Chad Spanberger happy to be in Jays organization
Photo Credit: Toronto Blue Jays/Twitter
By Cole Shelton
Canadian Baseball Network
When the 2018 MLB trade deadline was approaching, the Toronto Blue Jays were seen as sellers with the likes of Seunghwan Oh, Aaron Loup, Marco Estrada, J.A. Happ, Curtis Granderson, Josh Donaldson, Tyler Clippard and John Axford (Port Dover, Ont.) all on the market.
While only a few got traded, one of the better returns Toronto received was in the Seunghwan Oh trade when the Blue Jays acquired first base prospect Chad Spanberger and outfield prospect Forrest Wall.
“At first I was more surprised more than anything,” said Spanberger in a recent phone interview about the trade. “Mr. Gil called me and said, 'You are traded for Mr. Oh.' and [that] I was going to Lansing and that was just about it.”
After being drafted in 2017 in the sixth round, the talented infielder was already onto a new team, something that can be hard to adapt to for a young player, but for Spanberger it was pretty easy.
“Baseball-wise it is still the same,” added Spanberger. “You just have to go in and try to make some friends and you get comfortable and just play so it isn’t too different, it’s not too bad.”
While Spanberger was adjusting to life in Lansing, he continued to do what he does best: hit the ball. The 22-year-old is known as a hitting machine and has the power to be a middle-of-the-order bat, and that is exactly what he was in low-A Lansing.
“It really just is sticking to your own approach and just learn what the pitcher is trying to do to get you out,” explained Spanberger. “The pitching is a little better, yeah, but it isn’t too crazy or anything that is too hard to handle.”
While Spanberger was proving he can hit low-A pitching, the next step was for him to be promoted to class-A Advanced Dunedin, and after only nine games with the Lugnuts, the newly acquired prospect had been promoted to Dunedin.
“It was exciting,” said Spanberger of his promotion. "I was in low-A for my whole season like you said until now so I just really wanted to move up of course. I was happy.”
Obviously, the promotion to the class-A Advanced level was warranted but it also came with a question. The Dunedin Blue Jays already had a first baseman in Kacy Clemens, so would Spanberger be forced to share at-bats or play DH?
While both Clemens and Spanberger deserved to play regularly, Dunedin manager Casey Candaele decided to play Spanberger in the outfield, a position the Illinois native hasn’t played since college.
“I played outfield my sophomore year of college and half my junior year so it wasn’t too much of an adjustment,” said Spanberger. “It was just bringing back old habits from the outfield, it’s really like riding a bike like once you learn it you know it just doesn’t go away. It is more just getting reps again and getting used to it.”
While Spanberger was re-learning other positions, at the plate his bat was just as advertised as between Lansing and Dunedin, the first baseman has played in 28 games and has hit five home runs, in addition to the 22 he clubbed in 75 games in the Rockies' organization earlier this season.
The power is there, all Spanberger needs to do is continue to hit the ball and get on-base and more promotions may be coming his way next season.
“Just to stay with it,” added Spanberger. “Just really keep playing and don’t take any at-bats off and just keep going till we are done playing and stay with it.”