Late-round pick Reyes enjoying rise up Jays' minor league ranks

Left-hander Marcus Reyes posted a 2.56 ERA in 39 relief appearances for the low-A Lansing Lugnuts in 2019. Photo: Daniel Rainbird

March 13, 2020

By Daniel Rainbird

Canadian Baseball Network

DUNEDIN, Fla. – Marcus Reyes was in his San Diego apartment, cooking bacon and getting ready to ace a Guitar Hero solo, when he suddenly received some unexpected news.

The Toronto Blue Jays had just selected him in the 38th round of the Major League Baseball draft, he wasn’t even paying attention, he thought the annual affair was over.

And his baseball career had come to an end.

“I was getting ready for the next chapter of my life, I had to come to the conclusion that my baseball career was over,” said Reyes. “And now, three years later, I'm still here.”

Having graduated from San Diego State University, he was just starting to look for internships. Two days later, he reported to camp and began ascending within the organization.

The versatile left-handed pitcher, who describes himself as “tricky”, was named the low-A Lansing Lugnuts’s Pitcher of the Year in 2019 by bluebirdbanter.com, posting an earned-run-average of 2.56 in 39 appearances.

He spent a season pitching for the Rookie League Bluefield Blue Jays and the short-season Vancouver Canadians in 2017, spending all of the following year in British Columbia.

As a 38th round pick, he wasn’t a priority guy going into his first camp, but no matter his situation, the lively and upbeat Reyes never forgets to enjoy himself.

“Just getting drafted was a dream for me so it was like, whatever happens after that is just the icing on the cake,” he said, on a sunny bench at the Englebert Complex. “I'm just having as much fun as I can right now and I'm enjoying it.”

Despite exceeding expectations, he’s not changing his approach, believing the happy and fun guy he’s been has helped him make it this far.

“The beautiful thing about baseball is it's the most humbling sport in the world,” he said. “One day you're on top, the next day you could be the worst player… I’ve just got to keep working forward and be the same Marcus.”

One thing success has given him is more confidence that he can achieve his goal of making it to the big leagues.

To do that means continuing to constantly change arm-slots, throwing many different pitches, and using moves on the mound to trick batters. That coupled with a willingness to continuously improve, give him a shot.