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	<title>Toronto &#187; Minor Leagues</title>
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		<title>September Roster Expansion: Which Blue Jays Will Get the Call Up?</title>
		<link>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2016/08/26/september-roster-expansion-whos-in/</link>
		<comments>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2016/08/26/september-roster-expansion-whos-in/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 26 Aug 2016 10:08:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Tammy Rainey]]></dc:creator>
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		<description><![CDATA[At this time of year, whether a team is in a playoff race or not, obsessive fans turn what is likely too much attention to the question of which players will get a call up when rosters expand in September. Often, but not always, the selections are fairly obvious, but further clarity can be gained [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>At this time of year, whether a team is in a playoff race or not, obsessive fans turn what is likely too much attention to the question of which players will get a call up when rosters expand in September. Often, but not always, the selections are fairly obvious, but further clarity can be gained by recognizing some of the considerations that the organization takes into account when making their choices.</p>
<p>One thing to remember: the fact that teams are allowed up to 40 players in September does <em>not</em> necessarily mean that there will be 15 players recalled. In fact, that basically never happens. More often, it&#8217;s maybe six or seven. Another angle to consider is what your team&#8217;s area of need is. Teams can be reliably expected to add a third catcher and more relief pitchers. Beyond that, it can vary according to where the 25 man roster lacks depth. Then there&#8217;s the factor of who is already on the 40 man roster and which among those have spent time in the majors already that year. These are usually players you can assume have found some level of favour with management.</p>
<p>Finally, consider the possibility that a team might have other plans for a given player. For example, one might think to themselves &#8220;I&#8217;ll bet Rowdy Tellez could hit major league pitching in September&#8221; and, indeed, he might. However, the Blue Jays may have him earmarked for the Arizona Fall League (more about that in a future post) and it&#8217;s fairly uncommon for such a player to get a September recall.</p>
<p>With those considerations in mind, let&#8217;s speculate on what will happen to the roster in just under a week. All these comments reflect changes to the current roster as of today&#8217;s publication. The details might change according to roster moves between now and Sept. 1.</p>
<p>Here are the players who will, in my opinion,  receive consideration. Some of these are more certain than others, but there&#8217;s a better than average chance for many. But to reiterate my earlier point &#8211; there will NOT be 15 players added to the roster.</p>
<p><em>Reminder: Aaron Sanchez, who will be back and starting against Baltimore on August 31, is not technically a part of this conversation. However, the team will need to make an &#8220;on paper&#8221; move in order to clear a roster spot.</em></p>
<h3><strong>The Potential Pitchers</strong></h3>
<h4>Bo Schultz</h4>
<p>The team seems to really like Schultz and he&#8217;s really given them no reason not to. Throw out his first three AAA appearances as he worked his way back from off-season hip surgery, and he posted a  2.00 ERA from May 24 until today. If not for the roster squeeze because of the six man rotation, he&#8217;d probably have spent all of August in Toronto.</p>
<h4>Ryan Tepera</h4>
<p>The Blue Jays have reliably turned to Tepera as the next man in the pecking order all season, except where roster machinations made it impractical or impossible. That he was just up last week is a sign he still holds that position. In case you think he&#8217;s a lightweight, note that he&#8217;s allowed more than one earned run exactly once in 34 minor league appearances. If you take out that one ugly outing, his ERA in all other games is 1.80&#8230;that&#8217;ll play. It should be noted that Tepera can&#8217;t technically be recalled until September 2nd because of the 10 day rule.</p>
<h4>Danny Barnes</h4>
<p>He didn&#8217;t get much of an audition in his first trip to Toronto, but Barnes&#8217; promotion shows he&#8217;s on their radar, and why wouldn&#8217;t he be? His AAA success is stunning. a 0.40 ERA and seven baserunners in 22.1 innings to go with 30 strikeouts.</p>
<h4>Chad Girodo</h4>
<p>With 10 pitchers in the bullpen mix ahead of him, Girodo is likely on the outside looking in. Plus, his AAA season has gone seriously sideways (7 BB and 1 K in 6 IP) in August.</p>
<h4>Gavin Floyd</h4>
<p>The original prognosis for Floyd&#8217;s injury was eight-to-twelve weeks, and we&#8217;re now at nine weeks with no word of recovery or rehab. From today, there are two weeks left in the AAA season, plus whatever playoff games might happen for the lower level teams. There&#8217;s a tiny window for a rehab assignment, but the odds are against him.</p>
<h3>The Potential Hitters</h3>
<h4>Ryan Goins</h4>
<p>This is so obvious it really needs no explanation. The only thing I need to say here is that Goins has to spend 10 days in the minors (unless the move is driven by injury) so he can&#8217;t be recalled until September 4th.</p>
<h4>Eric Kratz</h4>
<p>[Edit &#8211; see trade related update below] Seems likely to get the call over one-time prospect A.J. Jimenez, who&#8217;s been up and down all year, to fill the third catcher slot. My guess is the organization will value the veteran experience, including the knuckleball experience.</p>
<h4>Dalton Pompey</h4>
<p>It&#8217;s difficult to diagnose from afar just what&#8217;s going on with Pompey. After a slow start in April, which might have been attributed to the effects of a late spring injury, he picked up in early May and had a good-but-not-great summer. Then August arrived and he tailed into a 1-17 slump at the worst possible time: the week preceding Kevin Pillar&#8217;s trip to the DL. In the two weeks since, he&#8217;s returned to his previous levels (.259/.375/.389/.763 in his last 16 games). That makes him, offensively, a comparable option to the next guy on the list, and a better option than the one after him. He&#8217;s also, reportedly, been tentative and shaky on defense, which along with his speed, ought to have been crucial to his value. Still, there is the baserunning and the Blue Jays are going to have to decide what they think of him before next Opening Day. It would be stunning if he wasn&#8217;t recalled.</p>
<h4>Darrell Ceciliani</h4>
<p>The organization has a high view of Ceciliani, for what he is, and he was a much better hitter (.877 OPS) in the second half for Buffalo. He&#8217;s only played in 10 games for Buffalo in August, having spent much of the month in Toronto, but he&#8217;s been on fire in those games. It&#8217;s nearly a lock they&#8217;ll find room for him in September.</p>
<h4>Junior Lake</h4>
<p>With seven outfielders in front of him, my guess is that there&#8217;s just not room for him even though he&#8217;s been up a couple of times previously. Lake was outrighted (again) off the 40-man roster the last time.</p>
<h4>Matt Dominguez</h4>
<p>The gifted defender, who apparently forgot how to hit major league pitching, seems to have some appeal to the organization. He&#8217;s actually put up respectable numbers in Buffalo (compared to his recent years in the majors) and is having a good August. I&#8217;m inclined to think that Dominguez is coming back to Toronto next week.</p>
<h4>Andy Burns</h4>
<p>Burns may have missed his window as a prospect. His numbers in Buffalo are markedly worse in almost every category than they were in 2015, and only his defensive versatility gives him any hope of a recall.  I&#8217;m not at all sure that&#8217;s going to be enough.</p>
<h4>Jesus Montero</h4>
<p>I include him more because semi-casual fans will chatter about recalling him than because I think there&#8217;s a strong possibility. It&#8217;s true he&#8217;s leading the International League in hits, but he hasn&#8217;t shown the power that he was thought to have back when he was a prospect, and there&#8217;s little role on this team for a DH-only player without home run power.</p>
<h4>Chris Colabello</h4>
<p>Colabello has not done a single thing in AAA to warrant a recall. Unless the team feels some unspoken sense of loyalty to him, possibly because the guys in the clubhouse have some emotion invested in it, I can&#8217;t see that he brings any value that the Jays would covet.</p>
<h3>The Prediction</h3>
<p>Given all that what know, it seems like Loup, Schultz, Tepera, and Barnes will join the bullpen, and Goins, Pompey, Ceciliani, Dominguez and Kratz will be brought up to lengthen the bench.</p>
<h3>Trade Related Update</h3>
<p>With the acquisition of <strong>Dioner Navarro</strong>, clearly that means Kratz won&#8217;t be joining the team. Likewise, whichever player is optioned in order to make room for Navarro, one would have thought <strong>Aaron Loup</strong>, though Russ Atkins just implied they may slide Thole through waivers, will be back when the minor league season ends.</p>
<p><em>Lead Photo: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports</em></p>
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		<title>Artificial Turf Wars Ep. 11: A Minor (League) Detour</title>
		<link>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2016/05/12/artificial-turf-wars-ep-11-a-minor-league-detour/</link>
		<comments>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2016/05/12/artificial-turf-wars-ep-11-a-minor-league-detour/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 May 2016 10:15:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Artifical Turf Wars]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Podcast]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Artificial Turf Wars]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Buffalo Bisons]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cliché of the Week]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lansing Lugnuts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Minor Leagues]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ryan Tepera]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Starting Pitching]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Troy Tulowitzki]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[The voices of the minor leagues make their appearance on Artificial Turf Wars, as Jesse Goldberg-Strassler of the Lansing Lugnuts and Ben Wagner of the Buffalo Bisons stop by to discuss Andy Burns, top prospects and life at various levels of the minors. Greg, Josh, and Chris also run through the recent stories surrounding the [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The voices of the minor leagues make their appearance on Artificial Turf Wars, as <a href="https://twitter.com/jgoldstrass" target="_blank">Jesse Goldberg-Strassler</a> of the Lansing Lugnuts and <a href="https://twitter.com/benwag247" target="_blank">Ben Wagner</a> of the Buffalo Bisons stop by to discuss Andy Burns, top prospects and life at various levels of the minors. Greg, Josh, and Chris also run through the recent stories surrounding the team including the excellent starting pitching, some issues with Troy Tulowitzki&#8217;s glove, hitting woes, Ryan Tepera&#8217;s brief return to the club, and the bizarre way managers handle bullpens in the ninth inning. Finally the guys answer a few listener questions, look at a bizarre &#8220;shift&#8221; from Buck Martinez, and tackle the cliché of major leaguers being former shortstops.</p>
<p>Information on Blue Jays Weekend in Buffalo (mentioned by Ben Wagner) <a href="http://www.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20160428&amp;content_id=175085542&amp;fext=.jsp&amp;vkey=news_t422&amp;sid=t422" target="_blank">can be found here</a></p>
<p><strong>Podcast</strong>: <a class="powerpress_link_pinw" title="Play in New Window" href="http://s3.amazonaws.com/btr.shows/8/839/show_8839087_2016_05_12_04_03_55.mp3" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Play in new window</a> | <a class="powerpress_link_d" title="Download" href="http://s3.amazonaws.com/btr.shows/8/839/show_8839087_2016_05_12_04_03_55.mp3" rel="nofollow">Download</a></p>
<p><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/blue-jays-plus-podcast/id705699884?mt=2"><img class="alignnone wp-image-63" src="http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/03/itunes1.png" alt="itunes" width="125" height="46" /></a></p>
<p>Follow the guys on twitter: <a title="@coolhead2010" href="https://twitter.com/coolhead2010" target="_blank">@coolhead2010</a>, <a title="@JoshuaHowsam" href="https://twitter.com/JoshuaHowsam" target="_blank">@JoshuaHowsam</a> and <a title="@CWSherwin" href="https://twitter.com/CWSherwin" target="_blank">@CWSherwin</a></p>
<p>Intro music is Slow Burn (<a href="http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/" rel="cc:attributionURL">Kevin MacLeod</a>) under <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/" rel="license">CC BY 3.0</a>.</p>
<div><strong>Podcast Email</strong>-<a href="mailto:artificialturfwars@baseballprospectus.com" target="_blank">artificialturfwars@baseballprospectus.com</a> Please drop us a line if there is a guest you&#8217;d particularly like us to interview, to submit a question to <strong>Stump the Josh</strong>, or to simply give us feedback on the podcast. We&#8217;d love to hear from you!</div>
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		<title>The Comprehensive Blue Jays Minor League Primer</title>
		<link>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2016/04/07/the-comprehensive-blue-jays-minor-league-primer/</link>
		<comments>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2016/04/07/the-comprehensive-blue-jays-minor-league-primer/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:19:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Tammy Rainey]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Anthony Alford]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Conner Greene]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dalton Pompey]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Minor Leagues]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Prospects]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rowdy Tellez]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sean Reid-Foley]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Today is the big day for fans of the Toronto Blue Jays prospects. Today, weather permitting &#8211; given that three of the four full season teams play in northern climates &#8211; is opening day for all four full season affiliates. Since full (tentative) rosters were announced at the first of the week, you have probably perused [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Today is the big day for fans of the Toronto Blue Jays prospects. Today, weather permitting &#8211; given that three of the four full season teams play in northern climates &#8211; is opening day for all four full season affiliates. Since full (tentative) rosters were announced at the first of the week, you have probably perused them by now if you’re really interested in knowing all the finer details. So I won’t bother to repeat those for you here. Instead I will provide appropriate links to the full roster for each team to browse at your heart&#8217;s content. This review will focus on the prospects and players that should be commanding your attention for various reasons as the season gets underway, starting at the top of the system and working our way down the ladder.</p>
<h3><a href="http://www.milb.com/roster/index.jsp?sid=t422">BUFFALO BISONS</a></h3>
<p>The Buffalo team is packed out with players with major league experience, and relatively light on legitimate prospects, so I&#8217;ll have to fudge a bit on this one. That’s not really unusual for the Jays or across the league. Major league teams like to have veteran depth they can summon if an injury creates a need on the big club. It’s not my purpose here to review those guys, however I will toss a shout-out to Drew Hutchison who had fewer than 32 IP above Hi-A ball when he was first promoted to Toronto at the age of 21. An argument could be made that on a stricter development plan, he’d have been a major league rookie at best last year. He’s still just 25.</p>
<h4><em><strong>Star Turn</strong></em></h4>
<p><strong>Dalton Pompey </strong>of course<strong>.</strong> No longer in possession of rookie eligibility, he’s still legitimately a prospect even if he doesn’t appear on the lists. He only really needs to consolidate his hitting progress. His bat is probably major league ready. But the team believes the CF needs more consistency, that is more reps, on the defensive side of the ball. The 23 year old is another player that on another course might just now be arriving at AAA, and would probably be in the major leagues if not for last year&#8217;s breakout from Kevin Pillar.</p>
<h4><em><strong>One to Watch</strong></em></h4>
<p><strong>Andy Burns</strong>, 3B, 2B, LF, sometimes SS, and more in a pinch, has slowly and steadily built his credibility in the Blue Jays system, culminating in his head-turning spring training performance. He was drafted as a SS and put up interesting slash lines in his first full professional season in 2012, and was even better in 2013. The offensive numbers cooled a bit in the last couple of years but his versatility has steadily increased. That factor alone may put him in a major league uniform sometime this season.</p>
<h4><em><strong>Don’t Sleep on…</strong></em></h4>
<p><strong>Jesus Montero</strong>. So okay, he’s not a prospect at all, but he’s only 26 and if the Jays can fix his swing to complement the power. . .</p>
<h4><em><strong>Remember Him?</strong></em></h4>
<p><strong>Darrell Ceciliani</strong> is another guy you don’t really think of as one of the Blue Jays prospects, as he has never been a top 10 prospect in the Mets organization (the team from whom he was acquired). He was quite good in the Florida State League a few years ago, then raked in the high-octane Pacific Coast League last year before impressing Jays decision-makers in Spring Training with his power. Keep an eye on how he handles International League pitching, as he very likely will see time in Toronto this season.</p>
<h4><em><strong>There’s No Such Thing as A (Relief) Pitching Prospect</strong></em></h4>
<p>To be abbreviated henceforth!</p>
<p><strong>Chad Girodo</strong> is a 25 year old lefty that stuck around a long time in Spring Training. While the Blue Jays’ relief depth is pretty impressive, this is a guy you may well see do some work for the team, if not this year then next. With rare exception, minor league relief pitchers hardly qualify as “prospects” but sometimes a guy comes through the system in the ‘pen and still makes an impact (Aaron Loup, for an example). A side-armer who dominates left-handed hitters, Girodo had a 0.62 ERA in AA New Hampshire last year with an 11/1 K/BB ratio. That’ll play.</p>
<p>Other notes &#8211; RH RP Blake McFarland is another guy that might sneak up on you this year. You don’t add a somewhat older, former undrafted free agent to the 40 man roster unless you think he can pitch in the bigs in a pinch.</p>
<h3><a href="http://www.milb.com/roster/index.jsp?sid=t463">NEW HAMPSHIRE FISHER CATS</a></h3>
<p>Often double-A is viewed by major league teams as the real prospect proving ground and the best of them might leap-frog over the veteran-laden triple-a. Still, even when the Blue Jays are well stocked with prospects it always seems like the F-Cats have a rather plain roster. There&#8217;s only one real star here to start the season but look for that to change as the summer heats up.</p>
<h4><em><strong>Star Turn</strong></em></h4>
<p><strong>Rowdy Tellez</strong>, the 21 year old first baseman with the nickname that demands your adoration, was raking in Dunedin last year when he was hit in the hand by a pitch that cost him the rest of his team’s season. He did come back strong in the Arizona Fall League, but given that he only played in 35 games in Dunedin, it’s a mild surprise he was assigned to New Hampshire right out of the gate. He has an advanced feel for hitting, both for average and for power, so it will be interesting to see how he handles the higher quality arms in double-A.</p>
<h4><em><strong>One to Watch</strong></em></h4>
<p>LHP <strong>Shane Dawson</strong> is an even more surprising assignment at this level. The Alberta-born starter is widely regarded as having marginal stuff but is also described as a player who maximizes his results with an advanced feel for pitchability. The surprise here is that the 22 year old pitcher got a mere 5 starts in Dunedin after a second-half promotion in 2015. I&#8217;m guessing not one observer had penciled him in for AA.</p>
<h4><em><strong>Don’t Sleep On…</strong></em></h4>
<p><strong>Roman Fields</strong>. He’s always likely to be a guy with, at most, a barely tolerable bat but he also features impressive outfield defense and blazing speed. If the team can turn his bat up even a little, he could be a valuable bench outfielder. Remember, the upcoming season will only be his third in professional baseball.</p>
<h4><em><strong>Remember Him?</strong></em></h4>
<p><strong>John Stilson</strong>? You remember, right? The guy that everyone said the Blue Jays stole in the 2011 draft if he could stay healthy and then he . . . didn’t? Yeah. That guy. Well, that’s not entirely fair. He looked like an absolute stud out of the ‘pen in 2013 for the Bisons. But a series of shoulder woes cut short 2014 and wiped out 2015. Reports were he was throwing 98 mph easily in spring training, so his name could pop up again.</p>
<h4><em><strong>TNSTAS(R)PP</strong></em></h4>
<p><strong>Brady Dragmire</strong> had one of the craziest game logs of 2015. He struggled so much in the early going that his ERA peaked at 10.80 and a 10/13 K/BB ratio on June 9 (in 21.2 IP). But after making an adjustment, he got so hot that he burst into flames (not literally). His ERA over the balance of the season was 2.38 over 41.2 IP, with a 40/7 K/BB. The 22-year old also didn&#8217;t give up a home run all year. His addition to the 40 man roster last fall showed that the Blue Jays were paying attention. He will basically go as far as his slider takes him. When it&#8217;s on, he&#8217;s very tough. When it&#8217;s not, he&#8217;s very hittable.</p>
<p>Other notes &#8211; The increasing crowd of players who play 1B/DH in the system, combined with the injuries and lack of development from once highly regarded Mitch Nay have created the opportunity for <strong>Matt Dean</strong> to return to the hot corner. He displayed considerable power for the cavernous environment of the Florida State League last year but it remains to be seen whether his bat translates to AA or his glove can still play at third base.</p>
<h3><a href="http://www.milb.com/roster/index.jsp?sid=t424">DUNEDIN BLUE JAYS</a></h3>
<p>In stark contrast the the New Hampshire squad, the D-Jays are comparatively jacked up. a half dozen or more of these guys have significant major league potential. Much of this likely has to do with the virtual guarantee of early season warm weather, but regardless, the team is loaded.</p>
<h4><em><strong>Star Turn</strong></em></h4>
<p><strong>Anthony Alford</strong> is the only real choice for the mention here. He came into 2015 with fewer than 80 professional at bats and promptly turned into an absolute stud. He started at Lansing for 50 games, then put up an even better line in 52 games after his promotion to Dunedin. He has an elite approach at the plate, which is stunning for someone who missed so much professional time, and has the defensive and speed tools that make scouts drool. While there’s certainly wisdom in holding a guy who grew up in Mississippi back in the Florida sunshine for a bit more seasoning, I’d be stunned if he played here beyond the FSL All Star Game on June 18. If you missed it, you can get an up-close look at the star prospect from Joshua Howsam&#8217;s <a href="http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2016/04/06/why-anthony-alford-is-ready-to-take-the-next-step/">excellent interview with Alford. </a></p>
<h4><em><strong>One to Watch</strong></em></h4>
<p>Well, technically, five! There is just too much talent on this team to limit the report to just one player.</p>
<p>Being on the same roster as Alford gets shortstop <strong>Richard Urena</strong> pushed out of the spotlight a bit, but he’s here too and he’s not short on buzz around the organization. Still just 20, scouts rave about the Dominican infielder&#8217;s instincts for shortstop, and he showed surprising power last year in Lansing. Executives and coaches are very impressed with him and are content to give him lots of time to develop his plate discipline, which is practically non-existent at this point. He walked only 16 times in 2015, so he&#8217;ll need to improve to be more than just a defensive wizard.</p>
<p>The D-Jays rotation has a ton of potential that I would be remiss start with anyone other than <strong>Conner Greene</strong>. You’ve probably heard a lot about him this spring already, but it bears repeating. Like Alford, Greene took a huge leap forward last year. The former seventh round pick threw well in Lansing, dominated in Dunedin for seven starts and eventually made it all the way to New Hampshire. Armed with a fastball that was touching 98 mph this spring and an improving curve, Greene is somebody that could come rather quickly. However, also like Alford, the new regime choose to slow him down a bit and let him pitch in the Florida sun after a wild 2015. He’s another one that should be in NH before July arrives.</p>
<p>The rest of the rotation brings more risk but a lot of upside. The most intriguing player for me is one-time bonus baby <strong>Adonys Cardona</strong>. The injury plagued Venezuelan, signed at 16, has just turned 22 and has only managed 83 mostly unimpressive professional innings (not counting the DSL), but the stuff is supposedly still elite. He is apparently bringing high nineties heat with his fastball and impressively sharp secondary pitches. If the newly revamped training staff (no doubt the reason he’s on the Dunedin roster rather than Lansing) can keep him on the mound, this could be the breakout candidate for the entire minor league system. [Last minute update: Cardona isn&#8217;t scheduled to start during the first turn through the rotation. The team may be using him in the bullpen initially, or even long term. This is a factor to pay attention to, putting him in relief may be something they feel is dictated by his inability to stay heathy. However, as a reliever he might move quickly]</p>
<p><strong>Tom Robson</strong> is here too. In his first full season back from Tommy John surgery the watchful eye of the Dunedin trainers will be handy with him as well. While his numbers don’t reflect it, some around the team expect a lot from Robson this year. The same can be said for <strong>Ryan Burucki</strong>. Drafted in 2012, he’s mentioned among the high ceiling guys every year and every year he manages to get hurt. The lefty has fewer than 70 professional inning, but 57 of those were in 2014 and they were quite impressive. Like the two aforementioned, he’s likely in Dunedin specifically because the organization wants to employ the best possible resources to keep him healthy.</p>
<h4><em><strong>Don’t Sleep On&#8230;</strong></em></h4>
<p>Catcher <strong>Danny Jansen</strong>. It would be easy overlook the Illinois native if all you did was look at the stats from last season, one interrupted by a major injury. But many observers believe he has put himself into the conversation for the organization&#8217;s best catching prospect (given the even more severe injury issues of a certain former first round choice). I’m not ready to go that far yet, but he’s much better than last year’s results.</p>
<h4><em><strong>Remember Him?</strong></em></h4>
<p><strong>DJ Davis</strong> is here too! I don’t suppose you’ve completely forgotten the less successful of the team’s two Mississippi outfielders, but anyone can be forgiven for not seeing him past the white-hot intensity of Alford’s success. Davis showed dramatic improvement last year, but he’ll need to do just that again to convince the many skeptics that he has any hope of a major league future.</p>
<h4><strong><em>TNSTAA(R)PP</em></strong></h4>
<p>This is particularly true in Dunedin to start the year. So in the absence of a guy I can tell you has upside (I guess <strong>Justin Schafer</strong> might be . . . something . . . maybe) I’ll give you an interesting storyline. Remember <strong>Gustavo Pierre</strong>, the hacking Dominican bonus baby SS-turned-3B who struggled with both the bat and the glove? Well the Blue Jays are giving him a shot on the mound. If they assigned him to a full season roster, particularly Dunedin, he must have shown them something.</p>
<h3><a href="http://www.milb.com/roster/index.jsp?sid=t499">LANSING LUGNUTS</a></h3>
<p>Not much to get excited about here in the field, save one guy, but there&#8217;s the potential for a big-time starting rotation.</p>
<h4><em><strong>Star Turn</strong></em></h4>
<p><strong>Sean Reid-Foley</strong>, who’s also 20, was one of the most aggressively promoted prospects under the previous regime. After a taste of Gulf Coast League ball in 2014 following his second round selection out of high school, he surprisingly broke camp last year at low-A Lansing. Armed with a mid 90s fastball and a wicked slider, Reid-Foley actually pitched well enough, despite evident control issues, to eventually receive eight starts in Dunedin. Neither assignment would have have been a shock this year, but it seems the team is daring Reid-Foley to dominate in low-A and harness his commend before getting any promotion. Chances are if he holds up his end of that proposition, Reid-Foley will move quickly.</p>
<h4><em><strong>One to Watch</strong></em></h4>
<p>The other potential star turn would 2015 First Round pick <strong>Jon Harris</strong>. The 6’4” RHP was thought to be quite the steal when the team drafted him and some observers said he’d be able to move as fast as anyone in the draft due to a very mature approach. But fatigue largely ruined his debut so he’s looking for a rebound for the full-season Lugnuts.  He works with a sinking fastball between 92-94 and has a true four pitch mix, with curveball, slider and changeup all flashing plus at times. The fast-mover tag hasn’t faded too far into the rear-view and if he shows any consistency, he’ll challenge Reid-Foley for the honor of first promotion.</p>
<h4><em><strong>Don’t Sleep On…</strong></em></h4>
<p><strong>Lane Thomas </strong>is a third baseman-turned center fielder-turned second baseman who now listed again as a center fielder, but my sources tell me not to assume the 2B plan is dead. Thomas announced his presence with authority in 2014, putting up an .814 OPS as an 18 year old at Bluefield. However, he struggled all year at Vancouver last year and I, among others, were troubled to see such a promising player falter to that degree. I kept my eye out for reports on what was going wrong and it turns out he was dealing with a pretty serious wrist injury all year which obviously greatly affected his hitting. My source says he is healed and strong now and this may be the hitter that gets the most “where did this guy come from?” chatter in the coming year.</p>
<h4><em><strong>Remember Him?</strong></em></h4>
<p>Pop quiz! Who was the 1st round (35th overall) pick by the Blue Jays in 2011? If you said <strong>Jacob Anderson</strong> then possibly you, like me, spend far too much time paying attention to minor leaguers. Anderson was described by some as a nice bargain at the pick. After he hit .405 in a handful of GCL at bats that year I was perhaps overly invested in him for a while. Then he struggled in 2012, missed all of ‘13 and effectively all (10 AB) of 2014. He managed to get 63 AB last year as a 22 year old at Bluefield before a pitch to the head put him out of commission again. I had basically moved on from him, but here he is, on a full season team, trying to hold himself together long enough to rediscover the talent he had on Draft Day.</p>
<h4><em><strong>TNSTAA(R)PP</strong></em></h4>
<p>Noting truly remarkable here, but <strong>Travis Bergen </strong>was the team’s 7th round pick in 2015 out of Kennesaw State and he might be a fast mover.</p>
<p>Other notes &#8211; Another SP that you must pay attention to on this team is 6’6” Dominican lefty <strong>Angel Perdomo</strong>. Word is that when he’s on he’s a monster on the mound, but just lacks some consistency, particularly with control. He could combine with Harris and Reid-Foley to deliver this team it’s seemingly annual first-half title.</p>
<h4><em><strong>“But what about…?”</strong></em></h4>
<p><strong>Max Pentecost</strong>? Pentecost is technically on the Lansing roster but disabled. No one seems to know anything about the former first rounder and &#8220;Catcher of the Future&#8221;. He’s probably still physically in Dunedin working with the training staff to get game ready and the Lansing assignment is a paperwork matter. [Last minute update: Pentecost has disappeared from the Lansing roster. Presumably he does remain in extended]</p>
<p><strong>Clinton Hollon</strong>? Hollon is finishing up his amphetamine suspension that carried over from late last season. He is due back in early May and stands to give the Lugnuts a four man quartet in the rotation that would be unrivaled in the system. As for the suspension, see the <a href="http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2016/03/18/after-set-backs-in-2015-clinton-hollon-is-ready-to-take-flight/">great piece</a> on this site by Gideon Turk for the inside scoop.</p>
<p><strong>Mitch Nay</strong>? Nay opens the season on the Dunedin DL. He left the field last summer because of a staph infection which apparently took a pretty big toll on him. No word on the nature of his disability this spring, or whether or not it’s related.</p>
<p><strong>Matt Smoral</strong>? I continue to hold out hope for the big lefty since he spent the winter working with <a href="https://www.drivelinebaseball.com/" target="_blank">Driveline Baseball</a>. He will likely remain in Extended Spring Training with a potential assignment yet to be determined. He may yet end up with Dunedin or Lansing before the short-season teams begin play.</p>
<p><strong>Ryan McBroom</strong>? He’s in Dunedin, playing 1B, wishing he didn’t have Tellez soaking up all the press in front of him on the depth chart.</p>
<p>If there’s any other player you saw mentioned on a Top Prospect list anywhere I didn’t mention, the odds are very high indeed that said player is young enough that he’ll be playing on a short-season team. Yes, that includes <strong>Vlad Guerrero, Jr.</strong> &#8211; which probably puts a damper on his <a href="http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/guerrero-jr-hopes-to-be-in-majors-in-two-years/" target="_blank">plans to get to the bigs in two years</a>. Kudos go to my friend, the ever-gracious <a href="https://twitter.com/jgoldstrass">Jesse Goldberg-Strassler</a> for valuable insight on some of these guys.</p>
<p><em>Lead Photo: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports</em></p>
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		<title>Why Anthony Alford is Poised to Take the Next Step</title>
		<link>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2016/04/06/why-anthony-alford-is-ready-to-take-the-next-step/</link>
		<comments>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2016/04/06/why-anthony-alford-is-ready-to-take-the-next-step/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 06 Apr 2016 11:08:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Joshua Howsam]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Anthony Alford]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Minor Leagues]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Prospects]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/?p=1140</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The major league baseball season has been underway for a few days now, but the minor leaguers have been patiently waiting for their turn. That all changes tomorrow when all the full-season affiliates finally take the field for real. For the Blue Jays, all eyes (that aren’t trained on Tampa Bay) will be on top [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The major league baseball season has been underway for a few days now, but the minor leaguers have been patiently waiting for their turn. That all changes tomorrow when all the full-season affiliates finally take the field for real. For the Blue Jays, all eyes (that aren’t trained on Tampa Bay) will be on top prospect Anthony Alford. The Dunedin outfielder opened a lot of eyes last year when he hit .298/.398/.421 across two levels, despite having only accrued 110 plate appearances over the previous three seasons.</p>
<p>I had the chance to catch up with Alford during spring training to get the story of how he got here and what he’s looking to do going forward.</p>
<p>For those of you who are unaware, the reason Alford had played so few games is because, after high school, he played football in college, but baseball for the Jays during the school offseason. It was a scenario that Alford himself never saw unfolding. “I didn’t expect it all,” said Alford. “I was so sold on just playing football and baseball in college for three years and then weighing my options to see what I was going to do.”</p>
<p>Unlike other teams who&#8217;d passed on Alford because of his commitment to football, the Blue Jays gave him the chance to do both, with the condition that he decide on a sport by the end of his junior year. Football didn’t start off so well for the man from Columbia, Mississippi. He started as a freshman QB for the University of Southern Mississippi, but the team went 0-12. This probably led some Jays fans to believe that Alford was going to give up on football and join the Jays minor league ranks on a permanent basis. However, it wasn’t so. Alford turned down a contract offer from the Blue Jays and transferred to Ole Miss, which is one of the elite football programs in the SEC (NCAA’s best football conference).</p>
<p>Two years later, with Alford playing strong safety, Ole Miss was ranked in the top three in the entire country and getting ready to host rival Alabama. Suddenly, without warning, Alford dropped football entirely and announced he was ready to pursue his baseball career full time. The thought of giving it all up would in that moment would have been unthinkable for most, but for Alford it was the only decision. “I had to do what was best for my future. I hated that I had to do it at that time, but I had to do what was best for my wife, myself and my family,” said Alford, “I had to come down here to instructs so I could go to winterball.”</p>
<p>He took off to Australia in order to get some some regular at-bats. In the span of a couple weeks, Alford went from being a starter on one of the best college football programs in the USA to playing baseball halfway around the world. It may seem like an impossible transition to you, but it wasn’t for the young outfielder:</p>
<p><em>“It was hard, but at the same time that&#8217;s what I&#8217;ve done my whole life. I played football, then I&#8217;d go straight to basketball. Then when baseball season would get there I&#8217;d have 1.5-2 weeks to get ready for baseball. So I&#8217;ve always just done it. Just prepared really quickly before I go into a baseball season. I thought it was a really good experience going to that country and just seeing a different part of the world. It was different off the field, but on the field it was very similar, and that’s what was important.”</em></p>
<p>He didn’t hit that well in Australia, putting up a meager line of .200/.315/.316 in 152 PAs, but that wasn’t what mattered. What mattered was getting back into baseball full time. Still, when he got back to the USA to play minor league ball for Lansing, he never expected to move up so quickly, but he did have the right mentality:</p>
<p><em>“I just said I&#8217;m going to go out there and&#8230;take what I learned in Australia and put it into the upcoming season. And that&#8217;s what I did. I learned a lot about myself and my strengths and weaknesses. And now I&#8217;m just going to build off that.”</em></p>
<p>After “picking the brains” of players in big league camp and seeing how the Jays stars “go about their business,” it was time to start putting in full-time work:</p>
<p><em>“It&#8217;s reps, reps, reps. I had under 100 ABs before last year. So the biggest thing for me is reps and it&#8217;s the only way I&#8217;m going to get better. [Older pitchers] are around the plate more and their balls have more movement. And they have better secondary pitches. I&#8217;ll be able to adjust once I get more reps. I&#8217;m hitting with a leg kick (note: A true Blue Jay) and I need to get consistent with it, so I need consistent ABs. That&#8217;s the biggest thing.”</em></p>
<p>As far as changes to his approach go, don’t look for much in the upcoming season from the star prospect. The home run totals weren&#8217;t high, but the team isn&#8217;t worried about that. When asked about the subject, Alford had this to say:</p>
<p><em>“The guys in the organization know I have power. I&#8217;m just trying to establish myself and build on what I know by strengthening my weaknesses and building my strengths. We haven&#8217;t really talked about mechanics or changing my approach. I feel like I have a really good approach. We haven&#8217;t really worried about the power. I feel like they know it&#8217;s going to come and I know it&#8217;s going to come.”</em></p>
<p>The Blue Jays are clearly high on the Columbia native, but that doesn’t mean he’s not going to keep putting in work, especially on the defensive end. Even though he’s a natural center fielder, Alford has been working out at all three outfield spots. When asked why, Alford said,</p>
<p><i>“It&#8217;s important for all outfielders to learn to play all the positions because you could be a CF your whole life, but if you&#8217;re in the Pirates organization and you get called up, you think they&#8217;re going to move Andrew McCutchen? No, you&#8217;re going to have to learn to play another position. Or with us for example, Kevin Pillar is established in CF and could have won gold glove last year. He&#8217;s an awesome CF. So it’s better to be prepared for everything.” </i></p>
<p><i>“If helping the team is me&#8230;playing the ninth inning on defense, I feel like you just gotta know how to handle any role so you can do what’s needed to get the team a win.”</i></p>
<p>He also knows not to get bogged down in what he can’t control. While it’s certainly true that by this time next year he could be an injury away from a major league role, Alford isn’t letting that get into his thinking.</p>
<p><i>&#8220;I feel like people mess up and they get caught up in that. If I start trying to play GM I&#8217;ll stop focusing on what I should be focusing on. It&#8217;s not my job to say &#8216;oh this guy, his contract is about to be up.&#8217; or &#8216;this guy is hurt. Who are they going to call up next?&#8217; When you get caught up in that, that&#8217;s when everything starts going downhill.&#8221;</i></p>
<p>He doesn’t pay attention to what he can’t control. When the subject of prospect rankings came up, Alford noted that, “it&#8217;s an honour that people think that way about me, but at the same time it&#8217;s just an outsider opinion. That&#8217;s why you can&#8217;t really get caught up on that. You&#8217;ve got a guy like Rowdy Tellez who is probably one of the most gifted hitters I&#8217;ve ever played with. You&#8217;ve got Conner Greene who is a gifted pitcher&#8230;there are other people in this organization that could easily be the number one prospect.&#8221;</p>
<p>Not only is Alford a really smart guy who&#8217;s acutely aware of what he does and doesn&#8217;t need to focus on, but he&#8217;s the type of person who will throw compliments towards his teammates with no provocation. When you combine the raw talent, the work ethic, and the willingness to do what it takes to get better, you usually end up with a really good player. Add in a good teammate, and you end up with someone special.</p>
<p>Anthony Alford is going to head to Dunedin, but people there shouldn’t get to used to seeing him, as he won&#8217;t be around for long. He’s got the skills and the attitude to the be up in the majors shortly, and I firmly believe he’s going to do great things. It&#8217;s only a question of when.</p>
<p><em>Lead Photo: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports</em></p>
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		<title>Blue Jays Send Pompey and Two Others to Minor League Camp</title>
		<link>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2016/03/18/blue-jays-send-pompey-and-two-others-to-minor-league-camp/</link>
		<comments>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2016/03/18/blue-jays-send-pompey-and-two-others-to-minor-league-camp/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 18 Mar 2016 15:32:15 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Jenn Smith]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dalton Pompey]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Matt Dominguez]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Minor Leagues]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wade LeBlanc]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/?p=499</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[With Opening Day fast approaching, the Toronto Blue Jays have begun the process of thinning out the ranks in big league camp. A number of prospects were sent out late last week, and not a few more depth pieces have been sent down. Dalton Pompey was one of the #BlueJays reassigned to Minor League camp [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>With Opening Day fast approaching, the Toronto Blue Jays have begun the process of thinning out the ranks in big league camp. A number of prospects were sent out late last week, and not a few more depth pieces have been sent down.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Dalton Pompey was one of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlueJays?src=hash">#BlueJays</a> reassigned to Minor League camp today. Wade LeBlanc and Matt Dominguez as well.</p>
<p>&mdash; Gregor Chisholm (@gregorMLB) <a href="https://twitter.com/gregorMLB/status/710836717142540288">March 18, 2016</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>The Blue Jays have announced that outfielder Dalton Pompey, pitcher Wade LeBlanc and third baseman Matt Dominquez have been re-assigned to minor league camp.</p>
<p>The twenty-three year old Pompey made his major league debut with the Jays on September 2<sup>nd</sup>, 2014 against the Tampa Bay Rays when he pinch-ran for Edwin Encarnacion. The Mississauga native made the team out of spring training the following season, but after struggling through 23 games he was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo and eventually to Double-A New Hampshire before being added to the Jays’ postseason roster as a pinch-running specialist. Then in 22 at-bats this spring, Pompey hit just .227/.292/.636 with two homeruns, two walks and seven strikeouts. The injury to Saunders last season paved the way for Pompey to be named to the starting lineup out of spring training, but his on-field performance – particularly defensively – suggest that he was rushed to the big leagues. With the health and performance of Michael Saunders this spring, Pompey was never going to get an opportunity to play every day for the Jays, so his development is best served by playing full time in Buffalo. Given the nature of a 162-game season, it is likely that Pompey will see major-league playing time again at some point in 2016.</p>
<p>Dominguez, the twenty-six year old third baseman, hit 286/.375/.286 with 6 hits, one walk and six strikeouts in six at-bats this spring. He was claimed off waivers by the Jays from the Milwaukee Brewers last September. A former first-round draft pick, Dominguez has some pop in his bat but is also strikeout-prone. Defensively, however, he is among the very best in baseball. If Donaldson should get hurt at any point in time (we&#8217;re going to hope that doesn&#8217;t happen), Dominguez should be able to fill in capably for a short time.</p>
<p>Leblanc, 31, signed a minor-league contract with an invite to spring training during the offseason after spending last season with the Saitama Seibu Lions of the Nippon Professional Baseball league. In 3.1 innings pitched this spring, Leblanc surrendered three runs on three hits with three walks and three strikeouts. He is really only here to help the Buffalo Bisons win games.</p>
<p>All three players will add depth to the Jays&#8217; minor-league system and could be called up should the need arise.</p>
<p><em>Lead Photo: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports</em></p>
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		<title>Minor League Update: Spring Training Edition</title>
		<link>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2016/03/16/minor-league-update-spring-training-edition/</link>
		<comments>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2016/03/16/minor-league-update-spring-training-edition/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 16 Mar 2016 15:53:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Ewan Ross]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Minor League Update]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Anthony Alford]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Conner Greene]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Minor Leagues]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Prospects]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rowdy Tellez]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/?p=379</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[At this point in the spring, the majority of the prospects who were invited to major league camp have been sent out to join their fellow young players at the opening of minor league spring training. That makes this a nice time to take a look at just how well the prospects did in their time playing with the [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>At this point in the spring, the majority of the prospects who were invited to major league camp have been sent out to join their fellow young players at the opening of minor league spring training. That makes this a nice time to take a look at just how well the prospects did in their time playing with the big boys. It’s worth keeping in mind that spring training stats tend to be some of the most misleading statistics you will ever see. Not only are they an impossibly small sample size, but they also come against wildly different competition levels.</p>
<p>While this segment will only feature prospects during the season, for Spring Training I am also including some more veteran players who are competing for a spot on the back end of the 25-man, opening day roster.</p>
<p><strong>AJ Jimenez</strong> – C –</p>
<p>6 Games, 13 AB &#8211; .455/.538/.727 – 1 HR, 0 SB, 2 BB, 1 K</p>
<p>In the two years since Jimenez returned from his Tommy John surgery, his prospect stock has plummeted to the point where I was surprised that he remained on the 40 man roster over the winter. However, Jimenez picked the exact right time to see a return of the promising bat that scouts once saw in him. With Dioner Navarro leaving this offseason via free agency, and Josh Thole slotted into the backup catcher role, the time is now for Jimenez to make a push for a major league role. The home run is easily the most exciting aspect of Jimenez performance thus far in spring training. Yes, it may have come against Orioles minor leaguer Parker Bridwell, but when you are a player who has only hit nine home runs in the last four years combined, beggars can’t be choosers.</p>
<p>With his defensive reputation, including a very strong throwing arm, Jimenez won’t need to post gaudy offensive numbers to be a contributor at the major league level. Couple that with the likes of Thole ahead of him on the depth chart, there is certainly a chance that if Jimenez continues to produce once the minor league season gets started that we could get a chance to see him at some point in 2016. He&#8217;s out of options, but it&#8217;s hard to see him not clearing waivers given his lack of playing time the last few years.</p>
<p><strong>Darrell Ceciliani</strong> – CF –</p>
<p>10 Games, 18 AB &#8211; .444/.565/.778 – 1 HR, 3 2B, 0 SB, 4 BB, 4 K</p>
<p>Coming into the spring, it was assumed that Dalton Pompey would be sent back to Triple A for a little bit more seasoning, so the Jays had an open slot for their fourth outfielder role. The competition was supposed to feature the likes of Ezequiel Carrera, Junior Lake, or Domonic Brown, however, the overlooked man in this competition could wind up being Darrell Ceciliani, whom the Jays acquired via trade from the Mets (for cash) in early February.</p>
<p>In the first two weeks of spring training, Ceciliani has been the Jays best hitter, and certainly requires a longer look as the team progresses closer to opening day. It&#8217;s honestly quite puzzling why the Mets were willing to dump Ceciliani for just cash. While he was unproductive in his first 39 games in the big leagues, Ceciliani destroyed the PCL last season to the tune of a .345/.398/.581 slash line. While those numbers are certainly inflated by playing his home games in Las Vegas, they still pop off the page. When you couple that stat line, with a player entering his prime at the age of 26, and most importantly still having minor league options remaining, he seems like a player most teams would like to keep.</p>
<p>I try as little as possible to draw conclusions from spring training stats, but given my lack of faith in many of the players with whom Ceciliani is competing, I think there is least a non-zero chance that he could break camp with the big league team.</p>
<p><strong>Andy Burns</strong> &#8211; UT &#8211;</p>
<p>13 Games, 18 AB &#8211; .333/.455/.722 &#8211; 1 HR, 1 3B, 1 2B, 4 BB, 3 K</p>
<p>Along with Ceciliani, Andy Burns has been one of the Jays hottest hitters throughout the early part of spring training. Burns has seen time at 2nd base, 3rd base, and left field, and the Blue Jays seem fully committed to him developing into a utility man. What&#8217;s been one of the more impressive aspects of Burns success thus far in the spring is that he&#8217;s done most of his damage against right-handed pitching. Throughout Burns minor league career, he has been most known for punishing lefties. With Ryan Goins as the team&#8217;s starting 2nd baseman, I believe there could be a role for Burns on the major league roster. If Darwin Barney flops to start the season, and Devon Travis&#8217; return is delayed, I could see the club turning to Burns.</p>
<p><strong>Jio Mier</strong> – SS –</p>
<p>12 Games, 20 AB &#8211; .350/.350/.600 – 1 HR, 2 2B, 0 SB, 0 BB, 4 K</p>
<p>Mier, the former Astros first round pick, was acquired by the Jays via minor league free agency over the winter. Given pedigree, which albeit has faded, Mier is more intriguing than most minor league free agents.  That makes seeing these types of early positive signs something worth noticing at least. Given that Mier is already behind Troy Tulowitzki, Ryan Goins, and Darwin Barney on the depth chart, and will soon to be pushed even further down by a returning Devon Travis, it’s tough to see the path to playing time for Mr. Mier. That being said, it’s worth remembering that Jonathan Diaz saw time on the major league roster in each of the past two seasons.</p>
<p><strong>Dalton Pompey</strong> – CF –</p>
<p>10 Games, 21 AB &#8211; .190/.261/.524 – 2 HR, 1 2B, 0 SB, 2 BB, 7 K</p>
<p>Dalton Pompey is a perfect example of why Spring Training numbers just can’t be taken at face value. The only thing that is preventing Pompey’s 21 spring training plate appearances from being a complete black hole are the pair of home runs that he has slugged so far. However, it just so happens that those dingers happen to have been hit off the Athletics’ Andrew Triggs, and the Orioles’ Chris Lee. You can be excused if you’ve never heard of either of those pitchers, because neither of them has ever pitched above Double-A.</p>
<p>I had come into the spring with the hope that if things broke right for Pompey he would could win the fourth outfielder role, or even had an outside shot at even winning the starting left field job. With a slow start you’d have to imagine that scenario is out the window now, so look for Pompey to head to Buffalo once the minor league season gets started. Hopefully he will be ready to produce when called upon.</p>
<p><strong>Domonic Brown</strong> – OF –</p>
<p>8 Games, 22 AB &#8211; .182/.280/.364 – 2 3B, 0 SB, 3 BB, 3 K</p>
<p><strong>Junior Lake </strong>– OF –</p>
<p>8 Games, 22 AB &#8211; .227/.292/.364 – 0 HR, 3 2B, 1 SB, 1 BB, 4 K</p>
<p><strong>Ezequiel Carrera</strong> – OF</p>
<p>8 Games, 15 AB &#8211; .067/.222/.067 – 0 HR, 1 SB, 3 BB, 5 K</p>
<p>Carrera, Brown, and Lake are all competing for the fourth outfielder spot with Ceciliani &amp; Pompey, and none of them have done much of anything thus far into the spring. With Lake and Carrera both out of options, I had assumed that either of them would get the first opportunity, but unless they start to put up at least respectable numbers the rest of the way they are in danger of being passed over.</p>
<p>In Brown’s case, since he could be sent down to Buffalo freely, he was always facing an uphill battle to make the opening day roster. Since he provides negative defensive value, even in a corner outfield spot, he needs to show the club that they can’t afford to leave his bat down in the minors. That certainly hasn’t happened yet.</p>
<p><strong>Rowdy Tellez</strong> – 1B –</p>
<p>9 Games, 11 AB &#8211; .182/.250/.182 – 0 SB, 1 BB, 3 K</p>
<p><strong>Anthony Alford</strong> – CF –</p>
<p>11 Games, 10 AB &#8211; .100/.308/.100 – 0 SB, 3 BB, 4 K</p>
<p><strong>Richard Urena</strong> – SS –</p>
<p>8 Games, 14 AB &#8211; .214/.214/.286 – 0 HR, 1 2B, 1 SB, 0 BB, 1 K</p>
<p>Taken together, Alford, Urena, and Tellez are the Jays top 3 position player prospects. While each of them has struggled thus far, we should pay zero attention to any of these stats. None of these players is older than 21 years old, and they are facing better competition than they’ve ever seen. The main reason for inviting prospects like this to major league training camp is not to have them produce on the field, but rather to have them interact with established major league veterans, and learn from their habits. All three of these players have since been reassigned to minor league camp, and I look forward to each producing once the minor league season gets under way.</p>
<p><strong>Conner Greene – </strong>Starting Pitcher</p>
<p>2 Games, 2 IP – 0.00 ERA, 1 Hit, 3 Ks, 2 BB</p>
<p>The Jays top pitching prospect was only in major league camp for a cup of coffee, but acquitted himself quite well in the two games he in which he appeared. His first inning of work came against the Phillies, and despite walking JP Arencibia (lol), he struck out the side. While he didn’t face a major leaguer, one of his victims was Phillies top prospect Nick Williams. Greene came back a few days later, and in his lone inning against the Rays, he managed to retire major leaguers Brad Miller, Steven Souza &amp; Logan Forsythe. Soon after that game, Green was reassigned to Minor League camp, so we won’t be getting another chance to look at him until the New Hampshire Fisher Cats season gets underway in the first week of April. While this is the smallest of possible samples, there were nothing but positives to take away from Greene this spring.</p>
<p><em>Lead Photo: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports</em></p>
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