: 17 DOB: 9/17/1998
Bats: R Throws: R Height: 6’3” Weight: 170 lb.
Commitment: Auburn
Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 45 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 50 | Overall: 45
Every spring, a team of the top Canadian high school talent makes its rounds around Arizona and Florida, often playing against minor leaguers in extended spring camp. Invariably, a player or two from “North of the border” raises his stock with an outstanding performance in the warmer weather. This year, Balazovic was one of those players.
While still a bit raw, there’s a lot to like with this Auburn commit. At 6-foot-3, he’s not physically developed yet. There’s plenty of room to add strength and velocity. His arm works really well and fires fastballs up to 92 mph already, with heavy sink. He also has a good feel for his changeup. His breaking ball has a ways to go. Right now, it’s a slurvy slider kind of caught in between a curve and a slider, with three-quarter break and thrown in the 79-82 mph range. He stays in the strike zone more often than not.
A year ago, Mike Soroka was taken in the first round out of the Canadian high school ranks. The projectable Balazovic won’t come off the board that quickly, but his spring work has moved him firmly into top five round territory.
Baseball America Scouting Report: A year after a historic Canadian high school class, Balazovic is the top-ranked prep Canuck in this year’s class. The righthander has a lean, projectable frame with wide shoulders and a high waist. Balazovic’s developmental trajectory is positive; early last summer he pitched with his fastball sitting at 84-88. By the fall, he was sitting 88-89 and bumping 90. This spring, he’s shown slightly improved velocity, touching as high as 93 and sitting comfortably at 89-90. Balazovic has a polished changeup that he can locate at the knees with late fade and tumbling action. He throws a breaking ball with 11-to-5 shape in the mid-70s. Balazovic gets his core extended over his front side well and extends his glove hand high for extra deception. Scouts note how rare it is for him to be squared up. Balazovic is committed to Auburn, but for the 2017 class; if he doesn’t get the bonus money he’s looking for, he’ll simply go to 13th grade, as Canada’s schools have, and try again next year. He has a head whack at release, but he has an otherwise clean delivery. Balazovic is slightly young for this year’s class, and won’t turn 18 until September.
Good blood lines: Grampa Joe Balazovic (Tyrone, Ont.) played two seasons in the Cleveland Indians system. An OF he was with the 1957 class-C Fargo-Moorhead Twins, where he hit .237 with 19 doubles, four triples, four homers and 34 RBIs in 102 games and the next year with the class-B Burlington Indians where he batted .241 with four doubles, two homers and 14 RBIs in 14 games. The 5-foot-11, 186-pound Balazovic, 22, batted left and throws right. He hit the first pitch of the season for a home run at Burlington ... Balazovic was the first Canadian to play for the N.C. club since OF Don McLean was with 1951 Burlington Bees. McLean played six years in the Detroit Tigers and Pittsburgh Pirates systems.
2015 season: Had seven strikeouts in four innings hitting 90 mph at Tournament 12 staged at Rogers Centre ... Pitched 4-0 complete game win over the St. Louis Pirates/Elite Baseball Training at 17th annual Perfect Game WWBA World championship in Jupiter, allowing six hits and two walks, while fanning five. Fastball clocked at 91 mph (136th best) ... Allowed one earned run in three innings facing Washington Nationals instructional league team at Lake Buena Vista fanning two ... Hit 90 MPH at Perfect Game Sunshine East Showcase in Fort Myers ... Showed a feel for his off speed at Perfect Game USA National Showcase in Fort Myers ... Topping 90 mph working comfortably in the upper-80s.
Honors 2016: Rawlings/Perfect Game All-Region selection from Canada/Puerto Rico region ... 2015: All-tournament honors at 17th annual Perfect Game World Wood Bat Championship in Jupiter pitching seven scoreless allowing six hits, walking two and striking out five.
What they are saying: Doesn’t turn 18 until September ... A triple P: Pure Projection Pick ... In Florida "Next to Adam Hall (2017) probably had the best trip of anyone, improved his stock, opened some eyes. Had best arm on the team clearly. Has room to fill in his 6-foot-4 frame." ... Pitched at 86-89 and bumped 90, showing an impressive change up ... Appeared to have lost velocity from the stretch, though quick to the plate, getting the ball to the catcher’s glove approximately 1.15 seconds after starting his motion ... Long and loose with a whippy arm action through the backside. Fluid arm action while showing ability to work down to both sides of the plate with a fastball 86-89 mph, touching 90 while flashing a nice slider (77 mph). “Decent movement on the fastball, Very projectable, Was 90 MPH.”
On other lists: Ranked 127th on MLB Pipeline top 200 ... Listed 136th on Baseball America's top 500 combined list ....Ranked 452nd (down from 441st) on Perfect Game top 500 High Schoolers ... 133rd on PG’s top HS RHPs ... No. 2 on top 18 list of pitchers at the Perfect Game Sunshine East Showcase.