Jays hope Pompey will finally erupt
‘Hometown guy’ still looking for full-time job
Toronto Blue Jays manager John Gibbons was raving about the organization’s outfield depth before Thursday ’ s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at LECOM Park.
He mentioned a bunch of names, but conspicuously left one out — Mississauga, Ont., native Dalton Pompey, who seems to be a bit lost at this year’s camp. It’s not that the 25- year- old isn’t playing in any Grapefruit League games. He is. Pompey has seen action in three games with five at- bats, picking up a hit, an RBI and a walk.
But when talking about the outfield depth at tripleA Buffalo and in the lower minor l eagues, Pompey’s name doesn’t seem to come up as much as it used to. A lot of that has to do with the fact he had been at single- A Dunedin and Buffalo. This was after playing 59 games for the Jays over the previous three seasons.
Everybody seems to be talking about outfielders Anthony Alford, 23, who is the club’s No. 3-ranked prospect overall, and Teoscar Hernandez, 25, who got called up to the big team last September and hit .261 with a .908 OPS and eight home runs — many of them bombs — in 26 games with the Jays.
But Gibbons insisted that as far as he is concerned, the club still considers Pompey a hot prospect, if not one of their best.
“We’re very high on him. He had a tough year last year, he was injured a lot,” said Gibbons. “Really, that hampered him. But he’s still thought highly of here and in the baseball world.”
Gibbons acknowledged that perhaps Pompey’s name isn’t bandied about as much as it was in previous years. A lot of that was because, as a Canadian guy, the media always wanted a piece of him. That angle is sort of old news at this point. But Gibbons said when he speaks to the front office, Pompey is certainly not forgotten.
“All you got to do is watch him move around, watch his skill. It jumps out at you,” said Gibbons. “But it’s time for him to do something. He’s fully capable. Dalton has more talent than most guys that you’re going to find in this game. He’s got to stay on the field for a full season. We haven’t lost any interest in him. He’s got to go out and do it, though.”
In 2 014 , MLB named Pompey the No. 3 prospect in the Jays’ organization and he was also No. 87 in all of Major League Baseball. He went into the 2015 at the club’s starting centre- fielder. Though he was demoted that season, he was called up and added to the Jays’ post- season roster. In five playoff games, he recorded a single in his lone at- bat, as well as four stolen bases. Gibbons certainly doesn’t forget that.
“I’ ll tell ya what, he’s got a chance to be a really good player. But he’s got to stay on the field. That’s the only thing that’s hurting him right now,” said the manager. “Dalton needs the sun to shine on him a little bit, he really does — an injury- free season, when he’s out there every day and produces like he’s capable. And I think he will.”
Pompey loves playing for his hometown team, but he did tell Postmedia at spring training last year that he just wants the chance to play regularly and if that means a trade to another organization, so be it. In any event, Gibbons is impressed how the rangy outfielder handles the pressure of being the “hometown guy” when he gets called up to Toronto.
“I would think it would have to be tough,” said Gibbons. “I’ve known other guys who always wanted to play at home and then they do and everybody’s tugging at them and they really get no breather.”
Gibbons was asked what Pompey, Hernandez and Alford have to work on at triple-A Buffalo this season if that’s how it shakes out.
“They just got to play, produce and wait for their opportunity,” he said.
Gibbons said he certainly would like the look of those three in the Buffalo outfield.
“I’ d like it more than they would like it ,” said Gibbons, meaning that they would prefer to stay in Toronto.
“But to be a good organization, you’ve got to be able to fill some gaps when you get injuries or whatever. We struggled with that a little bit last year, but now we feel good. It’s encouraging. And really, there’s some good competition down there, too.”
As for whether Pompey can outshine his outfield mates in Buffalo this season and get the call up to Toronto, Gibbons said anything is possible.
“We have good competition and let the best man win and that’s really the way it’s supposed to be,” he said. “Competition brings out the best in everybody.”