The Underrated Blue Jays Prospect Dominating Double-A Pitching

[Bryan Jaeger]

The Toronto Blue Jays are around the middle of the pack in terms of farm system rankings. As a result, they don't have many players expected to make their MLB debuts soon. Fans know the names of the team's top prospects, including Trey Yesavage, who is thriving early in his MLB career, JoJo Parker, and Arjun Nimmala, but a few lesser-known prospects are starting to make a name for themselves. One of those players is Sean Keys, the No. 17 prospect in the Blue Jays organization. 

Keys is a left-handed power hitter who plays third base, but his 6-foot-2, 232-pound frame may be better suited for first base, due to his limited range. The Blue Jays selected him in the fourth round of the 2024 MLB Draft. In his first minor league season, he debuted at Single-A Dunedin, where the left-handed hitter displayed excellent plate vision and contact skills. He slashed .293/.378/.451 over 98 plate appearances with 11 runs, one home run, and 20 knocked in. 

His next year didn't go as smoothly, but he still showed promising skills. Keys was promoted to High-A Vancouver, where we got a glimpse of the power he possessed; he hit 19 home runs over 529 plate appearances. However, his slash dropped across the board to .217/.365/.408. Still, the slugger posted a 119 wRC+. Vancouver isn't known as a hitters' park, so it was encouraging to see him impact the ball solidly, even though they didn't always drop for hits.

This season, Keys received an invitation to major league spring training, but he was never considered a serious contender to make the Opening Day roster. The 22-year-old was sent to Double-A New Hampshire, where he has been crushing the ball. It is a small sample, with him playing in only 27 games (entering play on May 8), but Keys has slashed .309/.427/.629 over 117 plate appearances. He has added 29 runs, 23 RBIs, and nine home runs to his totals, as well as a 167 wRC+.

The fast start to his season has definitely helped this underrated player become a household name among Blue Jays fans. It's likely a long shot that Keys can make his MLB debut this season. The Blue Jays would want to see how he performs in Triple A before calling him up, as he is only 22. However, if he gets promoted to Buffalo sometime this summer, it increases the chances that the prospect could be a September call-up. 

Blue Jays fans, keep an eye on Keys. If he keeps tearing the hide off the ball, he may be one of the next promising prospects to make an MLB appearance. With the Blue Jays' power numbers down this season (they're tied for 23rd in home runs), the team could use more sluggers on its roster. We may not see Keys in the big leagues this season, but it will be sooner rather than later if he keeps performing the way he has.

View full article