The Iceman

Keith Law: A few years ago, the Jays’ front office proclaimed it had a top-five farm system in baseball, perhaps even top-three, based on some internal projections nobody ever saw. It wasn’t true then, but it sure as hell would be true now. This system has improved exponentially in the last two years, with a pair of strong drafts, some smart trades and one of the game’s most effective international scouting departments. The Jays have pitching depth and they have a ton of catchers and shortstops, the two positions where you most want to have prospect capital. To be eligible for these rankings, a player must still be eligible for the Rookie of the Year award in 2021, which means he may not have more than 130 at-bats, 50 innings pitched or 45 days on an active roster heading into this season. 1. Nate Pearson, RHP (Top 100 rank: No. 5) From the Top 100: Pearson’s debut in the majors was tantalizing, but as with his first full pro season in 2018, it was interrupted by injury, leaving him still eligible for these rankings. Pearson averaged 96.3 mph on his four-seamer, showed a full four-pitch mix, all three of which at least missed bats, although he leaned most on his slider and the pitch wasn’t as consistent as it has been in the past. He’s 6 feet 6 inches and 250 pounds, with a good delivery that he has learned to repeat since the Jays signed him, so in theory he should be durable. Still, he had several fluky injuries in 2018 that limited him to one inning, and a flexor strain sent him to the injured list in late August, after which the Jays used him for just a single relief appearance. If he can stay healthy, there are very few starting pitching prospects who can match his stuff and size, which give him the ceiling of a No. 1 starter. 2. Austin Martin, SS (Top 100 rank: No. 14) From the Top 100: The best prospect in the 2020 draft class slipped to the Blue Jays, who picked fifth and were probably delighted to have a player with his kind of potential get to their selection. Martin has exceptional hand-eye coordination and plus-plus bat speed, striking out only 36 times with 50 walks in 392 PA over his last year-plus at Vanderbilt. He’s probably best suited to third base, but the Jays intend to try him out at shortstop — which he has the athleticism and foot speed to handle — with third, second or even center field all possibilities. He did have some throwing trouble in the brief college season in 2020, but it’s not supposed to be a long-term issue and the Jays seem comfortable with his throwing post-draft. This bat at a skill position is pretty unusual and gives him some MVP upside, although we should be a little cautious since he has yet to take a pro at-bat. 3. Alek Manoah, RHP (Top 100 rank: No. 79) From the Top 100: Manoah was the top college right-hander in the 2019 draft but the Blue Jays got him with the 11th pick on some concerns about his size and minor health issues before his draft year. It looks like a steal now as Manoah continues to stay healthy and throw hard, while improving his conditioning over the course of 2020 and the last two offseasons. Manoah sits 93-94 and can touch 98, with an above-average slider and above-average changeup as well as a curveball he can land for strikes. He is big, 6-6 and 260 in college, and only pitches from the stretch, but he throws strikes and attacks guys consistently with his fastball, an approach that should continue to serve him well as he moves up the ladder. He does have to keep his body in shape, but if he stays healthy he should be in the Blue Jays’ rotation within the next two seasons, with mid-rotation upside. 4. Alejandro Kirk, C (Top 100 rank: No. 92) From the Top 100: Kirk got a surprise call-up to the majors and was very impressive for a kid who’d never played above High A, and had just 151 professional games total before he reached the big leagues. His bat-to-ball skill and swing decisions are both excellent, leading to very low strikeout rates, while he’s got explosive acceleration at the plate and showed in the majors he can hit for power the other way and turn on 97 in. He’s a solid catcher who can frame, block and throw well, but he’s on the big side already for a catcher at age 22 and has to maintain his conditioning. He was listed at 5-foot-8 and 265 pounds last year, and while he’s apparently lost weight heading into spring training, that’s going to be an ongoing issue for him so he can stay behind the plate, as there’s no other position for a player with his build. His bat will make him a longtime regular as a catcher, with a chance to be a star if he keeps his body in shape for it. 5. Orelvis Martinez, SS (Top 100 rank: No. 98) From the Top 100: Martinez is still just 19 but finished the summer at the Blue Jays’ alternate site, impressing the team with his production against older pitching. The ball explodes off his bat thanks to his plus bat speed and present power, while he has already shown glimpses of advanced plate discipline. In the field, he’s got a plus arm and great hands, still playing shortstop but with a body that might eventually push him to third base. I noted last winter that he might be the Jays’ best prospect in a year, but with no minor league season to show progress and the addition of the best player in the 2020 draft in Austin Martin, Martinez has to wait a year for any such coronation. He has an enormous ceiling as a strong OBP guy with 25-30 homers and plus defense at third. We just need to see how the bat plays at higher levels. 6. Jordan Groshans, 3B (Just Missed) From the Just Missed: Last year I wrote this about Groshans: “A full, healthy year in 2020 will help establish just how advanced his bat is and whether he has the power to be a star even in a corner.” Ah, well, it was a good thought, but because of the pandemic Groshans hasn’t taken an at-bat in an actual game since May 2019. Groshans did spend the summer at the Jays’ alternate site, facing a lot of pitchers who had appeared in the big leagues or were close to doing so, which is better than no experience but doesn’t give us much new information, such as whether he’s still rotating his hips early and cutting off some of his potential power. He does have a great swing path and has shown an ability to make some adjustments in the limited experience he has in pro ball. I’d just like to see him produce over a longer period against better pitching now. 7. Gabriel Moreno, C Moreno spent the summer at the Jays’ alternate site and hit well even though he was just 20 years old and had no experience above low A going into the year, then went back to his native Venezuela and hit .373/.471/.508 in 18 games for Lara, with 11 walks and just six strikeouts. He has an above-average arm and is athletic, needing work on the other defensive aspects of catching, but got some of that experience in 2020 when most prospects got little to none. I’m in. 8. Simeon Woods Richardson, RHP Woods Richardson came with Anthony Kay in the Marcus Stroman trade and impressed the Blue Jays in spring training 2.0 and at the alternate site. His stuff has backed up slightly since high school, with a solid-average fastball and above-average changeup, along with very good control. His arm is extremely late relative to when his front leg lands and he hasn’t shown an average breaking ball yet, so he has several obstacles ahead of him to reach his mid-rotation ceiling. 9. Miguel Hiraldo, SS/2B Hiraldo has good hand-eye coordination with high contact rates even though he can collapse his back side by overswinging, which you’d associate with power hitters who strike out all the time. The Jays have worked on getting his swing more consistent and worked on his physique so he might stay at short, although he projects as a more likely second baseman who hits for average and doubles power. 10. CJ Van Eyk, RHP Van Eyk might have ended up in the first round had there been a full spring in 2020; he looked great in preseason and in his first outing, was up and down for three outings after that, then the world ended before he could prove the early version was real. He was 91-95 mph with a nearly 12/6 curveball that was plus when he was at his best and a hard changeup. I didn’t love the cutoff in his delivery, which limited his ability to go to his glove side, but the Jays can probably get him more online to the plate. He has a good chance to be a No. 4 starter, with a ceiling a tick above that. 11. Adam Kloffenstein, RHP Kloffenstein regained some velocity last summer, so he can sit 93 mph deep into starts now with a power slider in the mid-80s, and even got to pitch in some real games last summer for two teams in the Constellation Energy League in Houston. His delivery works and he should get to at least average control, with the size to be a durable innings-eater in the middle of a rotation. 12. Estiven Machado, SS Machado didn’t get the biggest bonus the Jays game to an international prospect in 2019 — that went to Rikelvin de Castro — but he’s become their best prospect from that class and yet another great job by the Jays’ international scouting staff. He’s quick and athletic, already fairly physical for age 18, with loose hands at the plate and the potential for average power or even a tick more. He’s an average runner but has the hands and arm for shortstop if he can keep his quickness and agility as he gets older. 13. Dasan Brown, OF Brown was the Jays’ third-rounder in 2019, a local kid with 80 speed and plus defense in center who could be an elite leadoff hitter if and when his strength comes. He already has a good eye at the plate and will play all of this year at age 19. 14. Eric Pardinho, RHP Pardinho missed all of 2020 after Tommy John surgery, and he probably won’t get back into any games until at least June of this year. The 5-foot-9 right-hander has exceptional command and feel for pitching for his age, and a possible out pitch in his curveball, but he’s had injury trouble since signing and won’t get to pitch a full season until at least 2022. 15. Yosver Zulueta, RHP Signed for $1.5 million in May 2019, the Cuban right-hander underwent Tommy John surgery right away and was back on a mound by the end of last year, sitting 97 mph and pitching anywhere from 94 to 99 mph. He has a full arsenal of four pitches but was extremely wild as a pitcher in Cuba before he signed, so we’ll need to see if he’s improved his control at all now that his elbow is recovered. 16. Patrick Murphy, RHP Murphy would be either a top-100 prospect or close to it if he could stay healthy for a full season, but he’s done so only once going back to when he missed his senior season in high school after Tommy John surgery in 2013. He debuted in the majors in 2020 and averaged 96-97 mph, with a hard low-80s curveball that he can throw for strikes, with both pitches playing up because of their spin axes, which add to the deception. Maybe he’s just a spot reliever who needs time between starts, but I stubbornly believe he will have big-league value. 17. Rikelvin De Castro, SS De Castro got $1.2 million from the Jays in the 2019-20 period on the basis of some big, flashy tools, especially in the field, but his bat is still light and he has more work to do to fill out and make higher-quality contact. 18. Leo Jimenez, SS Jimenez is still a plus defender at short, with a good swing for contact and some promise as he fills out, but he hasn’t quite gotten there yet physically and remains a work in progress at the plate. He could shoot up these rankings once he packs on some muscle. 19. Otto Lopez, 2B/SS/OF Lopez is a solid all-around player with no above-average tool, but he has good bat-to-ball skills, some speed, and the ability to handle multiple positions, playing second, short, left, and right for Lansing in 2019, then mostly manning second in winter ball this offseason. 20. Riley Adams, C Adams looks like a quality backup catcher with patience and some pop, more than adequate behind the plate and unlikely to hit for enough average to be a regular. Others of note Joey Murray gets swings and misses on his “invisiball” fastball even though it’s fringe-average, pairing it with an improved curveball. His velocity has gone up since he signed, but the track record of pitchers like this isn’t great once they reach the majors. … The Jays’ two Dutch pitching prospects, Sem Robberse and Jiorgeny Casimiri, are still on the long track to the majors; Robberse is getting stronger and still has an extremely polished delivery, giving him exceptional control and stuff that’s creeping up to average, while Casimiri pitched a little bit in the Dutch major league (Honkbal) before a minor elbow issue shut him down. … Their 2020 third-rounder Trent Palmer has three pitches, including a splitter, with improved control before the world ended last March, but his delivery probably pushes him to the bullpen. … Toronto gave their biggest bonus in this past month’s international signing period to Manuel Beltre, giving the strong-armed Dominican shortstop $2.6 million. He’s undersized but has a very balanced swing and looks like he’ll get some power out of his 5-foot-9 frame over time. 2021 impact If healthy, Pearson should be the Jays’ No. 2 starter. Murphy should at least be in the bullpen, and Murray will probably get a cup of coffee somewhere. Sleeper Brown was my sleeper last year and his youth works in his favor here, but of non-top-100 guys who might jump into the top 100 next year, I’d bet on Moreno first.

Can anyone cut and paste BA Jays write up please?

Keith Law's top farm systems: 3. Toronto The Blue Jays have boosted the talent in their system through all three avenues of player acquisition: They’ve drafted very well in the last two years, including landing the player I had at No. 1 on my board in 2020 in Austin Martin; they’ve found a slew of high-upside position players in international free agency; and they’ve done well acquiring prospects in trades, enough so that they’ve been able to flip the script and trade away some lower-tier guys in deals like the Taijuan Walker trade. The Jays placed six guys on my top 100, one on the just-missed list and have three or four more who would comfortably fit among the next 40 names.

When Beeston was the bean counter the Jays had multiple years of swimming with the big boys vying for FA. Top payroll in MLB in 93 Winfield, Molitor, Clemens, Jack Morris, Jose Canseco the likes we have not seen signed since. Beeston was a top respected President and helped put The Jays on the map.

Ryan Borucki was on the Ross Stripling podcast and he told Ross that balls absolutely FLY out of that park. He gave up 3 HRs in an inning or 2. He said way worse for HRs than Buffalo. Borucki also said suicide playing 3rd base at sunset. Said JD was down on a rehab assignment and had 3 errors the first 2 innings none charged as errors. Said killed the poor pitchers ERA. The sun sets right in the eyes of the 3rd base position. https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/mlb-fa-talk-remembering-hank-aaron-blue-jays-pitcher/id1451108442?i=1000506726468

What would Jays fans think of a cheap reunion with Aaron Sanchez? Would you rank him 4th of our 3 if he is healthy? Ray/Matz/Stripling

Keith Law chimes back in with those who just missed his top 100 prospects. Ringing in at 110 Jordan Groshans, 3B, Toronto Last year I wrote this about Groshans: “A full, healthy year in 2020 will help establish just how advanced his bat is and whether he has the power to be a star even in a corner.” Ah, well, it was a good thought, but because of the pandemic Groshans hasn’t taken an at-bat in an actual game since May 2019. Groshans did spend the summer at the Jays’ alternate site, facing a lot of pitchers who had appeared in the big leagues or were close to doing so, which is better than no experience but doesn’t give us much new information, such as whether he’s still rotating his hips early and cutting off some of his potential power. He does have a great swing path and has shown an ability to make some adjustments in the limited experience he has in pro ball. I’d just like to see him produce over a longer period against better pitching now.

My big question at this point with Pearson is how many innings this year? And when to use them?? If you remove him from our starting rotation come playoffs you are left with Roark or Ray starting game 2 if Ryu stays healthy...YIKES

1. Wander Franco, SS, Tampa Bay, Age (as of 7/1/21): 20 Franco nearly showed up in the majors during the Rays’ run to the World Series, traveling with the team in October, and then played five games in his native Dominican Republic before a biceps injury ended his winter. He retains the top spot on this list as he approaches his 20th birthday this March 1, but I’d bet he loses it this year by spending a good chunk of 2021 in the majors, because he wasn’t that far off even when 2019 ended. Franco has ridiculous hand speed and one of the best batting eyes in professional baseball, rarely striking out and making consistent, hard contact even as a teenager, with the projection of above-average power as he matures. He hit a combined .327/.398/.487 as an 18-year-old in Low A and High A in 2019, while striking out just 7 percent of the time. Franco is a shortstop now and has the hands, actions and arm to stay there, although he could move to second or third if he loses any foot speed as he gets into his 20s. He’s going to play a skill position regardless, and his bat will make him a star at any of those spots, with high averages and OBPs early while the power develops, boasting the ceiling of an MVP candidate at his peak. 2. MacKenzie Gore, LHP, San Diego, Age: 22 Gore was the top pitching prospect in the game last winter and spent the summer and fall at the Padres’ alternate site, so he retains his rookie eligibility into 2021. Gore has everything you’d want in a potential No. 1 starter, with four above-average pitches that can all show plus, tremendous athleticism, and deception from the extreme high leg kick in his delivery. He’s regularly up to 97, with a big-breaking power curveball, a plus changeup with deception and good fading action, and an upper 80s slider he added after getting into pro ball and that’s become another swing-and-miss weapon for him. His delivery is difficult to repeat, but he’s such a good athlete that he’s able to do so, even with a leg kick that would knock most pitchers over. The Padres might have used Gore down the stretch last year, cycling through a number of starters for their fifth spot before trading for the now-injured Mike Clevinger, but Gore had some timing issues in his delivery at the alternate site, affecting his command enough that the team felt it was better to let him work it out before bringing him up. Stuff this good, with the performance Gore showed in 2019, doesn’t come along very often. If he stays healthy he’ll be one of the best left-handed starters in baseball within a few years. 3. Cristian Pache, OF, Atlanta, Age: 22 Pache is an 80 defender in center who draws comparisons to Andruw Jones, and not just because of the Atlanta connection. He’s a plus runner with plus raw power who didn’t homer at all until his third year in pro ball, seeing his power increase in the last two seasons toward an ultimate projection of 20-25 homers a year. His reads and range are at the top end of the scale, and he has a huge arm to go along with the glove. All that remains for Pache beyond further physical maturation is working on his approach at the plate, where he’s been very aggressive, making plenty of contact but limiting his OBP and not always waiting for a pitch he can drive. That defense alone will give him a very long career in the majors, but a 25-homer/25-steal center fielder with top-of-the-line defense and even a .330 OBP is a star. 4. Jarred Kelenic, OF, Seattle, Age: 21 Kelenic was the sixth overall pick in 2018, and if anything that seems too low in hindsight, even though four of the five guys taken ahead of him have already reached the majors. Kelenic is a true five-tool player, grading out above average in his hit, power, glove, arm and run tools, projecting to stay in center field but with the arm for right if he ever has to move there (e.g., with Kyle Lewis in center). He played in three levels in 2019 as a 19-year-old and continued to hit up through Double A, showing more discipline than expected for a cold-weather high school kid. His power should get him to 25-30 homers, with 20+ steals and strong OBPs. He probably would have debuted in 2020 had there been a full minor-league season, and I expect he’ll be up by the middle of 2021. I know it pains Mets fans to read this, but I think Kelenic is going to be a superstar. 5. Nate Pearson, RHP, Toronto, Age: 24 Pearson’s debut in the majors was tantalizing, but as with his first full pro season in 2018, it was interrupted by injury, leaving him still eligible for these rankings. Pearson averaged 96.3 mph on his four-seamer, showed a full four-pitch mix, all three of which at least missed bats, although he leaned most on his slider and the pitch wasn’t as consistent as it has been in the past. He’s 6 feet 6 inches and 250 pounds, with a good delivery that he has learned to repeat since the Jays signed him, so in theory he should be durable. Still, he had several fluky injuries in 2018 that limited him to one inning, and a flexor strain sent him to the injured list in late August, after which the Jays used him for just a single relief appearance. If he can stay healthy, there are very few starting pitching prospects who can match his stuff and size, which give him the ceiling of a No. 1 starter. 6. Adley Rutschman, C, Baltimore, Age: 23 The Orioles took Rutschman with the first overall pick in 2019, and he probably would be on the cusp of the majors if it weren’t for the pandemic. A switch-hitting catcher with power and incredible patience at the plate, Rutschman is also an advanced defensive catcher who earns raves for his work with pitchers and shows a plus arm, nailing 7 of 11 runners in pro ball after he signed. His right-handed swing can get long, but his left-handed swing is more compact, and he should be able to hit for both contact and power. If he hits for enough average, he’s going to be a frequent MVP candidate, and his power/defense combo gives him a floor as a solid regular. 7. Alex Kirilloff, OF, Minnesota, Age: 23 Kirilloff is now on the very short list of players who made their major-league debuts in the postseason, also known as the Mark Kiger All-Stars, but unlike Kiger, Kirilloff will be back. He’s among the very best hitting prospects in baseball, thanks to a beautiful left-handed swing, an advanced approach to the strike zone, and all-fields power. Kirilloff was a pitcher and outfielder in high school and missed the 2017 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery, but he returned without a trace of rust and has continued to make hard contact at a high rate. His power was down in 2019 after he injured his wrist that spring, so look for a big power spike from him in 2021, whether he does so in Triple A or in the majors. 8. CJ Abrams, SS, San Diego, Age: 20 Abrams, the sixth overall pick in the 2019 draft out of a Georgia high school, rose significantly in the industry’s eyes after his strong pro debut that year, and reports from this past summer and fall have been even more glowing because he’s showing more power than expected at this young age. Abrams is an 80 runner with great bat speed and a direct, contact-oriented swing, but as he’s gotten stronger he’s now driving the ball with more authority and showing bigger exit velocities as a result. While the presence of Fernando Tatis Jr. might lead to a position change, Abrams is a no-doubt shortstop with a quick release and good actions; he could play center, or he could be a Gold Glove-caliber defender at second. He’s a star at any position, and if the Padres ever do have to move Tatis because he outgrows shortstop, they have a replacement on the way. 9. Dylan Carlson, OF, St. Louis, Age: 22 Carlson was the talk of spring training last March, with much debate over whether he should make the Cardinals’ Opening Day roster, but the shutdown put the kibosh on that idea and delayed Carlson’s major-league debut until mid-August. He’s a very disciplined hitter for his age and struggled in the majors in part because he was too patient, falling behind in the count more often than he’d get ahead, taking a more passive approach than he had in the minors. St. Louis sent him back to their alternate site for two weeks in September, and he returned for his best stretch of the short season with more damage in hitters’ or even counts, albeit in a tiny sample. Carlson is an above-average runner who can handle center field but may be best served as a plus defender in right, for which he has plenty of arm strength. He should be a strong OBP guy who eventually gets to 25 homers a year along with that strong defense, and he has star-level upside that depends mostly on where his hit tool ends up.

Keith Law released his top 100 5. Nate Pearson, RHP, Toronto, Age: 24 Pearson’s debut in the majors was tantalizing, but as with his first full pro season in 2018, it was interrupted by injury, leaving him still eligible for these rankings. Pearson averaged 96.3 mph on his four-seamer, showed a full four-pitch mix, all three of which at least missed bats, although he leaned most on his slider and the pitch wasn’t as consistent as it has been in the past. He’s 6 feet 6 inches and 250 pounds, with a good delivery that he has learned to repeat since the Jays signed him, so in theory he should be durable. Still, he had several fluky injuries in 2018 that limited him to one inning, and a flexor strain sent him to the injured list in late August, after which the Jays used him for just a single relief appearance. If he can stay healthy, there are very few starting pitching prospects who can match his stuff and size, which give him the ceiling of a No. 1 starter. 14. Austin Martin, SS, Toronto, Age: 22 The best prospect in the 2020 draft class slipped to the Blue Jays, who picked fifth and were probably delighted to have a player with his kind of potential get to their selection. Martin has exceptional hand-eye coordination and plus-plus bat speed, striking out only 36 times with 50 walks in 392 PA over his last year-plus at Vanderbilt. He’s probably best suited to third base, but the Jays intend to try him out at shortstop — which he has the athleticism and foot speed to handle — with third, second or even center field all possibilities. He did have some throwing trouble in the brief college season in 2020, but it’s not supposed to be a long-term issue and the Jays seem comfortable with his throwing post-draft. This bat at a skill position is pretty unusual and gives him some MVP upside, although we should be a little cautious since he has yet to take a pro at-bat. 79. Alek Manoah, RHP, Toronto, Age: 23 Manoah was the top college right-hander in the 2019 draft but the Blue Jays got him with the 11th pick on some concerns about his size and minor health issues before his draft year. It looks like a steal now as Manoah continues to stay healthy and throw hard, while improving his conditioning over the course of 2020 and the last two offseasons. Manoah sits 93-94 and can touch 98, with an above-average slider and above-average changeup as well as a curveball he can land for strikes. He is big, 6-6 and 260 in college, and only pitches from the stretch, but he throws strikes and attacks guys consistently with his fastball, an approach that should continue to serve him well as he moves up the ladder. He does have to keep his body in shape, but if he stays healthy he should be in the Blue Jays’ rotation within the next two seasons, with mid-rotation upside. 92. Alejandro Kirk, C, Toronto, Age: 22 Kirk got a surprise call-up to the majors and was very impressive for a kid who’d never played above High A, and had just 151 professional games total before he reached the big leagues. His bat-to-ball skill and swing decisions are both excellent, leading to very low strikeout rates, while he’s got explosive acceleration at the plate and showed in the majors he can hit for power the other way and turn on 97 in. He’s a solid catcher who can frame, block and throw well, but he’s on the big side already for a catcher at age 22 and has to maintain his conditioning. He was listed at 5-8 and 265 pounds last year, and while he’s apparently lost weight heading into spring training, that’s going to be an ongoing issue for him so he can stay behind the plate, as there’s no other position for a player with his build. His bat will make him a longtime regular as a catcher, with a chance to be a star if he keeps his body in shape for it. 98. Orelvis Martinez, SS, Toronto, Age: 19 Martinez is still just 19 but finished the summer at the Blue Jays’ alternate site, impressing the team with his production against older pitching. The ball explodes off his bat thanks to his plus bat speed and present power, while he has already shown glimpses of advanced plate discipline. In the field, he’s got a plus arm and great hands, still playing shortstop but with a body that might eventually push him to third base. I noted last winter that he might be the Jays’ best prospect in a year, but with no minor league season to show progress and the addition of the best player in the 2020 draft in Austin Martin, Martinez has to wait a year for any such coronation. He has an enormous ceiling as a strong OBP guy with 25-30 homers and plus defense at third. We just need to see how the bat plays at higher levels. Could be my old age but did not see Jordan Groshans

This roster to me comes down to if Pearson is a #2 starter. Not sure he is ready to take the load of a #2 starter yet. Otherwise this rotation is relying completely on bounce backs and that is not a great way for predictable success. I still believe the team will sign one of the remaining SPs not named Bauer. The best thing about this trade for me is I won't think Sean Reid Foley whenever someone references Jays SP prospect SWR. Not sure why I did that anyways

Incredible roster flexibility with this move, how can anyone complain. Not sure why Semien would accept the single year deal with the massive SS hitting FA next season but glad he did.

Did anyone happen to see the career stat lines on Bauer and Roark? Almost identical.

Maybe signing Shoe for another season. Management did choose him over Walker in the most important game of the season last year.

AGREE, and the Gray acquisition cost would be offset taking on the big salary of 3B Moustakas. Owed $14, 16, 18 million with a $4 million buyout. Would fill 2 needs though.

I see more like a 1 x $12 million If Happ and Robbie Ray get $8 Paxton gets $12 And Tanaka $15

Corey yes Kyle no thanks

Roark is the BIG diesel...just ask him

Teoscar DH against LHP with Rowdy to the bench. Grishit in RF Vs RHP Biggio Springer Bichette Gurriel Hernandez Vlad Tellez Molina Simmons Vs LHP Springer Bichette Gurriel Hernandez Vlad Biggio Kirk Grishit Simmons

Front office in their year end press conference stated 2 priorities to improving the team. Reduce walks...signed Ray and Chatwood. HMMMM, bad start here. Improve defense Signed Springer...great start. Now how about go sign Andrelton Simmons and move Bichette to 2nd base and Biggio to 3rd. Bichette could learn from the best. Sign Molina to a short term deal to split catching duties. Defense up the middle would be as good as any team in MLB. The corners would need a little work. The team would be much improved without a significant $$$ spend.

Would you rather...if the contract is for 3 years Brantley Ozuna Turner

That wouldn't be my 10th option. PLEASE EVERYONE repeat after me. VLAD CAN'T BE A 3RD BASEMAN ON A CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM. NO WAY NO HOW. Lourdes to the infield and Teletubby Rowdy to the bench if this is not addressed. BUT it will be.

His dad used to be the hitting coach for the Jays many years ago

There was chatter BUT Didn't see this coming...

^^^Disagree^^^ Agreed that Toronto isn't Springers 1st choice but $$$ makes a so so option very appealing.