The Toronto Blue Jays’ scouting department may have had University of North Carolina right-hander Jason DeCaro on its radar long before he helped punch the Tar Heels’ ticket to Omaha. The righthander was absolutely dominant in the second game of the NCAA Super Regional series, right when North Carolina most needed it.
Showing the typical poise of a Friday night ace who has gone 11-2 for the number five-ranked Tar Heels this season, DeCaro simply mowed down a dangerous USC lineup, striking out eight, with a two-hit, complete-game shutout.
No Trojan baserunner reached scoring position in the crucial, must-win game that tied the elimination series 1-1. DeCaro is a big-game pitcher, a projected MLB starter whose college résumé and reputation for performing in high-pressure moments mirror those of Trey Yesavage.
Why then, at pick number 39, would DeCaro still be available for selection? Well, it seems that, with an especially college-shortstop-heavy draft class, pitchers are being shuffled to the bottom of the deck. The reasoning behind this isn’t exactly clear, other than that projections for DeCaro’s ceiling have been lowered during his time at UNC, as his velo metrics haven’t always kept pace with what scouts expected to be evident in the 6-foot-5 junior.
Jason DeCaro’s Prospect Ranking Doesn’t Reflect The True Story
While DeCaro doesn’t light up radar guns like some of the draft’s premier power arms, his fastball command, pitch sequencing, and ability to generate weak contact continue to produce results against elite competition. His arsenal might not appear elite at first glance, but the box scores from high-profile elimination games speak for themselves.
Still, teams often can’t help themselves, and when given the choice between the power arm and body combination and the pitcher whose metrics read more like those of a durable starter from generations past, the power arm takes precedence and is selected first.
