Official MiLB/Prospects Thread

[John_Havok]

Biggio has decent power, he just lacks the contact ability to regularly tap into it.

 

This. He actually has the ideal average launch angle that a lot of power hitters have... but he doesn't get the barrel on it near enough.

[43211234]

Biggio has like 40% percentile average exit velocity.

 

And statcast hadn't tracked him hitting a ball harder than 104.6 before this season. Vladdy has at least 1 groundout per game harder than that.

 

 

Twiggy needs more power!

[Brownie19]

I agree - if Biggio has more power than in theory, he's able to use his great eye to wait for, and punish mistakes. I think he has a good understanding of what pitches he can handle and do damage with - and being able to do more damage would really benefit his productivity.

[THANOS]

Strength isn't Biggio's problem, the power is already there.

 

There was a stat ahead of this season that said the change in ball would prevent wall scraper HR the most, and then someone posted Biggios average home run distance which showed the balk of his HR were wall scrapers.

 

He has power, but don't you think increasing his strength would perhaps turn those warning track balls (previously wall scrapers) into HR again?

[L54]

What metrics are backing up this idea that Biggio has power?

[L54]

Strength isn't Biggio's problem, the power is already there.

 

Umm?

[Krylian]

Biggio's max EV is s***. He has like 45 raw.

 

Mediocre bat speed? I.e. why he can't catch up to a good FB?

[jerb]

 

Mitch Bannon

@MitchBannon

 

Several #BlueJays minor leaguers have elected minor league free agency, including:

 

OF Gregory Polanco

OF Forrest Wall

OF Mallex Smith

2B Richard Urena

2B Christian Colon

1B Tyler White

SP Jon Harris

RP Hobie Harris

SP Jacob Waguespack

[Laika]

Biggio is the rare player with higher Game Power than Raw Power.

 

The vast majority of players have the opposite going on.

 

His Raw Power is probably 40 or 45.

[max silver]

Biggio's max EV is s***. He has like 45 raw.

 

His max EV isn't really that bad, in 2021 he managed a 109.6 MPH which is 66th percentile. That's 4MPH above his previous best so for all we know he actually spent the offseason after 2020 working on improving his strength.

[L54]

His max EV isn't really that bad, in 2021 he managed a 109.6 MPH which is 66th percentile. That's 4MPH above his previous best so for all we know he actually spent the offseason after 2020 working on improving his strength.

 

One swing doesn't move the needle. His average is the exact same as 2019.

 

Biggio can definitely improve in the power department.

[gruber92]

Biggio's swing is too long with an exaggerated launch angle for a player with below average power. He'll never in his life be able to handle high MLB fastballs when not looking for it with his current swing. He needs to level his swing out a bit and roll his top hand over more, creating more line drives. This whole launch angle ******** is not for him, the sooner he realizes the better. Look what happened to Cody Bellinger, and he's naturally stronger than Biggio. MLB pitching will attack and expose those holes.

[Brownie19]

Biggio's swing is too long with an exaggerated launch angle for a player with below average power. He'll never in his life be able to handle high MLB fastballs when not looking for it with his current swing. He needs to level his swing out a bit and roll his top hand over more, creating more line drives. This whole launch angle ******** is not for him, the sooner he realizes the better. Look what happened to Cody Bellinger, and he's naturally stronger than Biggio. MLB pitching will attack and expose those holes.

 

You realize Biggio was a bat to ball, spray hitter early in his minor league career. He was s*** with this approach and change his bat path to hit more flyballs and hit for more power. I'm not saying he can't have success if he changes his approach back, but the odds are probably against him. The reality is he should probably use his great eye to simply lay off high fastballs and add a bit more bulk to improve his EV.

 

I'm not sure Bellinger's struggles are necessarily related to his swing path....high fastballs were a thing in 2019 too eh? The league didn't just catch up to the guy (I could be wrong, but that seems stupid).

 

Also - you don't roll the wrists more to hit line drives.

[connorp]

I think I read somewhere that Bregman was also a wall scraper that was going to face power regression. Good thing Jim was greedy in negotiations

[Ray]

 

[John_Havok]

There was a stat ahead of this season that said the change in ball would prevent wall scraper HR the most, and then someone posted Biggios average home run distance which showed the balk of his HR were wall scrapers.

 

He has power, but don't you think increasing his strength would perhaps turn those warning track balls (previously wall scrapers) into HR again?

 

Not really. Hitting the ball with barrel of the bat more often would though. Barrels = exit velocity increase. His barrel rate is embarrassing. The fact that he gets that many walls scrapers with a garbage barrel rate is actually a testament to his strength.

[Eat My Shatkins]

Reading between the lines it seems that unless something falls in their laps, the Jays will hang onto their prospect capital and avoid big contracts when it comes to acquiring and signing position players.

 

Biggio at 2B and an internal battle for 3B between Espinal/Smith/Moreno possibly.

 

I suspect they'll be going guns ablazin' for pitching though. Try to sign 2 high end FA starters and a few solid to high end relievers. Acquire what they can't sign via trade after that.

[Jimcanuck]

Plus some addition by subtraction, punt Grichuk somewhere

[Laika]

Biggio's swing is too long with an exaggerated launch angle for a player with below average power. He'll never in his life be able to handle high MLB fastballs when not looking for it with his current swing. He needs to level his swing out a bit and roll his top hand over more, creating more line drives. This whole launch angle ******** is not for him, the sooner he realizes the better. Look what happened to Cody Bellinger, and he's naturally stronger than Biggio. MLB pitching will attack and expose those holes.

 

Isnt this like, the exact opposite of true?

 

Sure he has holes on his swing but he has been incredibly productive at times, hitting for power and getting on base.

 

If he leveled out his swing and s*** he'd be worse. Bet.

[bronson44]

[Spanky__99]

 

Someone, please share.

[glory]

Reading between the lines it seems that unless something falls in their laps, the Jays will hang onto their prospect capital and avoid big contracts when it comes to acquiring and signing position players.

 

Biggio at 2B and an internal battle for 3B between Espinal/Smith/Moreno possibly.

 

I suspect they'll be going guns ablazin' for pitching though. Try to sign 2 high end FA starters and a few solid to high end relievers. Acquire what they can't sign via trade after that.

 

My guess is that Moreno to 3B is just a cover in case they can't get anyone decent and/or they don't end up trading Kirk. Short/long term, the team is probably better off with Kirk/Jansen at catcher and Moreno at 3B, rather than something like Seager/Escobar at 3B and Moreno at catcher. If Moreno is as great an offensive talent as publications are now projecting, then he needs to be playing 150+ games a year with less wear and tear on his body. Even if by some chance the Jays end up trading Kirk in a package for Ramirez, I'd probably move Moreno to 2B in that scenario, put Biggio as the utility IF, and roll with Jansen/Reese/AAA depth at catcher.

[gruber92]

Isnt this like, the exact opposite of true?

 

Sure he has holes on his swing but he has been incredibly productive at times, hitting for power and getting on base.

 

If he leveled out his swing and s*** he'd be worse. Bet.

 

Well, if Biggio's production will be at its best with his current approach, then he'll have his struggles holding on to an every day role. Then again, I'll reserve judgement due to the fact he had nagging injuries this year. I have no issue giving him another shot as the starting second baseman. Bat him ninth with a short leash though, as I'm sure Espinal could probably match his overall value.

[BlueRocky]

https://www.baseballamerica.com/chat/?1636551771

 

Badler is taking Blue Jays farm questions at 2pm

[BlueRocky]

Someone, please share.

 

2022 Toronto Blue Jays Top MLB Prospects

 

Gabriel Moreno

By Ben Badler

on November 10, 2021

 

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE BLUE JAYS TOP 10 PROSPECTS

 

Graduations and trades to jumpstart their competitive window have thinned the Blue Jays system a bit at the top, but Toronto still features an exciting nucleus of talent at top, including one of the top risers of 2021 in Gabriel Moreno.

 

We'll be chatting the Blue Jays farm system at 2 p.m. ET. You can submit your questions ahead of time here.

 

Here's how we project their lineup in 2025, with their 2025 ages in parentheses.

 

PROJECTED 2025 LINEUP

 

Catcher: Gabriel Moreno (25)

First Base: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (26)

Second Base: Santiago Espinal (30)

Third Base: Orelvis Martinez (23)

Shortstop: Bo Bichette (27)

Left Field: Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (31)

Center Field: George Springer (35)

Right Field: Teoscar Hernandez (32)

Designated Hitter: Alejandro Kirk (26)

 

No. 1 Starter: Alek Manoah (27)

No. 2 Starter: Jose Berrios (31)

No. 3 Starter: Nate Pearson (28)

No. 4 Starter: Gunnar Hoglund (25)

No. 5 Starter: Ricky Tiedemann (22)

Closer: Jordan Romano (32)

 

Listed below are the prospects with the best tools within the organization. To go directly to Toronto's Top 10, click here.

 

BEST TOOLS

 

Best Hitter for Average: Gabriel Moreno

Best Power Hitter: Orelvis Martinez

Best Strike-Zone Discipline: Spencer Horwitz

Fastest Baserunner: Dasan Brown

Best Athlete: Dasan Brown

Best Fastball: Nate Pearson

Best Curveball: Sem Robberse

Best Slider: Nate Pearson

Best Changeup: Ricky Tiedemann

Best Control: Eric Pardinho

Best Defensive Catcher: Gabriel Moreno

Best Defensive Infielder: Rikelvin De Castro

Best Infield Arm: Jordan Groshans

Best Defensive Outfielder: Dasan Brown

Best Outfield Arm: Chavez Young

 

TOP 10 PROSPECTS

Click prospect for player report

1 Gabriel Moreno

 

2 Nate Pearson

 

3 Orelvis Martinez

 

4 Jordan Groshans

 

5 Gunnar Hoglund

 

6 Otto Lopez

 

7 Kevin Smith

 

8 Manuel Beltre

 

9 Ricky Tiedemann

 

10 Leonardo Jimenez

123

[BlueRocky]

1. Gabriel Moreno | C

Gabriel Moreno

Born: Feb 14, 2000

Bats: R Throws: R

Ht.: 5'11" Wt.: 170

Drafted/Signed: Venezuela, 2016.

Signed By: Francisco Plasencia.

Minors: .367/.434/.626 | 8 HR | 1 SB | 139 AB

VIEW PLAYER CARD

BA Grade: 65/High

 

Track Record: Moreno had good hand-eye coordination as an amateur, but he was a lower-profile signing out of Venezuela as a 16-year-old in 2016 for $25,000. He made his debut in 2017 in the Dominican Summer League, where he struck out just five times in 135 plate appearances but also had just five extra-base hits. Moreno's stock rose the following year in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, and swing changes helped him start to tap into more power in 2019 with Low-A Lansing to become one of the game's better catching prospects in the lower levels. In 2021, everything was clicking for Moreno. He drew glowing reviews from scouts for his well-rounded mix of hitting ability, power, athleticism and defense while crushing Double-A pitching until he missed all of July and August due to a broken right thumb that required surgery before returning in September and playing in the Arizona Fall League.

 

Scouting Report: Moreno has an elite combination of quickness, bat speed, hitting actions and excellent contact skills. Difficult to whiff throughout his career, Moreno had just a 15% strikeout rate in 2021. His quick, efficient swing and bat-to-ball ability helps him turn around premium velocity on the inner third and counter pitchers who attack at the top of the zone with a knack for barreling those pitches. Moreno's swing evolved during his 2019 season in Low-A to incorporate more dynamic, athletic movements, which helped him start to tap into more power at the time. The last two years, Moreno has maintained that swing while getting significantly stronger, with his higher-end exit velocities jumping from the low 100s to the 108 mph area. The result has been a more complete hitter who makes frequent contact, uses the whole field and has at least average power that he gets to in games. Moreno has always been an aggressive hitter, chasing or swinging at borderline pitches too often early in his career—and still often making contact—but he has steadily become more selective and posted a 9% walk rate in 2021. Moreno's defense has made significant progress over the years as well. His lively athleticism helps him move well behind the plate while his arm improved to a plus tool. That along with a quick release helps him record pop times below 1.9 seconds at times, and he threw out 41% of basestealers in 2021. He also has improved his blocking and receiving, with no passed balls allowed in 29 games behind the plate in 2021. Moreno has caught just 139 regular season games, with little of that time coming at the upper levels, so he's still learning the finer points of game calling.

 

The Future: Some scouts believe Moreno has a chance to be a perennial all-star, a potential plus to plus-plus hitter who could hit 20-25 home runs while chipping in above-average defense at a premium position. He should be ready to contribute in Toronto at some point in 2022 and eventually become an impact player in their lineup.

 

Scouting Grades:

Hit: 70. Power: 50. Speed: 40. Fielding: 55. Arm: 60

 

2. Nate Pearson | RHP

Nate Pearson

Born: Aug 20, 1996

Bats: R Throws: R

Ht.: 6'6" Wt.: 250

Drafted/Signed: JC of Central Florida, 2017 (1st round).

Signed By: Matt Bishoff.

Minors: 1-3 | 4.40 ERA | 44 SO | 13 BB | 31 IP

VIEW PLAYER CARD

BA Grade: 55/Medium

 

Track Record: Mostly a reliever at Florida International, Pearson became a starter when he transferred to the JC of Central Florida for 2017, elevating his stock to become a first-round pick. Since then, Pearson has teased the Blue Jays with tantalizing upside but a mix of health and command problems. After groin injuries hampered Pearson in spring training in 2021, he struggled with his mechanics through a May 9 start in Houston in which he walked five in 2.1 innings. He went back to Triple-A and missed time with a sports hernia, but he came back up to the big leagues in September and pitched exclusively out of the bullpen, striking out 20 and walking seven in 12.2 relief innings.

 

Scouting Report: Pearson has exciting stuff, with a fastball that sits at 96-100 mph and touched 102 in 2021. He complements his fastball with a hard slider mostly in the mid to upper 80s that is a plus pitch at times. Pearson has a curveball and changeup that can both be average pitches, but he rarely threw them as a reliever in the big leagues. Pearson has yet to break through in part because of health but also because he has had trouble repeating his delivery, which has led to poor command. That has caused too many walks and hitters being able to tune up Pearson's fastball because he's too often behind in the count.

 

The Future: Pearson is 25 and his 101.1 innings in 2019 are a career high, so durability concerns remain about whether he will be able to handle a starter's workload. If he can do that and is able to sync up his mechanics to improve his fastball command, the stuff is still there for Pearson to develop into a high-end starter, though the Blue Jays might opt to develop him into a high-leverage reliever.

 

Scouting Grades:

Fastball: 65. Curveball: 50. Slider: 60. Changeup: 50. Control: 45.

 

3. Orelvis Martinez | SS/3B

Orelvis Martinez

Born: Nov 19, 2001

Bats: R Throws: R

Ht.: 6'1" Wt.: 190

Drafted/Signed: Dominican Republic, 2018.

Signed By: Alexis de la Cruz/Sandy Rosario

Minors: .261/.345/.549 | 28 HR | 4 SB | 395 AB

VIEW PLAYER CARD

BA Grade: 60/High

 

Track Record: After signing for $3.51 million in 2018, Martinez made his pro debut the next year and ranked as the No. 1 prospect in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League in 2019. He made his full-season debut in 2021, which included a hot streak in July where he hit 10 home runs in 10 games. His 19 home runs, .572 slugging average and .942 OPS all led Low-A Southeast despite a promotion to High-A Vancouver for the final month of the season.

 

Scouting Report: Martinez has a strong frame, high-end bat speed and plus raw power. He's an athletic mover in the box, maximizing his whole body to generate a whippy, explosive swing with the power to be a 30-plus home run hitter. Martinez has the power to hit the ball out to all fields, but his approach is geared more to pull the ball in the air. Martinez's strikeout rate jumped to 25% in 2021 with that pull-heavy approach and chase tendencies, especially early in the season against breaking stuff. As his season progressed, Martinez became a more selective hitter, though those chase habits crept back in upon his late-season promotion to High-A Vancouver. The Blue Jays internally have believers that Martinez could stick at shortstop, though it's hard to find like-minded evaluators with other clubs. His hands are fine for the infield and his plus arm fits on the left side of the infield, but he's a below-average runner with heavy feet and will likely continue to lose range as he gets bigger, with third base his most likely fit.

 

The Future: If Martinez can continue to make strides with his plate discipline, he has the upside to be an all-star. He should get another crack at High-A Vancouver to start 2022.

 

Scouting Grades:

Hit: 50. Power: 60. Speed: 40. Fielding: 45. Arm: 60.

 

4. Jordan Groshans | SS/3B

Jordan Groshans

Born: Jul 20, 1998

Bats: R Throws: R

Ht.: 6'3" Wt.: 205

Drafted/Signed: HS--Magnolia, Texas, 2018 (1st round).

Signed By: Brian Johnston.

Minors: .291/.367/.450 | 7 HR | 0 SB | 278 AB

VIEW PLAYER CARD

BA Grade: 55/High

 

Track Record: The 12th overall pick in the 2018 draft, Groshans was dominating the Low-A Midwest League in 2019 before a left foot injury ended his season after 23 games. Groshans had minimal pro at-bats in 2021 when the Blue Jays pushed him as a 21-year-old to Double-A New Hampshire, where he made a lot of contact, though without the extra-base impact he showed earlier in his career.

 

Scouting Report: Groshans stands out for his feel for hitting. He can square up good fastballs, adjust to offspeed pitches and has good strike-zone judgement with an approach that allows him to use the whole field. He tightened his swing by condensing some of the bigger movements he had previously, which helped him stay more under control rather than trying to cheat to get to more power. Figuring out how to tap back into more game power will be critical for Groshans, who probably ends up at third base. Some evaluators are skeptical that his bat speed and approach will ever result in big power numbers, while others think he could get to average or better power. Groshans has a plus arm and improved defensively in New Hampshire, but his quickness and range are better suited for third base, where he spent around one-third of his defensive innings in 2021.

 

The Future: If Groshans can find the right balance of contact and power by learning when to try to drive the ball for damage, he could develop into an average or better regular at third base. He will start 2022 in Triple-A Buffalo, with a chance to get to Toronto by the end of the year.

 

Scouting Grades:

Hit: 55. Power: 50. Speed: 40. Fielding: 45. Arm: 60.

 

5. Gunnar Hoglund | RHP

Gunnar Hoglund

Born: Dec 17, 1999

Bats: L Throws: R

Ht.: 6'4" Wt.: 220

Signed By: Don Norris.

VIEW PLAYER CARD

BA Grade: 55/Extreme

 

Track Record: The Pirates drafted Hoglund out of high school as a supplemental first-round pick in 2018, but he went to Mississippi instead. The decision paid off for Hoglund, who was one of the top pitchers in the Southeastern Conference and looked like a top 10 overall pick in 2021 before Tommy John surgery ended his season in May. Even with the injury, the Blue Jays drafted Hoglund with their first-round pick at No. 19 overall and signed him for $3,247,500.

 

Scouting Report: While elbow surgery adds durability risk, Hoglund is generally seen as a high probability bet to remain a starter because of his easy, repeatable delivery, relatively polished strike-throwing skills and quality three-pitch mix. Hoglund consistently pounds the zone and gets ahead of hitters, commanding his fastball well to both sides of the plate. His fastball trended up over his time at Ole Miss, sitting at 91-94 mph and touching 96. The sharpness of his slider improved as well to develop into a tick above-average pitch at 80-84 mph, with a slightly above-average changeup that keeps lefties off-balance. Hoglund's mix of stuff and ability to locate those pitches helped him pile up a 39% strikeout rate in the SEC in 2021.

 

The Future: Hoglund's rehab means he won't make his pro debut until midway through the 2022 season. If he can stay healthy enough to be able to handle a starter's workload, the upside is the Blue Jays could get a midrotation or better starter in the back half of the first round.

 

Scouting Grades:

Fastball: 70. Slider: 55. Changeup: 55. Control: 70.

 

6. Otto Lopez | 2B/OF/SS

Otto Lopez

Born: Oct 1, 1998

Bats: R Throws: R

Ht.: 5'10" Wt.: 170

Drafted/Signed: Dominican Republic, 2016.

Signed By: Sandy Rosario/Lorenzo Perez/Alexis de la Cruz.

Minors: .315/.379/.437 | 5 HR | 22 SB | 451 AB

VIEW PLAYER CARD

BA Grade: 50/High

 

Track Record: Lopez signed out of the Dominican Republic for $60,000 in 2016 and gained more attention when he won the Low-A Midwest League batting title in 2019. He converted more believers in 2021 when he just kept hitting, winning another batting crown with Double-A New Hampshire and continuing to perform well in Triple-A, with one big league at-bat mixed in on Aug. 17.

 

Scouting Report: When Lopez was in the lower minors, he faced skepticism about whether what he was doing would translate at higher levels, but he eased more concerns in 2021. Lopez is susceptible to stepping in the bucket and pulling off the ball when he swings, but his bat control remains strong. His strikeout rate was 17% in 2021, and he has a penchant for squaring up good fastballs up in the zone. He spreads the ball to all fields, albeit without much power and a bat path that leads to a lot of balls on the ground, so he has never hit for much power. Lopez is a plus runner with an average arm. He's a good athlete who has mostly played second base, with time at shortstop and center field as well, though he's stretched thin at shortstop.

 

The Future: Being able to tap into more power would help Lopez develop into an everyday player. Some scouts see him in that role, regardless, getting into the lineup at different positions as a bat-driven utility player.

 

Scouting Grades:

Hit: 55. Power: 40. Speed: 60. Fielding: 45. Arm: 50.

 

7. Kevin Smith | SS

Kevin Smith

Born: Jul 4, 1996

Bats: R Throws: R

Ht.: 5'11" Wt.: 188

Signed By: Doug Witt.

Minors: .285/.370/.561 | 21 HR | 18 SB | 355 AB

VIEW PLAYER CARD

BA Grade: 45/Medium

 

Track Record: Smith spent his first full season in pro ball posting better numbers than he had in college. The next year in 2019 was a disaster. Smith's numbers cratered in Double-A and he didn't get a chance to rebound when the pandemic wiped out the 2020 minor league season. He made a huge turnaround in 2021 in Triple-A East, where he ranked eighth in on-base percentage and fourth in slugging. He made his major league debut in August.

 

Scouting Report: During his 2019 struggles, Smith tinkered with his swing, but nothing he did worked. He struck out too much, and that trend continued into 2020 at the alternate training site. A student of the game, Smith finally found a setup and swing that worked for him. His strikeout rate dropped from 32% in Double-A in 2019 to 24% in Triple-A in 2021. Smith moved his hands higher to get his barrel more vertical in his setup. That helped him to stop dipping his back shoulder and dropping his barrel underneath the plane of the pitch, which previously led to pitchers beating him with elevated fastballs. The result was a quicker, more efficient swing, which along with a more selective approach led to more quality at-bats. He's an average runner with solid-average raw power and could hit 20-plus homers over a full season. Smith can handle shortstop but also spent time at third base and could likely handle second as well, with at least average defense at each spot and an above-average arm.

 

The Future: Smith has been enigmatic, but if the swing and approach adjustments from 2021 carry over against big league pitching, his power and defensive skill could allow him to stick around as a utility player with a chance to be a regular. Smith turns 26 in July, so he will need to show that quickly in 2022.

 

Scouting Grades:

Hit: 45. Power: 50. Speed: 50. Fielding: 50. Arm: 55.

 

8. Manuel Beltre | SS

Manuel Beltre

Born: Jun 9, 2004

Bats: R Throws: R

Ht.: 5'11" Wt.: 165

Drafted/Signed: Dominican Republic, 2021.

Signed By: Sandy Rosario/Lorenzo Perez.

VIEW PLAYER CARD

BA Grade: 50/Extreme

 

Track Record: Beltre was one of the top international prospects in his class when the Blue Jays signed him out of the Dominican Republic on Jan. 15, 2021. He spent his pro debut that year in the Dominican Summer League, where he showed advanced plate discipline and contact skills.

 

Scouting Report: Beltre is a polished player for his age with a high baseball IQ. That's evident in the way he manages his at-bats already, showing a sharp eye for the strike zone with good bat control to walk more than he struck out. He's a student of the game who has a short, simple swing with a direct path to the ball, which along with his pitch recognition leads to a high contact rate. Bad luck on balls in play with a lot of hard outs hampered Beltre's overall numbers in his debut. He did start to crack the 100 mph mark on some of his exit velocities, but getting stronger will still be critical for Beltre, who likely will always have a hit-over-power offensive profile. As an amateur, Beltre stood out more for his hitting ability and instincts than his raw tools or athleticism, but in 2021 he significantly increased his chances to stick at shortstop. He's not the quick-twitch, acrobatic shortstop some teams prefer at the position, but he's a fundamentally sound defender with a quick first step, secure hands and good footwork. He's an average runner and an accurate, efficient thrower, though his arm strength might never be more than average.

 

The Future: Beltre has a chance to develop into a steady middle infielder who can get on base at a high clip. The Florida Complex League is likely his next step.

 

Scouting Grades:

Hit: 55. Power: 45. Speed: 50. Fielding: 50. Arm: 50.

 

9. Ricky Tiedemann | LHP

Ricky Tiedemann

Born: Aug 18, 2002

Bats: L Throws: L

Ht.: 0'0"

Signed By: Joey Aversa.

VIEW PLAYER CARD

BA Grade: 50/Extreme

 

Track Record: The Blue Jays could end up with a good value in Tiedemann, a 2021 third-round pick whose velocity spiked after signing for $644,800. He was originally committed to San Diego State, but after he didn't get picked in the five-round 2020 draft, he instead opted to attend Golden West (Calif.) JC, making him draft eligible in 2021 and still just 18 on draft day.

 

Scouting Report: In college, Tiedemann pitched at 88-93 mph, topping out at 94. That was a tick up in his stuff from what he had previously shown, but his velocity hit another gear, ranging from 94-98 mph in short bursts. Stretched out as a starter, he will probably park below that, but the jump in his high-end velocity changes his future outlook. Tiedemann is already a good athlete with broad shoulders on a strong, well-proportioned frame. He flashes a plus changeup, a weapon he has confidence to use against both lefties and righties, along with a hard slider that some scouts think can develop into an average pitch. Tiedemann was an up-and-down performer in the spring, throwing strikes at times but with an inconsistent arm slot that led his control to escape him and made him more hittable than he should be at that level.

 

The Future: Tiedemann had some good projection indicators before the draft between his size, athleticism and arm speed, and the velocity development has come on quickly, making him an even more intriguing starting pitching prospect than he was on draft day.

 

Scouting Grades:

Fastball: 60. Slider: 50. Changeup: 60. Control: 50.

 

10. Leonardo Jimenez | SS/2B

Leonardo Jimenez

Born: May 17, 2001

Bats: R Throws: R

Ht.: 6'0" Wt.: 195

Drafted/Signed: Panama, 2017.

Signed By: Alex Zapata/Sandy Rosario.

Minors: .320/.523/.392 | 1 HR | 5 SB | 181 AB

VIEW PLAYER CARD

BA Grade: 45/Very High

 

Track Record: Jimenez was the best prospect in Panama in 2017 when he signed with the Blue Jays for $825,000. Playing for Low-A Dunedin in 2021, Jimenez posted a .517 on-base percentage, though with little power and just 54 games there because of a dislocated shoulder. After the season he went to the Arizona Fall League to get extra reps.

 

Scouting Report: Jimenez has an extremely unusual shape to his offensive skill set. He drew more walks (54) than strikeouts (36) in 2021, rarely chasing pitches to produce a 21% walk rate. While lack of strength was a liability for Jimenez until after the 2019 season, he showed up to instructional league in 2020 with significantly more muscle. That has led to more impressive batting practice displays when he lets it loose, but his game power output is still minimal, with only one home run in 154 games in pro ball. Some evaluators think it could just take an approach adjustment for Jimenez to more aggressively try to drive the ball for power when he's ahead in the count rather than being content just putting the ball in play, but the lack of game power might just be who he is. Jimenez is an instinctive, fluid defender who doesn't have the explosive athleticism some teams prefer at shortstop, but he's a steady, reliable defender with soft hands, loose actions, good body control and a knack for slowing the game down, with slightly below-average speed and an average arm.

 

The Future: If Jimenez can figure out a way to unlock more power, there's a path to him developing into a solid middle infielder in the big leagues, possibly as a utilityman. He's likely to open 2022 in High-A Vancouver.

 

Scouting Grades:

Hit: 50. Power: 30. Speed: 45. Fielding: 50. Arm: 50.

enjoy

[Spanky__99]

enjoy

 

Awesome, thanks buddy.

 

Amazing how much has changed this year.

[jerb]

 

Mitch Bannon

@MitchBannon

 

RP Graham Spraker is one of the #BlueJays 3 Fall Stars. He's 26-years-old and pitched in Toronto's upper minors this year.

 

In a VERY offensive setting like the Arizona Fall League, Spraker is one of just two pitchers who has let up 0 runs (minimum 9 IP). 9.1 IP, 14K, 2BB, 2H

 

Mitch Bannon

@MitchBannon

 

Spraker is Rule 5 eligible this year, and not currently on Toronto's 40-man roster. Seems like an easy R5 pick for another team if left unprotected, but could have earned his way on to the #BlueJays's roster with this AFL showing.

[Ray]

Not many top-tier prospects on our lists anymore (beyond Moreno), but it's still a deep list.

 

Leonardo Jimenez is #10, and he posted a .523 OBP in A-ball this year. Tiedemann sounds really exciting with his velo bump. There's also some other really intriguing guys that didn't cut it that could pop soon: Adam Kloffenstein (I still believe), Sem Robberse, Irv Carter, Samad Taylor, Victor Mesia, Zach Logue, Trent Palmer.

[P2F]

Brett (Stratford, On): Who has the best chance of jumping high into the Jays top prospects like Moreno?

 

Ben Badler: If we're talking about top 25 overall prospect in baseball level, I would say Orelvis Martinez. If we're thinking of someone at the lower levels who might jump to the top of the Blue Jays list in a couple years, I'd say Manuel Beltre or Ricky Tiedemann. Beltre's pure hitting ability is very advanced for his age, polished feel for the strike zone and his swing with better underlying indicators than his raw DSL numbers might suggest.

 

Ben Badler: Tiedemann I might just even be underrating right now... the short-stint, small sample size jump in his stuff after he signed is just so much better than what he ever showed as an amateur. He's the most obvious arrow-up guy from their pitching group.

 

Welp, that did it for me.