Of all the improbable things about James Paxton’s career in Seattle, maybe the most salient one is this: it almost didn’t happen.
As a junior at the University of Kentucky in 2009, the Canadian-born Paxton was drafted by the Blue Jays as a supplemental first-rounder, but talks broke down and Paxton opted not to sign, something he describes as disappointing.
“When I got drafted by the Blue Jays, there was definitely excitement about getting drafted by the only Canadian team. I had a lot of family and friends who were really excited about it. I fully intended to sign with them.