October 8, 2021

By Jay Blue

Blue Jays from Away

The minor leagues have released their end-of-season All-Star teams and the Dunedin Blue Jays had a great showing with five All-Stars on the team for the Low-A Southeast league while Spencer Horwitz was named the High-A West's top prospect.

In the Low-A Southeast, shortstop Orelvis Martinez led the way, after a stellar .279/.369/.572 slash line with 19 home runs in 71 games for the Blue Jays. The 19-year-old was dominant in the league before moving up to Vancouver where he struggled a bit more, putting up a .214/.282/.491 slash line with nine more home runs (to lead the Jays' organization with 28 on the year) in just 27 games.

First baseman PK Morris made the All-Star squad after a solid full season with an .819 OPS that had him hitting nine home runs. Outfielder Steward Berroa was featured after hitting for a .760 OPS but leading the league with 55 stolen bases. Addison Barger was the DH, hitting 18 home runs with a .249 average and an .826 OPS, driving in 80 runs.

The only pitcher on the team was lefty Naswell Paulino who had a solid 3.82 ERA and 1.37 WHIP, striking out 109 batters in 96 2/3 innings but walking 57.

Moving up to the High-A West league, the Vancouver Canadians landed two players on the All-Star team with second baseman Tanner Morris hitting for a .782 OPS and seven home runs over 103 games and Spencer Horwitz blowing the doors off with a .290/.401/.445 slash line, hitting 28 doubles, a triple and 10 home runs over 105 games. He also hit .375/.375/.875 with a pair of home runs in four games in New Hampshire at the end of the season. His Vancouver performance was enough to have him named the Top MLB Prospect for the league.

The New Hampshire Fisher Cats didn't land any All-Stars on the team for the double-A Northeast league.

In the triple-A East league, third baseman Kevin Smith parlayed his stellar season into an All-Star nod, hitting .285/.370/.561 with 27 doubles, four triples and 21 home runs, stealing 18 bases (in 21 attempts) in 94 games. Buffalo manager Casey Candaele was also named the league's co-manager of the year.

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