The Twins have selected Jay with the sixth overall pick in the 2015 first-year player draft.

The Twins have selected Jay with the sixth overall pick in the 2015 first-year player draft.

Analysis:

Jay has become a dominant reliever during his three-year stint at the University of Illinois, which culminated this spring with a 70:7 K:BB over 60.1 innings and 14 saves for the Illini. Following back-to-back seasons with a double-digit strikeout rate (career 10.1 K/9), Jay may be the first pitcher from the 2015 draft class to reach the big leagues if he remains a reliever, but he mixes a 93-95 mph fastball with a plus slider, curveball, and occasional changeup, offering a deep enough arsenal to become a starter. At 6-foot-1, 175 pounds, the left-handed Jay lacks the physical stature that teams seek in starting pitchers, but he'll likely get a very long look in that role before getting the full-time bullpen label as a pro. If the Twins remain in the playoff mix, Jay could be this year's Brandon Finnegan, getting to the big leagues late in the season he was drafted.