Blue Jays Draft Roy Halladay's Son Braden in 32nd Round to Honor His Father
By Michael Luciano
Tributes to a legend who left us too early don't get much better than this.
The Toronto Blue Jays selected right-handed pitcher Braden Halladay, the son of Hall of Fame pitcher Roy Halladay, who died in 2017 at the age of 40 in a plane crash, in the 32nd round of the 2019 MLB draft. Halladay wore No. 32 during his playing days in Toronto, making this a tear-jerking full circle move.
In the 32nd round, the @BlueJays select RHP @BradenHalladay from Calvary Christian HS (FL), son of the late Roy Halladay. pic.twitter.com/Z4wBaPqmyi
— MLB (@MLB) June 5, 2019
Let the waterworks start flowing. It's OK.
This particular move might be more ceremonial than substantive, however. Halladay, a pitcher at Calvary Christian High School in Florida, is heading to Penn State on a baseball scholarship. Even with that in mind, this is still as touching a moment as the later rounds in the MLB draft have ever offered.
Even though they knew he wouldn't be joining the organization, the Jays wanted Halladay there in spirit, using a very special numerical value to make their point.
GM Ross Atkins on selecting Braden Halladay in the 32nd round of the MLB draft. His late father, HOF pitcher Roy “Doc” Halladay wore number 32 with the #BlueJays
— Hazel Mae (@thehazelmae) June 5, 2019
“He’s headed to Penn State, but we’re glad to have drafted him.”
With a 14-2 record and a 2.71 ERA in three years of high school baseball, the younger Halladay should be well on his way towards MLB stardom just like his dad, provided that he puts together a couple strong seasons in State College.