Jays boast two of Top 8 on baseball’s prospects list
The 2018 season still has some looming question marks for the Toronto Blue Jays, but at least the future looks brighter.
According to the well-regarded Baseball America Top 100 prospects list released Monday, two Jays players are among the top eight.
Third baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is the No. 3 prospect in baseball, while shortstop Bo Bichette landed at No 8.
Guerrero, the big-hitting son of major league star Vlad Guerrero Sr., moved up 17 spots from his ranking following the 2016 season. While he’s expected to start the year at double-A New Hampshire, senior Jays officials acknowledge Guerrero could see action with the big team late in the season if he continues his rapid rise.
Bichette, the son of former majorleaguer Dante Bichette, wasn’t in the Top 100 a year ago. Bichette was named the top offensive player in minor league baseball in 2017 after the 19-year-old infielder hit .362 with 14 homers and 74 RBI.
In the publication’s 2017 mid-season rankings, Bichette was listed at No 44 while Guerrero was No. 2. The latter didn’t exactly slip, but merely made room for Shohei Ohtani, the heavily recruited Japanese star who was courted by several MLB teams.
A pair of other Jays also made their debut on the list — outfielder Anthony Alford at No. 60 and pitcher Nate Pearson at 91.
Both Guerrero and Bichette were in Toronto last week for a rookie orientation camp.
“I can’t wait for the chance to get up here,” Bichette said. “In some ways, it isn’t in my hands, but I’m going to do everything I can to help force (Jays management’s) decision.”
The only two players above Guerrero in the list compiled by the leading authority on the MLB draft and prospects were Braves prospect Ronald Acuna and Ohtani with the Angels.