Seguin: Lots to be excited about in Blue Jays camp and for MLB in Montreal
Stocky catching prospect Alejandro Kirk impressed in Toronto Blue Jays’ camp this spring, but he was sent down to minor league camp on Tuesday. Photo: YouTube (file photo)
March 10, 2020
By Rob Seguin
Canadian Baseball Network
Well, we’re half way through the “fake” game season so I thought I’d give you my early impressions of the Toronto Blue Jays and a quick update on the Expos. We’ve been able to take in four games so far this spring and I have to say my favourite minor league player for sure is Alejandro Kirk – he of the oversized “glutious maximus”, quick hands, strike zone awareness and power-stroke.
First, to Expos news the latest buzz down here in the Tampa area now seems aligned with the hopeful news in January out of the Montreal business press. The two main points of alignment are:
1. The Bronfman led ownership group in Montreal is looking to take a minority stake in the Rays before the end of 2020
2. The joint ownership group (Montreal/Tampa) is expected to announce plans to split home games no later than 2028 (Tampa for the first half March-June and Montreal for July-September) and plans for two new stadiums (the Montreal stadium location is widely expected to be in the Peel Basin in Old Montreal)
As noted in this Tampa Bay Times article, even the commissioner of baseball, Rob Manfred seems excited about this plan.
Personally, I’d like to see the Montreal ownership group recruit Russell Martin as the head of Montreal-based baseball operations once he retires.
Onto the Jays, in my opinion they have not had this much young talent on the big club combined with depth in their system since the 1985 season, when the baseball world was picking them as a “team to watch” after they chased the almost unbeatable Detroit Tigers who dominated the American League and the baseball world in 1984. Back in 1985, the big club featured the trifecta of 25-year-old emerging outfield stars in Jesse Barfield, George Bell and Lloyd Moseby. Knocking on the door in triple-A Syracuse were a young Kelly Gruber (23), Fred McGriff (21), John Cerutti (25) and Mark Eichhorn (24).
The 2020 Jays ,of course, feature a different young core of position players – this time mostly infielders with a theme of 2nd generation pedigree, with Bichette (22), Biggio (24), Guerrero (20) and outfielder Gurriel (26). And the intrigue and upside potential of catchers Jansen and McGuire, young starter Trent Thornton (26) and reliever and young Canadian Jordan Romano (26).
The nearly emptied cupboard inherited by the current management team in 2016 when Montreal native Alex Anthopolous pushed his prospect chips into the middle of the table for a hugely exciting run has gradually been filled, particularly in starting battery depth throughout the system. Outside of Jordan Groshans at shortstop, no other position players at the top end of the farm system (triple-A, double-A, class-A Advanced) seem to be high potential prospects. But with this many high-end starting pitching prospects being accumulated and stocking all three higher-level farm teams, the Blue Jays have copied the successful systems of the lower-budget and perennially competitive Tampa Rays. Arguably, they have the best collection of pitcher and catcher prospects in baseball – an extremely valuable commodity for the future of the Jays whether they reach Toronto, or are traded to add the final pieces (such as a stud, mashing outfielder) to a very competitive, young core.
For giggles, here is a chart of top prospects at each of the highest level farm teams as I predict they will start the year. I ranked them based on the following legend:
(1) Prospects who have a shot at being a big-league All-Star
(2) Prospects who can be very good, everyday players
(3) Prospects who can be an average MLB player
Otherwise, not likely to make the MLB in a significant way
This is predicated on the following Opening Day Blue Jays’ 26-man line-up and injury/cut assumptions:
-Assumes Rafael Dolis and Ryan Borucki begin the season on the injured list
-Assumes the Jays release Anthony Alford once Ryan Borucki comes off the injured list (I’d rather they release Fisher but they probably won’t) and he gets picked up by another team off waivers
-Assumes they release Jake Petricka and he gets picked up by another team
That’s it for now. Final report after the Montreal exhibition games versus them damn Yankees.