By: Andrew Hendriks

Canadian Baseball Network

With the 24th selection in 2016's Major League Rule 5 draft, the Toronto Blue Jays picked right-handed pitcher Glenn Sparkman on Thursday.

Sparkman, 24, is a product of Ganado, Texas and has appeared in 69 minor league games since being picked by the Kansas City Royals in the 20th round of 2013's June amateur draft. To date, the 6-foot-2 hurler has recorded an overall ERA of 2.68 along with a WHIP of 1.092 and a K/9 of 9.5 across 238 innings as a professional.

Roughly a year removed from undergoing Tommy John Surgery, Sparkman reached as high as double-A Arkansas in 2016, making 16 starts while pitching to an ERA of 5.22 in only 60 and a third innings on the year. 

Having picked another right-handed hurler in Philip Walby 28th overall, Toronto also added an arm in the triple-A portion of this year's draft.

Drafted in 2013, Walby, 24, is a former 12th round selection of the New York Yankees and owns a career ERA of 3.67 to go with an overall WHIP of 1.572 and a K/9 of 9.4 over 123 games, the majority of which have come out of the bullpen.

In 2016, the 6-foot-2 product of San Diego, California split time between low-A Hagerstown and high-A Tampa, allowing 42 hits over 43 and a third innings en route to posting an ERA of 3.50 for the year. 

In addition to adding talent, Toronto also lost a trio of players on Thursday.

With the sixth overall selection in the triple-A portion of the Rule 5, Philadelphia snagged middle infielder Jorge Flores prior to the Yankees picking catcher Jorge Saez Jr. 13th overall and Texas selecting left-handed pitcher Matt Smoral with the 21st pick. 

Sparkman now becomes the 33rd Rule 5 selection made by the Blue Jays dating back to 1977. 

With the most recent being Joe Biagini in 2015, the former Royals farmhand will look to add his name to the ever-growing list of Toronto rule 5 success stories, a list that also includes Manuel Lee, Kelly Gruber and George Bell to name a few. 

Toronto will now pay Kansas City $50,000 for their selection. Should Sparkman be removed from the team's 25-man roster at any point between now and the end of the 2017 campaign, the Blue Jays will be forced to offer him back to the Royals for $25,000.

CAN CON

A total of 57 players were moved in this year's draft, two of which are Canadian imports.

In the triple-A portion of Thursday's event, the Arizona Diamondbacks selected right-handed hurler Jon Fitzsimmons out of the Cleveland Indians organization while the Houston Astros picked the pocket of the Tampa Bay Rays by taking righty Jared Mortensen.

A native of London, ON, Fitzsimmons has pitched in parts of three seasons in affiliated ball beginning with the Royals in 2013 and most recently with Cleveland's Midwest League outpost last season. Combined, the 25-year-old product of Canisius College has pitched to an ERA of 4.27 across 52 and tow thirds innings of work.

Last season, the former stopper of Les Capitals de Quebec made 25 appearances in the independent Canadian-American Association prior to being scooped up by the Rays and added to Lake County's roster late in the year. He finished the campaign by going 1-0 with an ERA of 3.31 over 10 appearances with the Captains.

Mortensen, 28, hails from Abbotsford, B.C. and is a veteran of 83 minor league games dating back to 2013. In 302 and two-thirds innings of work, the 5-foot-11 right-hander has amassed an overall ERA of 4.19 with 284 strikeouts against 140 walks as a professional.

In 2016, the product of Lousiana State University went 7-7 while posting a WHIP of 1.521 over 34 appearances with double-A Montgomery.

This season he became a knuckleballer at double-A Montgomery, going 7-7 with a 5.23 ERA in 34 games -- making four starts -- walking 57 and striking out 86 in 72 1/3 innings.

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