There’s more than Vladdy on the way
A look at some of the Blue Jays top prospects — not named Guerrero
TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays added several top prospects to the major league roster this September, but there are even more in Toronto’s minor league system.
As the organization enters a rebuilding phase, with president Mark Shapiro recently pinpointing 2021 as a target for the Jays to return to competitiveness, the addition of new, young faces has only just begun.
Baseball’s No. 1 prospect Vlad Guerrero Jr., who many had hoped to see in a Toronto uniform this fall, will lead that charge.
“The reality of a building process is, if I’m sitting up here and telling you it’s all about Vladdy and Bo (Bichette) and that’s it, then we’re in big trouble,” Shapiro said recently.
“It can’t be.”
Here are some other Jays minor-leaguers who could make an impact in The Show in future.
Bo Bichette: Bichette, ranked No. 2 in the Jays system, is likely the most well-known prospect behind Guerrero. The pair was separated for the first time this season: when Guerrero was promoted to the triple-A Buffalo Bisons in late July, Bichette stayed behind with the double A New Hampshire Fisher Cats.
After hitting .427 in rookie ball in 2016 and then .362 between class A and class-A advanced in 2017, Bichette came down to earth in 2018 with a .286 average, .343 on base percentage and .453 slugging percentage; he still set a single-season doubles record with 43, hit 11 home runs and had 74 RBIs.
The 20-year-old is likely to earn a promotion to triple A early next season and could be in the big leagues by this time next year, though questions remain regarding whether he will play shortstop or second base when he gets there.
Bichette, Cavan Biggio, T.J. Zeuch and Jordan Romano (see below) led the Fisher Cats to an Eastern League championship last Friday.
Kevin Smith: No one was surprised to see Guerrero on MLB Pipeline’s team of the year, announced earlier this month, but with him on the second team was shortstop Smith.
The Blue Jays’ No. 6 prospect hit .302 with 25 home runs, 93 RBIs and 29 stolen bases between the class A Lansing Lugnuts and the class A advanced Dunedin Blue Jays. Smith, 22, focused on shortening his swing and refining his two-strike approach heading into the season: he cut down his strikeout rate by about four per cent and improved his walk rate slightly. He also showed versatility by playing third base.
Eric Pardinho: The native of Brazil, 17, started his professional career this summer with the Bluefield Blue Jays, the organization’s rookie-ball affiliate in the Appalachian League. He went 4-3 with a 2.88 ERA in eleven starts this season, striking out 64 hitters in 50 innings and not giving up a run in three of his last four starts. Toronto’s No. 7 prospect’s fastball reaches 96 miles per hour, according to MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez, and he also throws a slider, a curveball and a changeup.
Jordan Groshans: The Jays’ top selection at this year’s draft, Groshans, 18, tore it up in the Gulf Coast League, hitting .331 with four home runs and 39 RBIs in 37 games. The No. 8 prospect, also a shortstop, struggled more in 11 games in the Appalachian League, hitting .182, but Toronto should be happy with what it has seen from the native of Magnolia, Texas, so far.
Cavan Biggio: The son of Craig Biggio is another prospect with rich baseball lineage, but Cavan made a name for himself all on his own this summer. The 23year-old infielder hit for contact and power this year, finishing the regular season with a .252 average and .499 slugging percentage, as well as career highs in doubles (23), home runs (26), RBIs (99) and walks (100) in double A.
The No. 8 prospect could be a candidate for promotion to Buffalo early next season.
T.J. Zeuch: The 23-year-old right-hander jumped from class-A advanced to double A this season and didn’t miss a beat. After posting a 3-3 record with a 3.47 ERA in Florida through early May, Zeuch improved his numbers in New Hampshire by going 9-5 with a 3.08 ERA.
Jordan Romano: Romano, 25, spent the bulk of the season with the Fisher Cats, going 11-8 with a 4.13 ERA. He made one spot start for the Bisons in late May, giving up two runs on four hits through five innings, walking four and striking out three. Both Romano, Toronto’s No. 28 prospect, and Zeuch, the No. 15 prospect, could get time in Buffalo’s rotation next year.