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Puckett’s Pond’s Minnesota Twins 2018 Top-40 Prospects: #31-35

By Gary Malmberg

BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 20: A Minnesota Twins cap and glove in the dug out before a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards at on August 20, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
BALTIMORE, MD - AUGUST 20: A Minnesota Twins cap and glove in the dug out before a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards at on August 20, 2015 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /
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No. 32 Tyler Jay, LHP, Chattanooga Lookouts

Nate’s Rank: 25, Gary’s Rank: 42

Tyler Jay was the sixth player taken in the 2015 MLB draft after a very successful three-year stint at the University of Illinois. A standout closer, he was the highest drafted player from the Illini ever. Various outlets had Jay ranked between the 6th and 12th ranked prospect in the draft. The Twins signed the left-hander at the full-slot bonus of $3,889,500 with the intent to use him as a reliever in his first pro season before transitioning him to a starter

At 6’1″ and 185 pounds, the 24-year-old packs more power than his lanky stature would indicate. MLB.com rates Jay’s fastball a 60 on the 40-70 scale, with a 55 on his hard slider. His changeup is a below average 45, with an overall rating of 45. After starting at #16 on their Twins preseason prospect list, Jay dropped to #22 at mid-season.

Jay did indeed start off his pro career in the bullpen. Playing against competition at Class A+ Fort Myers that averaged two years his senior in 2015, he put up a 3.93 ERA in 18.1 innings, giving up 18 hits, striking out 22 batters while walking eight.

As planned, Jay began the 2016 campaign at Fort Myers as a starter. In 13 starts, he compiled a 2.84 ERA in 69.2 innings, allowing 64 hits, striking out 68 and walking 21. His string of injuries began after his promotion to AA Chattanooga. He managed to pitch just 14 innings over 5 appearances, including two starts before a neck strain ended his season and as well the likelihood of his future as a starting pitcher.

2017 was somewhat of a lost year in Jay’s development. Injuries limited him to 11.2 innings combined between the Gulf Coast Twins, Fort Myers, and Chattanooga. After avoiding thoracic outlet surgery with rest and treatment, he did pitch 9.2 innings in the Arizona Fall League.

MLB.com had this to say:

"The Twins are cautiously optimistic that Jay is starting to find the pitcher he was before the injuries hit. When Jay first got to the AFL, he seemed tentative and afraid to let it fly, with a fastball that was touching the low 90s. In his final outing of the fall, however, he was up to 94-96 mph and felt great about how he wrapped up a lost season."

This season back with the Lookouts, Jay has a 4.17 ERA in 49.2 innings in 31 appearances. Eight of his 23 earned runs have been rung up in two of his last four outings covering just 2.1 innings. Overall, Jay has been strong in relief this season.

Durability and consistency are the keys to Jay’s future success.

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