Blue Jays prospect Conine says he’s motivated after going 52nd overall
Blue Jays prospect Griffin Conine plans to use his low second-round selection in this month’s MLB Draft as motivation as he embarks on his quest to get to the big leagues.
Conine, the son of two-time all-star Jeff Conine, was picked by Toronto with the 52nd overall selection. The Duke University outfielder was at one time pegged to have first-round potential but his stock slipped due to an uneven junior year.
The 20-year-old from Weston, Fla., finished the season with 18 homers, a .281 average and 52 runs batted in for the Blue Devils.
“I think of myself as a guy with first-round tools and first-round talent,” Conine said Thursday on a conference call. “Not to sound cocky or arrogant, I think that’s where a lot of people pegged me as well going into that junior year. Absolutely I will draw on that for motivation and how I carry myself.