John Sickels: Blue Jays top-20 prospects

[TheHurl]

Baseball Hot Corner with a list I absolutely hate.

 

http://baseballhotcorner.com/toronto-blue-jays-top-20-prospects-2015/

 

1. Daniel Norris: Number one on most people’s lists this year, Daniel Norris is expected to make the Blue Jays active roster at some point in 2015. Norris, who sky rocketed up the organization’s farm system last year to impress at the major league level, is just 21 years old and would be a dead cert for job in the starting rotation for the Blue Jays, if not for the log jam of young starters ahead of him – Marcus Stroman, Drew Hutchison and Aaron Sanchez.

 

Norris, who told us last year that he devotes much of his life and success to God, will prepare for this season in the same way he has always done: through hard work and commitment. The Tennessee native ranks 25th on MLB.com’s top 100 prospects, so expect to see the left-hander, and his ferocious fast ball, in Toronto at some point in 2015.

 

You might expect to see Sanchez filling the next spot, however we’re not including him here as we no longer consider him a prospect, despite MLB’s rules on rookie eligibility.

 

2. Dalton Pompey: With the absence of Sanchez, number two on our list is filled by Dalton Pompey. Having started 2014 in Dunedin along with Norris, Pompey too surged through the minor leagues to find himself in Toronto at season’s end. The native of Mississsauga, Ontario took advantage of injuries to display his lightning-fast speed and explosive defense, and transformed himself into the favorite to land the starting job in center-field.

 

One area that the 22 year old will need to improve himself on is his offense. Pompey performed solidly at the plate in all of his minor-league stops, but struggled slightly with a .231 average in the majors, albeit in just 39 plate appearances. If Pompey can maintain a modest batting average, he will be a main stay in Toronto for the foreseeable future.

 

3. Max Pentecost: Number three on our list is Max Pentecost, the number 11 overall pick in the 2014 Draft. Despite the small sample size – just 109 professional at bats – Pentecost blew away pitching in his first stint in pro ball. Having joined the Blue Jays organization in late July, the 21 year old hit a combined .324 for the Gulf Coast Jays and Vancouver Canadians..

 

With Russell Martin signed at the big league level for the next 5 years, General Manager, Alex Anthopoulos, may look to give his number one catching prospect some time at first-base. Look for Pentecost to start the season with the Canadians, but progress quickly. It will be intriguing to see what the front office does with former catching prospect A.J. Jimenez, now 24, who is currently with the Buffalo Bisons.

 

4. Roberto Osuna: Osuna, who starts a string of pitching prospects on our list, spots up at number four, but not because of his numbers. Once the number two prospect, the last couple of years have been pretty treacherous for the Mexican. Despite posting a 5.53 and 6.26 ERA in 2013 and 2014 respectively, Osuna remains at the top end of the spectrum due to his age and sheer raw ability.

 

Boasting a strike out rate of 10.1 in his pro career, Osuna clearly has the arm necessary to succeed at the next level. Having impressed in the Mexican league as a sixteen year old, Osuna needs to find consistency in his delivery and put it all together for a whole season. Watch for this potential phenom to breakout in 2015.

 

5. Jeff Hoffman: Claiming the fifth spot on our list is rookie Jeff Hoffman. Selected ninth overall in last year’s draft, Hoffman underwent Tommy John surgery preventing him from throwing a professional ball in 2014. A year on and the Blue Jays front office expects the former college ace to excel through the minor ranks rather quickly, and pose as depth to the big league team, much like Stroman did.

 

Hoffman is a 22 year old righty, who throws in the mid-nineties and could be ready to impact the major leagues within a couple of years. After a quiet start to his college career, Hoffman exploded onto the scene with the Robert A. McNeece award of the 2013 Cape Cod League for most outstanding prospect. Expect to see Hoffman in the upper rungs of the farm-system before long.

 

6. Miguel Castro: Castro has emerged as one of the Blue Jays’ top pitching prospects after another superb year in 2014. Signing with the Jays as an international free agent in 2012, Castro struggled with his control early on. However a 2.68 ERA in 16 games across three Single A levels a year ago saw the Dominican native put together a solid season from start to finish, earning him nationwide recognition in the process.

 

Having made just one start for the Dunedin Blue Jays, Castro figures to start 2015 in South Florida, but expect him to continue developing his consistency and make a move towards Double A later on in the season. Signed for just $180,000, Anthopoulos may have him his biggest international catch yet.

 

7. Sean Reid-Foley: In every draft there are players that fall due to their perceived signing difficulty. The Blue Jays found themselves an absolute steal when they drafted Sean Reid-Foley, who fell to the second round in last year’s draft, despite being tipped by many scouts to be selected in the top 20 overall. He didn’t and Anthopoulos drafted a 6’3, 18 year old out of high-school (now 19) who throws in the mid-nineties. Not bad for 49th overall.

 

Although his numbers do not show it, Reid-Foley had a pretty solid first quarter of a season in professional baseball. His inflated 4.22 ERA and 1.37 WHIP overshadowed his surprising polish of four above average pitches, which helped him to have more strikeouts than innings pitched. The right-hander will likely start the season with the Single A Vancouver Canadians or Lansing Lugnuts, but we are perhaps the most excited by Reid-Foley’s upside than anyone else in the Blue Jays’ farm system.

 

8. Devon Travis: You’d think that for someone who is slated as having a chance of starting at second base for any major league club, would be higher than eighth prospect in his respective organization. That’s the scenario that former Detroit Tigers prospect, Devon Travis, is in, having being traded to the Blue Jays for Anthony Gose in the offseason. He finds himself in this precarious position as there simply is nobody else at second base. (Don’t just take my word for it, MLB.com thinks so too!).

 

Although that may sound harsh, it’s the truth, and it doesn’t necessarily take anything away from Travis. Despite having never played above the Double A level, the reports coming out of both Detroit and Toronto are that Travis is ready for major league at bats. Hitting .298 and 10 home runs last year with the Double A Erie SeaWolves, the sceptics will be out over whether Travis can indeed have an immediate impact at the big league level. Unless Anthopoulos finds an alternative, expect to see Devon Travis in Toronto in April.

 

9. Dwight Smith Jr: When the Blue Jays drafted Dwight Smith Jr in the first round of the 2011 draft, they knew exactly what they were getting: a speedy outfielder who runs the bases well and hits for a decent average. Smith Jr, whose father played eight seasons in the majors, has so far lived up to his lofty expectations.

 

Posting a .284 average in 895 at bats over two seasons in Single A, it has been his surprising power that has Blue Jays officials even more excited. After hitting 12 home runs and a .453 slugging percentage last season, Smith Jr has displayed unexpected power and is proving that he can be an all-rounder. The 22 year old will likely start his 2015 campaign at the Double A New Hampshire Fisher Cats, with an eye on Buffalo later in the season.

 

10. Mitch Nay: Rounding off the top ten is twenty-one year old Mitch Nay, who has quietly traversed the nation and hit in every ballpark he has entered. Granted that Nay hasn’t hit for ‘out of the park’ power in his first two years in the minors, the Arizona native did however slug 35 doubles in 2014 games last year, good enough for a .278 average.

 

Nay’s large frame will likely fill out as he ages and that bodes well for the Blue Jays, as they haven’t had a home run-hitting, everyday third baseman since Troy Glaus (remember him?) back in 2007. Nay will likely begin 2015 in Dunedin and make a push to advance to Double A and Triple A, depending on his consistency and growth.

 

11. Matthew Smoral: Anytime you have the opportunity to draft a 6’8 flamethrower, you do so and grab it with both hands, and that’s exactly what the Blue Jays did when they selected Matthew Smoral out of high-school in the first round of the 2012 draft. Although Smoral missed the entire 2012 season due to a stress fracture in his foot, sustained in his senior year at high-school, 2014 was a year of making up for lost time.

 

The fact that the twenty year old put together a 4-3 record and 3.19 ERA in 14 games across two Single A levels, six of those starts, is a testament to his maturity and sheer ability. Smoral doesn’t strike batters out the way most would expect him to, instead he uses an electric fastball-slider combo to keep hitters’ timing off. Anthopoulos doesn’t need to rush his giant prospect along too quickly, so expect Smoral to spend the season in Single A ball between Lansing and Dunedin.

 

12. Richard Urena: When Anthopoulos signed two of the most highly touted shortstops in the 2012 International Free Agent Pool, it appeared that he had secured the long-term future at the shortstop position. With Franklin Barreto gone however, sent to the Athletics as part of the Josh Donaldson trade, Richard Urena has emerged as the future for the organization.

 

Although ranked seven spots lower than his former compatriot at number nine on the international list, many scouts project Urena to be the more ready out of the two. Known more for his arm and range on defense, the eighteen year old held his own with the bat in 2014, posting a .308 average in 250 at bats with the Bluefield Blue Jays and Vancouver Canadians. Expect Urena to progress to the upper rungs of Single A in 2015.

 

13. D.J. Davis: The Blue Jays drafted almost identical players in 2011 and 2012 when they selected Dwight Smith Jr and D.J. Davis in the first rounds respectively. Both outfielders, who bat left-handed and throw with their right, possess excellent speed on the bases and on defense, and are in fact listed at a matching 180 pounds. It’s not easy to spot the differences between the two.

 

Davis falls in our list due to his inconsistent 2014 after posting a .213 average in 121 games for the Lansing Lugnuts. Davis’ meagre .268 on-base percentage meant he only stole 19 bases, a number that is expected to soar once his hitting numbers improve. While still extremely raw, the Blue Jays certainly have an exciting outfield prospect if he can put it all together.

 

14. Alberto Tirado: Tirado is one of the nine major international free agents that signed with the Blue Jays back in 2011. Unlike fellow prospect, Jairo Labourt, Tirado is far more electrifying when on the mound. Although the twenty year old is just six feet tall, his fastball has reached 98mph and, while he needs to improve his control, possesses more upside that Labourt according to various scouts.

 

Anthopoulos made a trend of hurrying prospects through the minor league ranks rather quickly a year ago, namely Daniel Norris, Dalton Pompey and Kendall Graveman, and Tirado could be a prime candidate to receive the same treatment this season. Tirado will likely start 2015 with the Lansing Lugnuts, a place where he struggled last year with a 6.30 ERA in 13 games.

 

15. Jairo Labourt: Standing at 6’4, Jairo Labourt has been a force to be reckoned with on the mound since signing with Blue Jays back in 2011 as an international free agent. Still just twenty years of age, Labourt has developed fairly slowly compared to some of his compatriots, but reached Single A Lansing for a brief stint last season.

 

Labourt dominated the North West League with the Vancouver Canadians last year, posting a 5-3 record and 1.77 ERA in 15 starts north of the border. The lefty will likely start 2015 in Lansing, despite struggling there last year by putting up a 6.43 ERA and surrendering an average of .300 in 14 innings. Labourt doesn’t figure to be too high on Anthopoulos’ radar, but could provide the GM with a valuable chip in the future.

 

16. Matthew Dean: Though not regarded as high as some of his fellow prospects, Matthew Dean, drafted in the 11th round of the 2011 draft, has blossomed into a fine player that few predicted. Signed out of high-school, Dean performed well in 2014 for the Lansing Lugnuts, slugging 9 home runs and 29 doubles in 113 games. Drafted initially as a shortstop, Dean has the power potential of a corner infielder and has settled nicely at first base.

 

With the lack of a bona fide first baseman in Toronto currently and a lack of minor league talent at the position, Dean has the chance to become the first baseman of the immediate future for the Blue Jays. The twenty-two year old has a high strikeout rate, 117 times in 448 at bats in 2014, but the front office won’t mind, as his power potential is overriding. Dean will start the season in Dunedin.

 

17. Dawel Lugo: Another of the multiple international free agents signed back in 2011, Dawel Lugo is an exciting young prospect at the shortstop position. Lugo spent the entirety of last season in Lansing and figures to get playing time in Dunedin this year. Although he is above fellow shortstop prospect, Richard Urena, in the organization’s depth charts, Lugo finds himself behind his compatriot on this list due to slightly less upside.

 

Nevertheless, there is still plenty of excitement surrounding the 20 year old Lugo, who has incredibly soft hands and decent range in the infield. If Lugo can produce the kind of average and power he showed in his first couple of seasons as a professional, the Dominican native could evolve into the Blue Jays’ primary shortstop prospect, or a valuable trade chip none the least.

 

18. Rowdy Tellez: 2014 was a hugely successful year for 19 year old Rowdy Tellez, who the Blue Jays signed drafted in the 30th round back in 2013. Scouts were in awe over his power potential, though he has not tapped into it to date – 6 home runs in 65 pro games in 2014.

 

Instead, it was his average that stood out last season as he posted .293 and .357 averages with the Bluefield Blue Jays and Lansing a Lugnuts respectively. The fact that he skipped the Vancouver Canadians could be a sign that the Blue Jays front office want to speed up his development. Tellez will look to improve on his power numbers in 2015 and, if he does, opposing pitchers will need to watch out.

 

19. Juan Meza: In a class dominated by the Yankees, who signed 9 of the top 20 international free agents in 2014, the Blue Jays still managed to sign one of the top pitchers. Juan Meza, ranked by MLB.com as the 11th best international prospect, signed with the Canadian club for $1,600,000.

 

Still just 16 years of age, Meza will not be rushed early and will likely spend 2015 playing with the Gulf Coast Blue Jays in the Rookie Gulf Coast League. He’ll be able to improve the command of his 93mph fastball, while also work on filling out his streaky body. Meza can be a future number one starter for the Blue Jays, it may just take a little bit of time.

 

20. Yeltsin Gudino: Rounding off our list is 17 year old shortstop Yeltsin Gudino of Venezuela. Signed by the Blue Jays back in 2013, Gudino represents something of a long shot of making it to the majors. Scouts are in awe of his defensive capabilities, namely his above average arm and seamless movement when gobbling up ground balls. However, Gudino does currently lack the necessary offensive tools needed to make it in the majors.

[Laika]

Really? I think it's pretty good. Pentecost too high and Travis too low, but that's about it.

 

Yeah I like the order in the top portion. I'd take DJ Davis right off though probably and I've never really heard of those guys at the bottom. Lugo can f*** off too and there are a few other guys who should be on this IMO.

[TheHurl]

Really? I think it's pretty good. Pentecost too high and Travis too low, but that's about it.

 

would like to see where they'd include Sanchez. I like that they seem to actually rank bats... I'd have Travis around 4 or 5. and of course I'd have Osuna somewhere off the chart

[Angrioter]

Very decent list

[Jimcanuck]

Meza and Gudino at 19 and 20? Get real.

 

yes... but at that point might as well pick names out of a hat

 

I would have had Hollon and Alford instead, myself

[GD]

Lol, Gudino is weird. Was hilariously s***** in rookie last year but had a stupid low BABIP and good periphs, and when you think about it 40 games isn't really significant. His glove is good I think. I'd have him top 30 or so.

 

Idk about Hollon (TJS) but Alford full time on baseball should at least be T20.

[TBJ12]

would like to see where they'd include Sanchez. I like that they seem to actually rank bats... I'd have Travis around 4 or 5. and of course I'd have Osuna somewhere off the chart

 

2. Dalton Pompey: With the absence of Sanchez, number two on our list is filled by Dalton Pompey.

 

Looks like they would've had Sanchez ranked as the number 2 prospect.

Edited January 10, 2015 by TBJ12