Jay Blue: 2019 GCL Blue Jays Report

Canadian John Axford (Port Dover, Ont.) made one appearance with the GCL Blue Jays in 2019. Photo: Jay Blue

September 16, 2019

By Jay Blue

Blue Jays from Away

Starting Pitchers

We're going to start our more in-depth look at the GCL Blue Jays by looking at starting pitchers. At the Rookie ball level, the distinctions between starting pitchers and relief pitchers are frequently fluid so we're going to include anyone who started at least a few times and managed to throw a number of innings that was comparable to guys who started most of their games. Yes, the line is pretty fuzzy in this category.

We begin with the pitchers who made the most starts and work our way downwards from there. With the GCL club, there isn't much to go on scouting-wise, so we'll basically be looking at the players' stats to help get an idea of what might be going on. If a player played for more than one team over the course of the season, he'll be grouped according to the club he played the most with.

Our 2019 GCL Pitcher of the Year, Rafael Monsion is a 20-year-old lefty from Venezuela who started in five of his 10 appearances and led the GCL Blue Jays with 40 2/3 innings. He had a 1.77 ERA and 0.96 WHIP, holding batters to a .204 average while striking out 23.7% and walking only 5.8%. Monsion seems to be a fly ball pitcher, allowing just 28.0% of balls in play on the ground (and 48.6% as fly balls) but a whopping 36.5% of fly balls stayed on the infield. I think Monsion could be one of these high-spin fastball pitchers who has been pitching up in the zone more. Look for him in Bluefield or Vancouver next year.

Next we'll look at Santos Moreno, a 19-year-old Mexican righty who stands just 5-foot-9. Moreno started just three of his eight appearances but logged the second-most innings on the club with 34 1/3, posting a 3.41 ERA and 1.17 WHIP. He continues to be a control artist, walking just 3.5% of batters (down from 5.5% last year in the DSL) while striking out 17.2% (down from 23.6% last year). Moreno also had a lower ground ball rate than we might like to see, coming in at 36.1% while his line-drive rate was fairly high at 25.9% and his fly ball rate was 38.0%. I'd say that he could move up a level and hope he's able to get more strikeouts as he matures.

6-foot-4 Venezuelan righty Alexis Carmona struggled a bit in his first year in the GCL, posting a 5.81 ERA and 1.71 WHIP, striking out only 10.5% of batters and walking a solid 6.3%. He got 41.6% of balls in play on the ground, which is significant because he allowed so many balls in play. Perhaps his BABIP comes down from the .372 mark it was at in 2019 but he'll need to get more swings and misses before he can really develop as a starter. I can see him repeating the level in 2020.

Wilgenis Alvarado, 19, moved up to the GCL after four strong starts in the DSL this season. The 6-foot-1 Venezuelan lefty tossed 13 2/3 innings in the DSL with a 2.63 ERA and 1.32 WHIP, striking out just six batters and walking four but some numbers improved and some didn't as he moved up to the GCL, throwing 27 2/3 innings with a 5.20 ERA and 1.45 WHIP, striking out 17.7% and walking 9.7% and his FIP dropped from 5.03 in the DSL to 4.37 in the GCL. I can see Alvarado either staying in the GCL or moving up to Bluefield in 2020.

One of the two pitchers the Blue Jays took in the early rounds of the 2019 draft, Kendall Williams began his pro career as an 18 year old in the GCL (he's since turned 19). The 6-foot-6 righty from Mississippi (drafted out of the IMG Academy in Florida) posted a 1.13 ERA and 0.81 WHIP over just 16 innings, striking out a whopping 30.2% and walking 11.1%. He did give up quite a few fly balls (50.0%) but it's a small sample size. Williams could either be in Bluefield or Vancouver next year, but I think the Jays might follow the same progression that they did with Adam Kloffenstein this year, so the Vancouver fans might be getting a heralded young hurler in 2020.

The Blue Jays signed two 17-year-old Dutch pitchers to contracts in late July and one of them, Sem Robberse, made three starts out of his five appearances. Robberse was excellent, tossing 10 1/3 innings with a 0.87 ERA and 1.06 WHIP, striking out 22.0% of batters without walking anyone. Look for Robberse either to return to the GCL or to move up to Bluefield in 2020.

John Axford made just one appearance in 2019, starting one game for the GCL Blue Jays on July 27. He threw one inning, faced three batters, walked one and got a double play ball.

Relief Pitchers

We continue our more in-depth look at the GCL Blue Jays by looking at relief pitchers. At the Rookie ball level, the distinctions between starting pitchers and relief pitchers are frequently fluid so we're going to include pitchers who either got more of their appearances out of the bullpen and who didn't log a ton of innings compared to the guys who we might call starters.

We begin with the pitchers who made the most appearances and work our way downwards from there. With the GCL club, there isn't much to go on scouting-wise, so we'll basically be looking at the players' stats to help get an idea of what might be going on. If a player played for more than one team over the course of the season, he'll be grouped according to the club he played the most with.

19-year-old Mexican lefty Adrian Hernandez, who stands just 5-foot-9, leads off for us as having made the most appearances for the GCL Blue Jays with 16. He threw 21 1/3 innings with an 8.02 ERA and 1.69 WHIP, striking out 15.0% and walking 8.0%. He also gives up a fair number of fly ball outs and could return to the GCL next year, depending on he progresses over the offseason and in extended spring training.

21-year-old Venezuelan righty Williams Moreno made the second most appearances for the GCL Blue Jays, throwing 20 innings over 14 appearances with a 4.05 ERA and 1.75 WHIP, striking out 16.8% of batters while walking 13.7%. In his second year with the GCL Blue Jays, there were some signs of improvement but the lack of control is definitely an issue that he's going to have to work out. I'm not entire sure where he'll start 2020 and much will depend on how he does in extended spring training.

Another second-year pro, Eliezer Bello, a 6-foot-5, 20-year-old Dominican righty, made 13 outings for the GCL Blue Jays but logged just 10 2/3 innings. He struggled in his second year in Florida, posting a 10.97 ERA and a 2.63 WHIP with a whopping 28.8% walk rate and a 15.2% strikeout rate. Obviously Bello has the type of frame that clubs like but he'll need to command his stuff. Look for him back in the GCL.

Jose Brito, who turns 20 in three days, is another pitcher who had a rough transition to the GCL from the DSL. Brito had a 13.97 ERA and a 3.00 WHIP over his 13 appearances and 9 2/3 innings. Brito walked 31.2% of batters and struck out only 8.2% but got a whopping 63.6% of balls in play on the ground. I think he'll be back in the GCL (if not returned to the DSL) in 2020.

6-foot-4, 19-year-old, Venezuelan righty Miguel Olivo had some better results than the previously mentioned relievers, tossing 13 innings over 11 outings with a 0.69 ERA and 0.77 WHIP, striking out 25.0% percent of batters faced while walking only 6.3%. I can see Olivo moving up to Bluefield or Vancouver next year, depending on how he does in extended spring training.

We mentioned Dutch righty Sem Robberse in the last post but now we'll talk about his countryman, Jiorgeny Casimiri, who turned 18 in July. Casimiri also had a strong pro debut, tossing 14 innings over nine appearances with a 2.57 ERA and 0.93 WHIP, striking out24.1% of batters and walking only 3.7%. He did give up 51.3% of batted ball as fly balls while only 33.3% of them were ground balls but it's a fairly small sample size and it was Casimiri's first attempt at professional baseball. I'd look to see him in Bluefield next year.

The Blue Jays drafted high schooler Michael Dominguez in the 15th round of the 2019 draft out of Jefferson High School in Tampa, Florida. The 5-foot-10 righty appeared to have no trouble with GCL hitters, tossing 24 innings over nine appearances with a 1.13 ERA and 0.96 WHIP, striking out a stellar 30.5% of batters while walking 10.5%. Dominguez also induced more ground balls than fly balls and got an inordinate number of infield fly balls on his balls in the air. I'd look to see Dominguez, who turned 19 just about a month ago, pitching in Bluefield next year but if his approach and stuff are really advanced, there's a small chance that he moves up to Vancouver.

19-year-old Jackxarel Lebron came to the Blue Jays one round after Dominguez, coming from the International Baseball Academy in Puerto Rico. The 6-foot-3 righty posted an 11.32 ERA and 1.94 WHIP over 10 1/3 innings in the GCL, walking 17.3% of batters and striking out 13.5%. Look for him to return to the GCL in 2020.

Blake Sanderson was a 31st round pick of the Jays in 2019, coming out of Florida Atlantic University. The 23 year old made five appearances (including one start) with the GCL Blue Jays, tossing 13 innings with a 1.38 ERA and 0.85 WHIP, striking out 32.0% of batters and walking just 6.0%. He got a chance to join the Dunedin Blue Jays for a game but struggled, allowing three runs in 1 2/3 innings, walking two and striking out one. Look for Sanderson in either Vancouver or Lansing next year.

Warnel Valdez was an outfielder for the past two years, peaking in the GCL with a .240/.250/.380 slash line last year but in 2019, he was put to work as a pitcher, getting into three games in July, allowing six runs on five hits with a walk, two home runs and no strikeouts in just two innings over three games. Whether it was injury or a major mechanics overhaul that led to his not seeing action in the entire month of July, we don't know but we'll see what happens with him going into 2020.

After missing all of 2018 from shoulder surgery, Justin Maese saw a limited return to action in 2019, making three appearances with the GCL Blue Jays, tossing five innings and allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits with two walks and four strikeouts. He only pitched June 25, July 3 and July 6 before he was shut down again for the rest of the year. We're hoping for good health for Maese heading into 2020.

Hitters

We conclude our in-depth look at the GCL Blue Jays by looking at the hitters. If a player split his season by playing for more than one team, keep in mind he'll be considered with the team he had the most plate appearances for.

The GCL team was very interesting on the the hitters' side, being populated mostly with players who were international signees, mostly moving up from the DSL as a group this season.

Catchers

Though he didn't start the season with the GCL Blue Jays, 17-year-old Venezuelan catcher Javier D'Orazio led the club in games behind the plate. D'Orazio played 13 games with the DSL Blue Jays, outclassing the competition there with a .375/.444/.479 slash line, hitting three doubles and a triple in 54 plate appearances, striking out 20.4% of the time and walking 11.1%. Moving up to the GCL, his numbers suffered although he still maintained a high BABIP (at .346 in the GCL) as he got into 34 games and had 121 plate appearances. He hit .241/.264/.284 with five doubles but his walk rate plummeted to 2.5% while his strikeout rate jumped to 29.8%. He also saw regression behind the plate: he threw out 45% of potential base stealers in the DSL but just 18% in the GCL. Look for D'Orazio to return to the GCL in his Age-18 season next year but the fact that he was moved up so quickly bodes well for him.

In his second professional year, 18-year-old Geyber Jimenez moved up the GCL, playing sparingly, and had some success in a small sample size. Jimenez hit .292/.400/.417 with three doubles in 32 plate appearances, walking five times and striking out only five times. He caught in 13 games (starting eight) and threw out a very strong 36% of potential base stealers. I can see him back in the GCL but with an expanded role.

19-year-old Venezuelan Jesus Hernandez also made the jump to the GCL from the DSL this year. Hernandez, like Jimenez, got limited playing time, coming to the plate 35 times over 14 games. Unlike Jimenez, however, Hernandez struggled at the plate, hitting .160/.364/.200 with a double while walking seven times and striking out eight times. Catching in 12 games (starting just five), he threw out 29% of potential base thieves. Look for him back in the GCL in 2020.

Catcher Francisco Ruiz, 19, was a late-round pick of the Blue Jays in 2018, coming out of the Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy in Puerto Rico. Ruiz got into 15 games, hitting just .219/.342/.344 with four doubles in 39 plate appearances. He walked just four times (and was hit by a pitch twice) but struck out 12 times for a 30.8% strikeout rate. He also threw out just two of 16 potential base stealers, leaving him with a 13% caught-stealing rate. I can see him back in the GCL for a third year in 2020.

Infielders

Rainer Nunez, 18, was the GCL Jays' first baseman for the most games. Nunez got into 37 games at first and two as a DH, coming to the plate 153 times with a .173/.248/.286 slash line, hitting six doubles and three home runs, walking 7.8% of the time and striking out 20.9%. He had a .194 BABIP but also hit the ball on the ground a ton, getting 51.0% of his balls in play on the ground. Look for Nunez back in the GCL unless he takes some strides heading into extended spring training next year.

Jose Rivas, a Venezuelan infielder who just turned 19 on September 5, played 32 games, mostly at second base for the GCL Blue Jays where he hit a solid .284/.368/.413 with eight doubles and two home runs. He also stole five bases in eight attempts while walking in 8.8% of plate appearances and striking out in 19.2%. Rivas, though he stands only 5-foot-9, could certainly move up to Bluefield next year after a solid all-around season.

Jose Zepeda, 18, got in the most time at third base but also played second for the GCL Blue Jays. The Mexican got into 27 games, hitting .225/.406/.324 and stealing six bases without getting caught while hitting four doubles and one home run. Zepeda also walked an incredible 21.4% of the time and struck out only 14.3%. He may return to the GCL because of a glut of infielders but it's hard to tell how things will shake out next year.

20-year-old Venezuelan Hugo Cardona (turning 20 on September 5) got the most playing time at shortstop on the GCL Jays, playing 41 games and hitting .229/.335/.294 with six double, two triples and 21 stolen bases while being caught just three times. Cardona had a solid 11.0% walk rate while striking out 22.0% of the time and in nine plate appearances with the Dunedin Blue Jays, Cardona was 0/7 with a walk and four strikeouts.

17-year-old phenom Orelvis Martinez was our Player of the Year for the GCL Blue Jays after an excellent debut for the 6-foot-1 Dominican. Martinez played in 40 games (including 26 at shortstop and 11 at third base) while hitting .275/.352/.540 with eight doubles, five triples and seven home runs. He was able to take walks at an 8.6% rate while only striking out at 17.8% with a stellar .275 ISO, which is rare at such a young age. Martinez could move up to Bluefield in his second year as a pro but he could even move up to Vancouver or Lansing depending on how he does in spring training.

Yhon Perez, 19, would win the "utility" award as he managed to play every position but catcher and first base for the GCL Blue Jays in 2019. On the offensive side of the ball, he played in 36 games with 113 plate appearances, hitting .302/.402/.385 with eight doubles, seven stolen bases (in 10 tries) while walking in 12.4% of plate appearances and striking out in 12.4%. Perez played 13 games at third base, nine at second, one at short, four in left field, one in center, one in left and he even pitched an inning, giving up a run on two hits and a walk with one strikeout and one hit batter. I can see Perez, who missed 2018 when he was suspended for PEDs, up in Bluefield in 2020.

19-year-old Pedro Hurtado also showed defensive flexibility for the GCL Blue Jays, playing first, second and third base and getting into 28 games in total with 91 plate appearances. While he had decent numbers in the DSL in 2018, he struggled in 2019, hitting .154/.256/.205 with two doubles and a triple and stealing three bases (without getting caught). He did walk in 12.1% of plate appearances and struck out in 19.8% while he had a very low BABIP of .197 so that could regress to his benefit in the future. I think he'll repeat the level, but it's so hard to predict what might happen at these low levels.

Outfielders

Erickvi Celedonio, 18, led the club in games in left field, playing 33 games in total with a .197/.322/.237 slash line, hitting just three doubles in 91 plate appearances while walking in 12.1% of the time and striking out 25.3%. Those rates were pretty solid, considering what he did last year, but his ISO of .039 was tiny and doesn't bode well for a guy who will need to hit the ball harder to get on base more. I think he'll be back in the GCL.

Jhon Solarte, an 18-year-old Venezuelan, had a solid season, getting into 49 games with a .275/.373/.374 slash line, hitting four doubles, two triples and three home runs in 204 plate appearances with 11 stolen bases in 20 attempts. He had a solid 12.7% walk rate and a 20.1% strikeout rate, showing some solid promise. I think he could be in Bluefield next year.

18-year-old Dominican outfielder Alberto Rodriguez was our runner up for Player of the Year and he had a solid second season as a pro. Playing in 47 of the GCL Jays' 50 games, he hit .301/.364/.422 with 13 doubles, a triple and two home runs. Rodriguez cut down on his strikeouts from the DSL in 2018, striking out in just 16.4% of his plate appearances but his walk rate fell a bit to 9.7%. Still, his batted ball profile is solid and he showed some power. Look for him in Bluefield next year.

19-year-old Hanley Acevedo played in 24 games for the GCL Blue Jays and came to the plate 72 times, hitting just .190/.310/.241 with three doubles and four stolen bases (in five attempts). Acevedo had a problem with strikeouts, posting a 34.7% strikeout rate while having a 12.5% walk rate.

At just 17 (until September 25), Canadian outfielder Dasan Brown didn't get into action right after he was drafted in the third round of the 2019 draft by the Blue Jays. When he did play with the GCL Blue Jays, he played 14 games with 63 plate appearances, hitting .222/.444/.356 with a pair of doubles, a pair of triples and six stolen bases (in eight attempts). He struck out in 27.0% of plate appearances and walked in 14.3% (also getting hit by a pitch as many times as he walked) before he was allowed by the Blue Jays to go and play with the Canadian Junior National Team at the World Championships in South Korea. In the tournament, Brown hit .345/.483/.472 with four doubles in 29 at bats. Look for him either in Bluefield or back in the GCL for more development.

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