Jay Blue: 2020 New Hampshire Fisher Cats projected roster

Right-hander Patrick Murphy will likely begin the season with the double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats. Photo: Jay Blue

March 6, 2020

By Jay Blue

Blue Jays from Away

It's March and spring training in full swing! That also means that it's time to try to play the roster projection game! Over the next week or so, I'll give my projections on the rosters of all four full-season teams in the Toronto Blue Jays organization, and we continue with the pitchers of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats!

As the Blue Jays have added pitchers both at the major league level and in the minors, the spreadsheet has gotten quite full and we may see pitchers who, by every right, should be in triple-A to start the year open up the season in New Hampshire. There are going to be a ton of possible pitchers in New Hampshire but not all will be able to get a spot.

Starting Pitchers

Despite pitching last year in New Hampshire, I think Patrick Murphy will be debuting his reworked windup after a year plagued with mechanical changes and injuries. He had a 1.21 WHIP last year but had a 4.71 ERA in 84 innings in NH last year.

The best pitcher for the Dunedin Blue Jays last year was definitely Maximo Castillo. While he flies way under the radar of prospect watchers, he's a guy to watch because of his solid velo, and his physical presence on the mound. He had a 2.69 ERA and 1.10 WHIP as a 20 year old in Advanced-A last year and logged 130 1/3 innings (right about the same as the previous year). He'll be a 21-ye-r old in double-A in 2020.

Zach Logue had a decent season in double-A last year but also had some injury issues. He had a 4.10 ERA and 1.26 WHIP but struck out only 79 in 101 innings. The lefty will likely get another shot to build up to a full season and improve his numbers overall.

Joey Murray showed off his high-spin-rate fastball last year, moving all the way from Lansing to New Hampshire while maintaining high strikeout rates (10.72 K/9 in New Hampshire and 11.00 K/9 in Dunedin) while keeping a low walk rate. While he doesn't have great velocity, his deceptive delivery also helps the fastball play up, earning it the nickname "invisiball."

On the Bubble

I've got so many "on-the-bubble" guys and I'm going to start with someone who might be up a level had the Jays not signed so many free agents. Yennsy Diaz actually made his major league debut last year but posted solid numbers in New Hampshire in his Age-22 season. He had a 3.74 ERA and 1.23 WHIP, striking out 116 in 144 1/3 innings, but had his plus velocity tempered by lack of control at times. I think he's back in New Hampshire although there's a small chance he could be in Buffalo.

Elvis Luciano is also on the bubble after being a Rule 5 keeper last year. It's hard to know where Luciano will be because he's not following a typically linear minor-league progression. The Jays definitely want to turn him back into a starter and he could start either in Dunedin or New Hampshire.

Nick Allgeyer started out incredibly well for the Dunedin Blue Jays in his first full season in the minor leagues. He finished with a 3.95 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in 118 1/3 innings with 104 strikeouts and 29 walks. He's got a full repertoire and, coming from the left side, should have a chance to make the New Hampshire rotation but is unlikely to thanks to the depth in the organization.

According to Scott Mitchell of TSN, Hector Perez is being moved to the bullpen but he may start if needed. I think he could move to Buffalo but, again, there's way more depth in the organization and he'll probably be pushed down to New Hampshire.

Thomas Hatch was incredible after he came over from the Cubs organization and started using his changeup more (at the urging of Vince Horsman (Halifax, N.S.), who's now no longer with the organization). But he wasn't great when he was in double-A Tennessee. Now 25, Hatch should be in triple-A but I'm not sure there's going to be room for him.

Relief Pitchers

I think that New Hampshire is going to have a good bullpen, starting with Brad Wilson. Wilson split 2019 between Dunedin and New Hampshire and he struck out well over a batter per inning in Dunedin while coming close to that threshold in 18 innings in New Hampshire. I think he returns to New Hampshire.

William Ouellette opened my eyes last spring training and he pitched solidly in 43 2/3 innings with New Hampshire last year. That said, he only struck out 24 batters and gave up a lot of fly balls (though his HR/FB rate was well below average).

I think that Jake Fishman, a lefty from Massachusetts, will be back in New Hampshire. He struck out over a batter per inning in 62 2/3 innings with the Fisher Cats with a 1.26 WHIP and is looking to improve those numbers even more before a promotion to Buffalo.

Vinny Nittoli was a minor league free agent who pitched well in New Hampshire last year. He re-signed in the offseason and will likely be back in New Hampshire despite his 1.05 WHIP in 42 2/3 innings.

Mike Ellenbest had a strong year in New Hampshire coming out of the bullpen for the first time in his career, coming back from a year off with an injury. He had a 2.42 ERA and 1.51 WHIP with a fairly low strikeout rate, mostly in Dunedin but did well in the Arizona Fall League and finished his year in New Hampshire.

Newly signed James Dykstra has a lot of power in his arm and will likely sit 94-96 mph (touching 98 or higher) and he was signed after a stint in the Atlantic League. You can read our profile on him in The 2020 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook as we talked to him after he signed with the Jays.

Justin Dillon was very strong, mostly as a starter with the Fisher Cats last year, posting a 3.32 ERA and 1.19 WHIP over 57 innings with 17 walks and 42 strikeouts. I think he'll have to move to the bullpen after a few years as a starter.

On the Bubble

Corey Copping, I think, is one guy who is going to be negatively affected by the number of arms in camp right now. He spent more time in Buffalo last year but struggled with walks despite having more than 1.5 more strikeouts per nine innings.

Last year's MiLB.com Reliever of the Year, Jackson Rees was dominant in both Lansing and Dunedin but I'm still not 100% convinced that he's going to be a lock to make the New Hampshire Fisher Cats. The non-drafted free agent has earned it, but decisions aren't always made because of pure merit. He's on the bubble but has a good shot.

Turner Larkins was a swing man in Dunedin last year, for the most part, and could move up to New Hampshire if he works out of the bullpen exclusively.

Hitters

I think the hitters will be a little easier to predict than the pitchers for the Fisher Cats so here we go!

Catchers

Few position players who will not even be close to the major leagues come Opening Day are getting as much press as Alejandro Kirk, the rotund catcher from Mexico. Just 21, Kirk put up excellent numbers in both Lansing and Dunedin last year and got into 71 games in Advanced-A with an .841 OPS, priming him for double-A. He gets good reviews from pitchers who love to throw to him and coaches who love his athleticism despite his size. He'll play at least half the games at catcher for New Hampshire.

Mac James was just signed by the Blue Jays recently (you can check out our interview of him here) And while he's reached triple-A in parts of the last two seasons, I think the Jays will have him in double-A to start the year. He's a defense-first catcher who will be a solid backup to Kirk.

Infielders

Kacy Clemens really struggled offensively last year, hitting just .145 in 24 games in New Hampshire before he was sent back to Dunedin where he just barely got his batting average over the Mendoza Line, hitting .204 with some solid power numbers (10 home runs in the Florida State League in 294 at bats). He'll get another chance to see if he can hit double-A pitching.

Vinny Capra didn't produce much offensively after jumping directly from Lansing to New Hampshire last year but the 24-year-old gets good reviews for his grit, hustle and solid work ethic. He posted a .605 OPS in 388 plate appearances last year and has some gap power and speed on offer.

Kevin Smith had a disastrous 2019 after a breakout 2018. Moved up to double-A, he had retooled his swing and things just didn't work out. He hit .209/.263/.402 with 151 strikeouts in 116 games and though he hit 19 home runs and had strong power numbers when he put the ball in play, that strikeout total is going to have to drop significantly for Smith to become the productive shortstop he can be and move up to triple-A.

Logan Warmoth, 24, rebounded after a rough 2019 starting in Dunedin, hitting .292/.380/.423 in 36 games there before he was promoted to New Hampshire. In double-A, he didn't fare as well, hitting just .200/.290/.277 in 65 games around an injury. Warmoth has been getting time in the outfield in spring training and in the Arizona Fall League and will probably become more of a utility player in 2020, hoping the bat comes around.

Cullen Large played 84 games in Dunedin, hitting a solid .269/.360/.408 with 23 doubles and those totals dropped quite a bit in 24 games in with New Hampshire, falling to a .234/.273/.330 line with three doubles and three triples. I think he'll be back in New Hampshire.

Backing up at first base will likely be Christian Williams. Williams, 25, played 29 games to great success in Dunedin while struggling more in New Hampshire with a .228/.276/.342 slash line in 79 games. While he's shown power in the past, it hasn't really translated in game action with just four home runs in 281 at bats last year.

On the Bubble

I already mentioned Kevin Vicuna could be in Dunedin or New Hampshire.

Outfielders

I think Ryan Noda will move up from Dunedin to start his Age-24 season, playing mostly in the outfield (although he could see time at first base). Noda is known most for his patience and had a strong, .372 on-base percentage last year while hitting 27 doubles, a triple and 13 home runs in 117 games. He does need to bring his strikeout rate down but he'll be hitting in a friendly home ball park for left-handed hitters which could increase his home run total in 2020.

Brock Lundquist moved to double-A for his first exposure at that level last year and his numbers fell overall as he hit .232/.308/.351 in 108 games. I think the rightfielder is going to repeat the level.

Orleans, Ont., native Demi Orimoloye, 23, had a phenomenal June, winning the Florida State League Player of the Month award but he wasn't that great for the rest of the season. He finished with a .240/.291/.386 slash line with 18 doubles, three triples and 12 home runs but is likely to move up to double-A after a year and a half at the Advanced-A level.

On the Bubble

This group of outfielders doesn't have any real center fielders leading me to believe that Chavez Young will be in New Hampshire if he's not back in Dunedin. Reggie Pruitt is another option for a center fielder if Young stays in Dunedin but Pruitt has even less time at the Advanced-A level.

Josh Palacios had a solid season in New Hampshire last year and was one of the more consistent hitters for New Hampshire in a year that saw the club have a lot of inconsistent hitters. Palacios hit .266/.371/.416 in 82 games. He could be back in New Hampshire if there isn't enough room in Buffalo.

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