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Summary
Listed in the Faulkner University program at 6'5", 250 lbs., Jay Gause is a presence on the mound in the NAIA's Division I Mid-South Conference. In 58 innings, he struck out 83 batters, walked 24, and had opposing hitters baffled, as they put up just a .139 average against him.
On top of that, he saved his best stuff for the postseason. In the opening round of the NAIA National Championship, he pitched a complete-game shutout over Point University, striking out sixteen batters and allowed just one hit and no walks on just 115 pitches. His next outing, in the NAIA World Series, didn't go as well, with Gause walking seven batters in as many innings of work. He was able to pitch around his mistakes, though, leaving with the game tied 2-2. Oklahoma Baptist would go on to win, 7-2.
Gause took a circuitous route to this year's draft. After being drafted in the 25th round in 2010, he declined the Indians' offer. He had a commitment to NC State, but offseason surgery on his shoulder ended those plans, and he headed to Pitt Community College. In 2013, he landed at Walters State Community College, where he struck out 91 batters in 88 innings for the Senators, walking just 30 in the process before transferring to Faulkner.
In addition to his low-to-mid-nineties fastball, Gause has shown a very good curveball and a changeup that comes in at least average.
Floor
A floor as an organizational guy.
Ceiling
It's hard to throw a very reliable ceiling on Gause, because there's so much we don't know about him right now. He was pitching in relative obscurity in the NAIA, even though his team made it to the World Series and he pitched there. It's hard to find anything that suggest that he could be much more than a dominant reliever or, at best, a swingman. But it's just too hard to say for sure.
Will He Sign?
He's not young, and while it's not entirely inconceivable that he could transfer to an NCAA program, it seems unlikely. I doubt he'd have much to benefit from not signing.