Jordan Groshans, SS, Lansing Lugnuts (Toronto Blue Jays Low-A)
The 12th overall pick in last year’s draft has gotten off to a hot start in the Midwest League. Groshans is tall and lean with plenty of projectable growth left on the frame, and he’s athletic enough to carry it well. He’s solid in the field, with good instincts and quick hands. The arm is strong and will play anywhere in the infield. The Jays will keep him at short for as long as they can, but his eventual home will be at third where his arm and glove will play above average. Speed will not be part of his game; there’s a lack of acceleration out of the box and he’s got a choppy, upright running style.
I walked away from my recent looks really impressed with the bat. It’s a quiet swing that features above-average bat speed and plus barrel control. He’s got a quick trigger that makes it difficult for pitchers to blow anything past him, and it allows him to wait back and recognize secondaries. There’s plus raw power that he generates from a combination of strength and bat speed. It’s currently hard line-drive contact, but over-the-fence power will materialize in-game with physical maturity. Even with a probable move to the hot corner, the power bat profile is one that should excite Jays fans. – Nathan Graham