Jays notebook: Prospect Guerrero show he has a head, and a stomach, for the game

SARASOTA, FLA.— There was a sharp intake of breath, followed by a loud chorus of “oohs” from the large contingent of Blue Jays fans on Sunday when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. threw his body at home plate as he scored Toronto’s third run of the game in a 9-8 loss to the Baltimore Orioles.

Baseball’s top prospect seemed to launch himself awkwardly at the plate, scoring on a two-run single by Dwight Smith Jr. That he was up and grinning within seconds was a good sign for fans and his teammates, who laughed at him for the belly flop. That there was a method behind the madness is another sign that Guerrero’s baseball IQ is advanced for his 19 years.

“My hand fell and I didn’t want it to get injured, so I just decided to let my body go in order to protect my arm,” Guerrero said.

Manager Charlie Montoyo was impressed that Guerrero had the presence of mind to make such a calculation in the heat of the moment. “I cannot relate to being 19 and to have those kind of instincts.”

The third baseman went 1for-3 in an otherwise quiet day, playing four innings before he was replaced by Eric Sogard. His baserunning impressed more than what he did at the plate. He beat out a throw to first base by pitcher Tanner Scott on a soft ground ball that scored Lourdes Gurriel Jr. earlier in the third, before scoring from second on that hair-raising play.

“For a big man, he runs pretty good and for a big man he moves pretty good at third base,” Montoyo said. “So far he looks pretty good to me.”

The man tasked with keeping Guerrero at the hot corner is coach Luis Rivera. They have focused on routine ground balls and making good throws to first base. They’ll start getting Guerrero’s legs ready next, with drills that will have him facing high bounces and using his legs to step backward and to either side.

Guerrero called working with Rivera a learning experience.

“So far he’s looking fine,” Rivera said. “He’s moving well, his hands are soft. That’s what you look for in a player.”

Up next: Right-hander Marcus Stroman will make his spring debut when Toronto visits the New York Yankees on Monday.