The Minnesota Twins traded the left-hander to the Cincinnati Reds, giving up on the 25-year old just three years after selecting him sixth overall.
The Minnesota Twins have had a decent track record when it comes to hitting on their first round picks the past couple of years, but a recent blemish was their selection of left-hander Tyler Jay back in 2015. The 25-year old has failed to live up to his expectations since then and with his continued struggles, the Twins threw in the towel, trading him to the Cinncinnati Reds for cash considerations on Tuesday night.
Coming out of the University of Illinois, nobody was sure whether Jay projected as a starter or a closer at the major league level. After posting a 1.08 ERA and recording 14 saves for the Fighting Illini in his junior season, the Twins were willing to find out and began using him as a starter during the 2016 season.
Jay’s first full season of pro ball went well as he went 5-5 with a 3.33 ERA in 15 starts between High-A Fort Myers and Double-A Chattanooga. Although it appeared that Jay was on the fast track to the major leagues, he would never make it past the Double-A level and after developing thoracic outlet syndrome during the 2017 season, his velocity and effectiveness began to fade.
This season, Jay posted a 4.82 ERA and a 1.96 WHIP in 28 innings at Double-A Pensacola and his ineffectiveness helped the Twins make the decision that his future wasn’t going to be in Minnesota.
Jay was one of the final first round picks of the second Terry Ryan era for the Twins, which didn’t have the same success as the first one. With picks such as Jay and 2013 first rounder Kohl Stewart, it’s not a shock that Minnesota didn’t see success until they had a new regime in the front office.