Toronto Blue Jays first round draft-pick Cole Carlon has his sights set on becoming a major-leaguer as soon as possible.
Carlon, selected 39th overall by the Blue Jays in this year’s MLB draft, said he’s ready to do whatever the team needs to get to the major-league level.
The six-foot-five left-handed pitcher spent three years at Arizona State, coming out of the bullpen in his freshman and sophomore years before making the transition to the starting rotation as a junior.
He said that although his role changed heading into his junior year, his mindset didn’t.
“I’m relentless,” Carlon said. “I’m going to try to get to two strikes as soon as I can … and go right at guys with my stuff.”
Carlon said he took notes from Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, who threw a bullpen at ASU in the off-season, as he embarks his own quest to reach the major leagues.
Carlon’s upper-90s fastball and wipeout slider proved to be effective as a starter in his junior year, where he put up 133 strikeouts in 83.2 innings with a 14.3 K/9, while issuing only 33 walks.
He credits his ASU pitching coach and former Blue Jay Jeremy Accardo for a part in his success, who emphasized to him that Toronto is a great place to be.
Carlon himself has never been to Canada, but he said he’s “looking forward to seeing what their culture is like and what the city is like.”