Jay Blue's Best Cats: Barnes, Dawson, Gabryszwski, Smith, Tellez

    
New Hampshire Fisher Cats
2016 Report, Part 1: Blue Jays from Away Awards
By Jay Blue
Blue Jays from Away
We’ve arrived at our penultimate report for the Blue Jays’ minor league clubs with the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats.

The Fisher Cats struggled to a 69-73 record under manager Bobby Meacham. They had slightly below league-average offensive production (from a club that averaged 24.3 years old, exactly the league average age) and slightly above league average pitching (in terms of runs per game) with a pitching staff that was a year older than the league average age. The true strength of the Fisher Cats had to have been the bullpen which had several pitchers move up to Buffalo (and even Toronto) successfully.

Blue Jays from Away Player of the Game Champion
For those of you who followed the minor league reports here, you’ll know that I “awarded” Player of the Game (PotG) accolades on a game-by-game basis. It should comfort you to know that I’ve been keeping track of these daily awards and my rationale for the system is as follows.

The Player of the Game Awards were determined by a number of factors that included who I thought had the most impact on the game and who might have gone “above and beyond.” Most nights, there was just one Player of the Game. If there was, he earned one point. If I thought that either a) no one stood out enough to merit a single PotG, or b) two or more players were outstanding and deserved mention, I split the point up into two, three or four shares. If two players earned PotG mention, they each received 0.5 points and if three players earned mentions, they each received 0.33 points, etc. There were occasions that I felt that no one merited the award and therefore, I did not give out any points.

Rowdy Tellez    19.5
Dwight Smith    15.17
Jason Leblebijian    7.67
Jeremy Gabryszwski, Shane Dawson, Roemon Fields    6.83
Christian Lopes    6.17
Melky Mesa    5.5
Ryan Lavarnway    5.33
Derrick Loveless    5
Emilio Guerrero    4.33
Luis Santos, Ian Parmley    4
Jorge Saez    3.83
Conner Greene    3.5
Jon Berti. Casey Lawrence    3.33
Jorge Flores    2.83
K.C. Hobson, John Anderson    2.5
Shane Opitz, Taylor Cole    2.33
Matt Dean    2
Richard Urena    1.83
Chris Smith, Ryan McBroom, John Straka    1
Jason Berken, Danny Barnes    0.83
Brady Dragmire, Wilmer Font    0.5
Colt Hynes, Wilkin Castillo, Harold Ramirez    0.33
 
The 2016 Player of the Game Champion for the Fisher Cats is about as obvious as you can get. 21-year-old Ryan “Rowdy” Tellez showed his maturity at the plate as well as his raw power, moving up from Dunedin last year. Dwight Smith, Jr. also showed the ability to make his presence known in games but Tellez was a true difference maker this year.

Blue Jays from Away Player of the Year
Once again, this award is going to go to Rowdy Tellez. Tellez clearly led the club with a .917 OPS and was durable in addition to showing improvement throughout the year. Despite struggling in April, Tellez recovered for a strong May and June and kept improving throughout the year, dominating in August by hitting .333/.406/.640 with eight of his 21 home runs in the final complete month of the season.

Honourable mention: Dwight Smith, Jr., Jason Leblebijian, Christian Lopes

Blue Jays from Away Pitcher of the Year
The Pitcher of the Year for the Fisher Cats is Murphy Smith, whose ability to come out of the bullpen for multiple innings outshined just about everyone else on the staff. Smith threw 72 innings (more than some starters) with a 1.50 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 23.9% strikeout rate and 8.8% walk rate. While other pitchers logged more innings or were more dominant in shorter stints, none combined the durability with effectiveness.

Honourable mention: Danny Barnes, Chris Smith, Wil Browning

Blue Jays from Away Reliever of the Year
When six of your relievers finish the season with sub-2.00 ERAs, the decision of whom to crown the Reliever of the Year is made very difficult. While Murphy Smith was our Pitcher of the Year, our Reliever of the Year is someone who was even more dominant and has pitched effectively at three levels this year. Danny Barnes logged 35 2/3 innings with the Fisher Cats, posting a 1.01 ERA and incredible 0.59 WHIP with 40 strikeouts and just four walks before going up to Buffalo and dominating even more, with just one run in 25 2/3 innings and just six hits and two walks against while striking out 37 batters. If I was just judging based on his performance in New Hampshire, Barnes would still be the Reliever of the Year, but Barnes could very well be the best reliever in the entire Jays’ system this year too.

Honourable mention: Murphy Smith, Chris Smith, Wil Browning

Blue Jays from Away Most Improved Player
While there are some tremendous improvements by relievers this year, I’m going to go back to the hitters and select Jason Leblebijian as our Most Improved Player for the Fisher Cats. Leblebijian was in a strange place in 2015, hitting very well for the Lansing Lugnuts but falling apart in the Florida State League. Leblebijian started 2016, hitting extremely well in Dunedin and continued his tremendous performance when promoted to New Hampshire where he stuck and provided excellent defense as well as solid offense. Overall, Leblebijian hit .294/.361/.436 with 26 doubles, a triple and a career-high 13 home runs and the only real difference in his stats was that he hit for more power in New Hampshire (in a generally better hitting environment).

Honourable mention: Alonzo Gonzalez, Christian Lopes

Part 2: Starting Pitchers
The Fisher Cats had just two starters get through the whole season in the rotation, but they didn’t use that many men to take the mound at the start of the game. As a whole, the starting staff did not perform at a level that the club would like to see but with a couple of late-season additions, things generally settled down towards the end of the year.

Jeremy Gabryszwski, a 6-foot-4 horse of a pitcher, led the New Hampshire Fisher Cats starting staff in innings and starts with 146 1/3 and 28 respectively.  Gaby started out his season strongly, posting solid numbers in his first month in Double-A (3.60 ERA, 1.20 WHIP) but after the mid-way point, he struggled down the stretch with two months of ERAs over 7.50 and WHIPs over 2.00 while his walk totals bloated. Overall, Gabryszwski’s 5.23 ERA (but 4.53 FIP) and 1.48 WHIP were well below average and his 14.9% strikeout rate was a little lower than his 2015 figure with Dunedin. Gaby’s 7.6% walk rate was still good but that figure is a career worst for him. Gabryszwski will likely return to New Hampshire in 2017, the final year of his original contract. Still only 23, Gaby could see Buffalo but will need to figure out how to maintain his success throughout a complete season at the Double-A level.

Canadian lefty Shane Dawson came in second on the Fisher Cats, both in innings and starts but was more effective overall for the Jays’ Double-A squad. Dawson was 10-4 with a 4.22 ERA and a 1.53 WHIP. That WHIP was likely high due to the fact that he walked 12.2% of batters while striking out 16.2%. With only a five starts under his belt in Dunedin before he started the year in New Hampshire, Dawson acquitted himself very well in his Age-22 season, despite seeing regression in his numbers across the board from his performances at lower levels. Dawson’s ability to stay healthy throughout the season and to keep his team in the game were certainly valuable to the Fisher Cats. I can’t see him jumping to Buffalo just yet, so expect him to remain in the Northeast with New Hampshire in 2017.

Luis Santos, 25, spent most of his season in Double-A New Hampshire despite starting the season with two short (two-inning) appearances in Dunedin. Santos logged a 4.28 ERA and 1.33 WHIP with New Hampshire, starting 15 of his 17 games, walking only 6.3% of batters and striking out 21.4%. Still, at the end of July, after giving up 13 runs in a combined 11 innings in his last three appearances, Santos was sent back to Dunedin where he finished out the year with some up (7 IP, 0 R, 4 H, 1 BB, 6 K) and down (3 1/3 IP, 8 R, 6 ER, 9 H, 2 BB, 4 K) outings. Santos will probably get another shot at Double-A next year if the Jays renew his contract for 2017.

John Anderson, 27, exhibited struggles when pitching this season, trying to adapt to some of the teachings of Vince Horsman. In 90 1/3 innings with the Fisher Cats, Anderson, whose fastball has reached 95 mph in the past, had a 5.08 ERA along with a 1.65 WHIP, a 19.4% strikeout rate and a 7.7% walk rate. It’s not all bad for Johnny Anderson. His rate stats were roughly in line with what he did in New Hampshire last year, including a much higher strikeout rate, and his 3.99 FIP was actually lower than his 4.03 FIP in 2015. This year, the lefty got more of a chance to show what he could do in a call up to Buffalo but struggled, allowing 19 runs on 39 hits and 11 walks in 24 1/3 innings for a 7.03 ERA and 2.05 FIP while striking out only 10.7% and walking 9.0%.

Jason Berken, 32, signed a minor league contract with the Blue Jays this offseason and spent most of his season with the Double-A Fisher Cats. Berken threw 79 2/3 innings both as a starter and as a reliever in New Hampshire and had a 4.41 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 6.9% walk rate and 13.7% strikeout rate. In 26 innings in Buffalo, Berken had a 4.50 ERA, 1.69 WHIP, 14.3% strikeout rate and 10.1% walk rate.

Taylor Cole got his Age-26 season under way late thanks to what was reported to me as impingement in his shoulder. After three rehab starts in Dunedin in the first half of June, Cole was promoted back to New Hampshire where he was one of the better starters on the staff for the last half of the season, throwing 61 2/3 innings with a 3.79 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 20.6% strikeout rate and 6.6% walk rate. There are several things to like about what Cole was able to do this year, particularly the higher strikeout rate and lower walk rate than he’s ever been able to put up in parts of three seasons. Cole’s real nemesis is the home run and he kept his numbers below one HR per nine innings but his BABIP against was fairly high at .352. with better luck, he could very well put up more attractive numbers overall. Entering his Age-27 season, Cole will likely return to New Hampshire but, if he starts out well, could be in Buffalo before mid-season.

For some more minor league pitching depth, the Blue Jays signed Wilmer Font (who pitched for parts of two seasons in the majors) after seeing him excel in the independent Can-Am League. Font reported to Buffalo in early June but after four appearances with a 4.19 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and eight strikeouts and five walks in 19 1/3 innings, he was sent down to New Hampshire where he started eight games. Totaling 46 2/3 innings for the Fisher Cats, Font had a 3.47 ERA and 1.03 WHIP, walking just 3.8% of batters and striking out 25.5%. Font may very well become a free agent but could certainly be a solid minor league contributor to the Jays’ organization next year.

John Straka, 26, was another Blue Jays’ signing out of the independent leagues. With three seasons in the American Association, Straka joined the New Hampshire Fisher Cats in Double-A, his highest level in affiliated baseball, in mid-August. Straka made five appearances with four starts and threw 25 innings with a 4.68 ERA and 1.28 WHIP, striking out 21.4% and walking 7.8%. Generally, minor league free agent contracts come with an option for a second year and I can certainly see the Jays picking up the option on Straka for 2017.

Part 3: Relief Pitchers
The Blue Jays’ pitching coaches must be doing something right to develop the large pool of excellent relief pitchers who have begun to make their mark on the Blue Jays’ major league squad. New Hampshire was an excellent example of a team whose bullpen did much better than the starters over the course of the season.

Since being signed as a non-drafted free agent, Wil Browning, now 28, has done nothing but pitch well. He’s now reached Triple-A but the side-arming right-handed slinger spent most of 2016 in New Hampshire, leading the pitching staff in games. In his 46 appearances, Browning was 3-2 with 10 saves over 51 innings, posting a 1.94 ERA, 1.08 WHIP with a stellar 29.3% strikeout rate and 6.7% walk rate. He made just one appearance with Buffalo and gave up a run on a walk and no hits but struck out three batters in 1 1/3 innings. Browning is likely to pitch with Buffalo at some point next year but whether he can start there is a question that will be resolved in spring training and by the number of free agents the Blue Jays bring in for 2017.
 
Brady Dragmire, a 23-year-old righty, finished off his first season on the 40-man roster by getting designated for assignment and subsequently traded to Pittsburgh. Dragmire didn’t have the best of seasons, despite throwing a ton of innings for the Fisher Cats. In 72 innings, Dragmire had a 4.38 ERA and 1.47 WHIP, both better than his 2015 numbers in Dunedin, but his strikeout rate dropped to 13.1% and his walk rate rose to 9.0%. While his 5.26 ERA was very deceptive in 2015, in 2016, his FIP skyrocketed to 5.36 and it’s clear that Double-A competition was giving Dragmire trouble as he allowed 10 home runs on the season.

While he got a late call up to the Toronto Blue Jays, Chris Smith, now 28, didn’t get a chance to make his major league debut in 2016. Still, Smith was absolutely dominant in New Hampshire, throwing 57 innings and striking out 31.8% of the batters he faced while walking 8.8%, posting a 1.89 ERA and 1.14 WHIP. In 3 2/3 innings with Buffalo, he allowed a solo home run, one other hit, one walk and struck out five before the big league call came. Look for Smith to start in Buffalo in 2017 and, now that he’s on the 40-man roster, could be a mid-season call up at some point if the Jays need bullpen help.

Our 2016 Fisher Cats Pitcher of the Year, Murphy Smith just turned 29 but has been very effective ever since he joined the Blue Jays’ organization in 2015. Smith logged  72 innings for New Hampshire with a 1.50 ERA and 1.06 WHIP, striking out 23.9% and walking 8.8%. In just one inning in Buffalo, Smith walked one and gave up a hit but didn’t allow a run and struck out one. Smith could start 2017 either in New Hampshire or Buffalo but he’s the type of pitcher that can make a spot start for you, throw multiple innings, or finish games.

After just throwing 1 1/3 innings in 2015, John Stilson returned to pitch most of 2016 in New Hampshire where he was quite solid, posting a 3.88 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 19.4% strikeout rate and 10.9% walk rate. While the walk rate was right around his career average, his strikeout rate was the lowest of his career (except for his stint in the Arizona Fall League in 2013. Like many of his bullpen mates in New Hampshire, Stilson pitched one inning in Buffalo, giving up a hit and striking out one. The lowered strikeout rate is a cause for concern for the 26-year-old Stilson. While he once threw in the mid-to-high 90s out of the bullpen, his injuries could have robbed him of velocity which could dim his chances at the majors. Stilson could very well spend most of 2017 in Buffalo.

Unlike some of his Fisher Cats teammates, our 2016 Reliever of the Year, Danny Barnes, spent a much larger portion of time with the Buffalo Bisons and also made his major league debut with 13 2/3 solid innings in the big leagues. In 35 2/3 innings with New Hampshire, Barnes had an outstanding 1.01 ERA, 0.59 WHIP and a 31.8% strikeout rate and 3.2% walk rate. Incredibly, those numbers only got better when he moved up to Buffalo, striking out a whopping 42.1% of the batters he faced while walking only 2.3%, posting a 0.35 ERA and a miniscule 0.31 WHIP. Obviously, things regressed a bit in Toronto where he still struck out 24.1% and walked 8.6% with a 3.95 ERA and 1.39 WHIP. While Barnes isn’t likely to start 2017 in Toronto, you can be sure he’ll be in the Buffalo bullpen waiting his turn.

While he’s not being talked about much right now, Matt Dermody had a huge rise to Toronto starting his season all the way down in Dunedin. The 6-foot-5, 26-year-old lefty started his season with a 1.96 ERA and 1.20 WHIP over 18 1/3 innings in Dunedin, walking just one batter and striking out 20 before getting moved up to New Hampshire where he gave the club more of the same. In 19 2/3 innings, Dermody walked just two batters and struck out 21 with a 1.96 ERA and 0.71 WHIP. Moving up again to Buffalo, he threw 16 1/3 innings but only struck out six batters and walked five, getting stung for nine runs (but only five were earned), leaving him with a 2.76 ERA but a 1.65 WHIP. Dermody threw three ineffective innings in the majors over five games as the club searched for left-handed answers in the bullpen. He allowed four runs in three innings on six hits but didn’t walk anyone and struck out five. Dermody is another player who, being on the 40-man roster, will have a chance to return to Toronto in 2017 but will start in Buffalo first.

Lefty Daniel Schlereth was signed by the Jays as pitching depth but his Blue Jays’ stint didn’t last long. He pitched 16 2/3 innings and had a 4.32 ERA, 1.86 WHIP, a 13.8% strikeout rate and 16.3% walk rate for the Fisher Cats. He was released at the end of June.

Lefty Colt Hynes had a bumpy ride for the Blue Jays’ minor league affiliates in 2016. The 31 year old started off the season in New Hampshire, pitched four games there before making one appearance with Buffalo and two more with New Hampshire before going up to Buffalo for almost three weeks. He went back to New Hampshire for another three weeks or so before moving back to Buffalo until the beginning of August when he was released. He pitched for almost a month for the Double-A Akron RubberDucks after being signed by the Cleveland Indians and then was traded to Oakland and made his final appearance of the year with the Triple-A Nashville Sounds. Hynes had a 1.37 ERA and 1.02 WHIP with the Fisher Cats in 19 2/3 innings but a 5.71 ERA and 1.56 WHIP in 17 1/3 innings with Buffalo despite striking out 28.2% and walking 1.3% of batters.

Part 4: Hitters
The Fisher Cats’ offense wasn’t the greatest throughout the year but there was one Blue Jays prospect who stepped up and made people really take notice. In addition to the highly-touted prospect, several other players on the Fisher Cats had very productive years, taking big steps forward in their development.

Catchers
Ryan Lavarnway didn’t sign with the Blue Jays until the end of May after being released by the Atlanta Braves but was a very solid contributor to the Fisher Cats and was the club’s leader in games played behind the plate. Lavarnway played 66 games for the Fisher Cats, hitting .262/.357/.395 with 13 doubles and six home runs, walking in a healthy 12.5% of plate appearances and striking out in 17.3%. Lavarnway was also very solid behind the plate, throwing out 35% of potential base stealers and committing three errors and seven passed balls in 59 games caught. If he remains a Jay (and doesn’t become a free agent), he could be in New Hampshire or Buffalo next year.

The well-traveled Wilkin Castillo, 32, caught 39 games for the Fisher Cats, hitting .275/.301/.394 with five doubles, a triple and two home runs, throwing out 36% of base stealers , allowing four passed balls and making three errors. Castillo, who has  also played 22 games in the majors under his belt, also played in 10 games for Buffalo, hitting .250/.250/.344. Like Lavarnway, Castillo was a minor league free agent signed by the Jays and could become a free agent at the end of the year.

Catcher Jorge Saez, 25, was the only homegrown player to play for the Fisher Cats. He played 37 games behind the plate and hit 232/.290/.432, showing some power, hitting seven doubles and six home runs in 140 plate appearances while also throwing out 40% of base stealers, committing two passed balls and two errors. Saez was prodigious with his power in 2016, hitting another six home runs in just 72 plate appearances with the Dunedin Blue Jays to give him a career-high 12 dingers. Saez’s BABIP was a little on the low side, so if he can get even a 20-point boost to his batting average on balls in play while taking a few more walks (his 7.1% walk rate was significantly lower than his career minor-league rates), his good defense and excellent throwing can turn him into a very solid backup at the highest levels of the minors. Look for Saez to spend much of 2017 in New Hampshire.

A former two-time top-100 prospect, Reese McGuire’s stock had fallen to the point where he was included in the deal that sent Francisco Liriano to the Blue Jays for Drew Hutchison. McGuire has become a defense-first catcher, throwing out 39% of potential base thieves over the course of his career. Unfortunately, in his 13 games wit the Fisher Cats, he only threw out two of 12 runners. McGuire only came to the plate 61 times for New Hampshire, hitting .226/.328/.264 but he continued his tendencies to strike out very little (13.1%) and walk a lot (11.5%). In Altoona (Pittsburgh’s Double-A club), he hit .259/.337/.346 with 16 doubles, two triples and a home run in 304 plate appearances, striking out in only 8.6% of his plate appearances and walking in 9.5%. McGuire’s lack of power is a little discomforting but he is only 21 years old and catchers do tend to take some time to develop with the bat. If he can turn around the offense, he could be a worthy successor to Russell Martin. If not, he may be limited to a backup role. Look for him to spend the whole year in New Hampshire in 2017, in his Age-22 season.

Infielders
I’ve already written a lot about Rowdy Tellez. The 21-year-old first baseman made huge strides with the bat over the course of the season, improving each month after a decent April and finishing with an absolutely incredible August (.333/.406/.640, 10 2B, 8 HR). He also made strides at first base, improving his defensive abilities to the point where he is no longer considered a liability. Tellez finished his season with a .297/.387/.530 slash line, hitting 29 doubles, two triples and 23 home runs for the Fisher Cats and showed a lot of patience by walking in 12.3% of his plate appearances and striking out in only 17.9% (quite low for someone who hits with his kind of power). Rowdy is fulfilling his potential to the point where we can talk about his joining the major league team within a year or two. Rowdy will play for a month in the Dominican Republic this offseason and will likely open 2017 in Buffalo (although if Edwin doesn’t return, he could be the DH in Toronto, too).

Second baseman Christian Lopes had an excellent season for the Fisher Cats, really coming into his own after a couple of seasons of declining results. In his Age-23 season, Lopes started out in Dunedin and hit much better than his .196/.324/.411 slash line indicated over 15 games. In fact, if you look at his .190 BABIP, his 16.2% walk rate and 17.6% strikeout rate, it becomes much clearer why the Jays promoted him to Double-A New Hampshire. As a Fisher Cat, Lopes hit .295/.357/.401 with a 15.8% strikeout rate and 7.3% walk rate over 108 games, hitting 30 doubles, two triples and three home runs. Lopes had a very solid season and could very well start 2017 back in Manchester, although he has been joined in the Blue Jays organization by his brother Tim, who was acquired from Seattle to complete the trade for Pat Venditte.

Jason Leblebijian, 25, went to the Australian Baseball League last year, where he dominated with the bat, and continued what he was doing in the minors. Leblebijian hit .295/.362/.420 with the Dunedin Blue Jays over 52 games, hitting seven doubles and six home runs and moved up to New Hampshire where he quickly became one of the team’s core players. In New Hampshire, he hit .293/.359/.448 in 75 games, hitting 19 doubles, a triple and seven home runs, giving him a career-high 13 on the season. Leblebijian’s defensive versatility (playing short, third or second), plus his newly found offensive prowess at the Double-A level gives him a shot at being a utility man for a big league club. He’ll likely start 2017 back in New Hampshire but could find his way to Buffalo at some point.

Jorge Flores, 24, played most of the 2016 season with the Fisher Cats but had a disappointing year with the bat. The 5-foot-5 middle infielder hit .187/.260/.242 in 82 games with New Hampshire (after posting a .707 OPS in Double-A last year) before he was sent back down to Dunedin for the final month of the season. Flores hit .263/.326/.381 with the D-Jays and will likely be back in New Hampshire next year for another crack at it.

Jon Berti missed some time this season due to injury and, when he returned to the Fisher Cats, found that his position was being played by Christian Lopes more often than not. Berti still got into 73 games for New Hampshire thanks to his versatility, playing second, short, third, left field and even center field on occasion. The speedy 26-year-old hit .254/.358/.364 with 29 stolen bases, 10 doubles, seven triples and two home runs in 319 plate appearances, striking out in 17.6% of plate appearances but walking in 11.3%. He did play seven games in Buffalo, hitting just .150/.227/.350 and had six rehab games, proving himself to be more than a match for the GCL with a .400/.429/.550 slash line. Berti could easily play more in Buffalo next year, which is expected to be the last on his initial contract.

With the injury to Mitch Nay, Matt Dean returned to his original position of third base to move up to the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. Dean struggled in this assignment, hitting .215/.294/.313 with eight doubles and five home runs in 262 plate appearances, striking out in 32.1% of his plate appearances and walking in 8.8%. Dean missed all of July with an injury and, after four rehab games in the GCL, was assigned to the Dunedin Blue Jays where he hit only slightly better with a .237/.324/.305 slash line, hitting a double and a home run in 59 plate appearances, striking out in 41.2% of them while walking in 10.3%. Dean had tempered his propensity to strike out over the past couple of seasons but it’s quite disturbing to see those rates rising considerably. He’ll probably get another shot at Double-A next year.

Shane Opitz, 24, played all over the infield for the Fisher Cats, getting into 81 games and spent time at first, second, third, shortstop and even played a game in right field. Opitz didn’t find the success he had with the bat back in 2014, though, hitting just .217/.280/.300 with 11 doubles, a triple and two home runs with a 7.8% walk rate and 15.9% strikeout rate. He did make his Triple-A debut, playing three games in Buffalo and going 2/10 with a walk and two strikeouts. Opitz is a useful utility player but his contract may be up and he could elect free agency.

In the final season of his contract, K.C. Hobson started the year hitting .163/.252/.277 in 39 games for the Fisher Cats before he was released by the Blue Jays. Hobson caught on with Lancaster in the independent Atlantic League where he hit .320/.394/.570 with 15 doubles, two triples and 24 home runs in 415 plate appearances.

Seth Conner played in just two games for the Fisher Cats after not playing at all last year. My theory is that he was around in more of a coaching role and his DL stints were more of the “phantom” variety. Conner was 1/4 with an RBI.

Outfielders
Dwight Smith, Jr. led the Fisher Cats in games played in left field and had a very similar season to 2015, albeit with more power. Smith hit .265/.332/.433 this season, hitting 24 doubles, five triples and 15 home runs (a career high) with 12 stolen bases in 19 attempts. Smith, 23, struck out in 17.3% of his plate appearances and walked in 8.5%. Interestingly, his almost five percent rise in strikeout rate is going along with his increase in power, raising his ISO 57 points over last season. Smith appears to be selling out for more power but, in his case, his strikeout rate isn’t what anyone might consider high, even now. Smith could get a shot in Triple-A next year after two seasons in New Hampshire and if he can maintain his power, he could regain his prospect status.

Manning center field on most nights was 25-year-old Roemon Fields, in only his third season of pro ball. Fields led the club with 44 stolen bases (but was caught 16 times) while regressing at the plate after his strong 2015 season. Fields hit .227/.295/.296 with 12 doubles, five triples and four home runs, walking in 8.1% of his 556 plate appearances and striking out in 17.6%. Fields’s speed is excellent, as is his defense, with just one error all year, but unless he starts getting on base more, his ability to play at higher levels will be limited. He should repeat the Double-A level again next year.

Ian Parmley was the club’s leader in games in right field. The 26 year old had his best season in professional baseball, hitting .294/.356/.379 with 13 stolen bases, six doubles, six triples and two home runs in 282 plate appearances. Parmley struck out a bit more than he did last year in New Hampshire, in 23.3% of his plate appearances while walking in 8.7%. Parmley should be back in New Hampshire next year.

Melky Mesa has been part of the Blue Jays’ organization since 2014 and the 29-year-old has been used in a role that has taken him between Manchester and Buffalo each year. In 2016, Mesa hit only .213/.267/.363 in 172 plate appearances with New Hampshire, striking out in 28.5% and walking in 4.7%. In Buffalo, however, his fortunes were vastly different (likely due to a 123-point spike in BABIP), and Mesa hit .290/.353/.387, cutting down on his power but also cutting his strikeout rate to 24.5% and seeing his walk rate rise to 7.8%. It’s unknown as to whether Mesa will be back. Much will depend on the club’s need for outfielders at the higher levels of the system.

Now 22, Harold Ramirez was the other prospect who joined the Blue Jays in the Francisco Liriano trade. Ramirez hit .306/.354/.401 in 98 games with Altoona before playing in only one game with the Fisher Cats, going 3/4 with a walk, a double, two runs and an RBI, before going on the DL. Ramirez will likely be back in New Hampshire next year.

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