Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
The Toronto Blue Jays finished the 2016 season with a nice run in the playoffs. Can their farm system help them keep up that success in 2017?
An Introduction
Our minor league top 10 series is coordinated by Benjamin Chase, one of our contributors at Call to the Pen.
He has pored over thousands of minor league games over the course of the year via milb.tv along with speaking with a number of team and independent scouts. These lists are based out of those conversations.
Each system will have prospects from 10 to 1, and then finish with one newcomer to the system that is worth keeping an eye on that is not in the top 10 at this time.
Conversations are certainly encouraged in the comments section on each system as we go along!
Blue Jays System Review
While it’s not official by any means, it’s quite likely that the Blue Jays will not be bringing back two of their franchise hallmarks over the last few years, Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Bautista.
That leaves a significant gap in the Blue Jays lineup, and they have a few different ways that they could approach that gap. The Blue Jays have already signed Kendrys Morales to provide some of the pop, but their farm system is currently producing a lot of athletic players that could really change the dynamic of their offense in the next few years.
While their finances are tied up strongly in big contracts to guys like Troy Tulowitzki and Russell Martin after 2017, they will also be seeing Josh Donaldson hit arbitration for his last eligible season before hitting free agency in 2018.
This could lead the team to restructure their offense behind their dynamic young pitching of Marcus Stroman, Aaron Sanchez, and Robert Osuna along with excellent defense.
It will lead to some interesting times in Toronto as the team has seen an extended period of success recently, but they’re also looking at a near future with some question marks and a farm system that’s producing guys that could fundamentally change how the team is structured.
Let’s take a look at the top 10!
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10. Conner Greene, RHP
Birthdate: 4/4/95 (21 years old)Level(s) Played in 2016: high A, AAStats in 2016: 146 1/3 IP, 3.51 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 11.22 BB%, 15.64 K%
Greene has an interesting background, having appeared as an actor in sitcoms and done modeling both before and since being drafted in the 7th round by the Blue Jays in 2013.
On the field, he uses more than good looks and charm to ring up solid numbers as he’s filled out into his 6’3 frame. With the added size, he’s added velocity as well.
Greene is a guy who throws from a high 3/4 delivery, allowing him to get very good plane on his pitches, using his 92-94 MPH fastball with heavy sink as a ground ball generator.
His change up is his best secondary pitch with very good arm deception and excellent plane and sink as well. His curve has very good depth, but the velocity of the pitch is more to get weak contact than to get whiffs.
All in all, Greene is a guy who generates a ton of weak contact, and that’s not a bad thing at all. He did get off in his delivery for a stretch this season, which led to higher walk numbers than he’d usually seen, but as he gets his delivery more settled and consistent, he should be able to pound the zone with his sinking stuff to generate weak contact.
He won’t likely get a lot of whiffs in a typical year, but Greene could be a very valuable pitcher as he eats up innings with quick, weak contact on hitters. He profiles as an ideal mid-rotation starter.
The Blue Jays may send him back for a full season at AA or choose to push him to AAA in 2017. Some have suggested his sinking stuff could end up an excellent fit at the back of the bullpen if he doesn’t work in the rotation as well.
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9. Angel Perdomo, LHP
Birthdate: 5/7/94 (22 years old)Level(s) Played in 2016: low AStats in 2016: 127 IP, 3.19 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 10.07 BB%, 29.1 K%
Perdomo came into the season as a guy who had a big plus fastball and not much else to see currently, and then he took big steps forward this season such that this ranking could look quite low by the time 2017 is over.
Perdomo is 6’6 and gets excellent plane and life on his fastball that sits in the low 90s and can touch up to 95 (I’ve had reports of higher, but from admitted “hot” guns). He really made a big stride in fastball command more than any other pitch this season, and it really set up everything else for him.
Perdomo works with a slider with exceptional bite and a change that has shown good arm deception and late life as well as sink due to his plane on the ball.
For Perdomo, his consistency in his mechanics will always be the big thing. Like most guys who are long limbed and 6’5 or taller, he can often get off in his delivery, and when he does, he often gets off in his release point, and he has ridiculously good stuff when he can compete deep into games.
Perdomo also has a very high floor as an elite reliever in the Andrew Miller mold if he were to eventually not work out as a starter.
The Blue Jays will likely start Perdomo out in high-A in 2017.
8. J.B. Woodman, OF
Birthdate: 12/13/94 (22 years old)Level(s) Played in 2016: short season A, low AStats in 2016: .297/.391/.445, 4 HR, 10 SB
The Blue Jays were happy to get the 2016 SEC home run champion in the 2nd round in this year’s draft and sign him for a reasonable bonus as well, allowing them to get other high end players later in the draft.
Woodman is a guy who has a big swing that struggled to make consistent contact in college until his draft season, which left some questioning whether his 2016 was real or a mirage.
He did display some of the same high strikeout issues with the Blue Jays in his debut, but he also was able to have much better contact than he did when having those issues in college.
Woodman is a guy who can handle either corner outfield spot well, though he has the instincts to handle center until he is needed to move off the position. His fringe-plus arm could allow him to play right field as well.
Woodman is a very good overall athlete, and not just a power bat. He needs to work on his base stealing reads, but he has fringe-plus speed that is impressive at full tilt, but he struggles to get to that full speed quickly.
If he can work on his strike zone judgement, Woodman has the quick bat and the overall skills to be a very impressive player in the outfield, and he could end up a quick mover in the Blue Jays system.
The Blue Jays will likely send Woodman to low-A to open 2017.
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7. Bo Bichette, SS
Birthdate: 3/5/98 (18 years old)Level(s) Played in 2016: rookieStats in 2016: .427/.451/.732, 4 HR, 3 SB
While his baseball bloodlines are fairly obvious, with father Dante Bichette a 4-time All-Star and brother Dante Bichette, Jr. in the Yankees farm system, Bichette was an elite player in his own right.
Many considered his commitment to college to be tough to break, which is why Bichette fell to Toronto in the 2nd round at #66 overall.
Bichette came out and showed he does things his way, but he does them very well. His swing is unorthodox, but he generates good bat speed through the hitting zone, creating plus raw power that he used to really impress by winning the Under Armour All-American Game Home Run Derby the summer before his senior year of high school.
The big question with Bo is where he’ll fit defensively. He has the hands and actions to handle shortstop, but he doesn’t really have the raw range to stick there as a pro. He doesn’t really have the arm for third base, where he played in showcase circuits.
Most likely Bichette will profile in left field or at second base, and his defense will never really be a calling card, and that’s quite all right as long as he continues to show the maturity in at bats that he showed in his pro debut.
Bichette showed a unique ability to judge the strike zone for a high school hitter along with the ability to attack pitches within the zone with success. He only had 82 at bats on the season, so the .400+ average needs to be seen in that light, but it was still over 22 games, not just a week or something like that.
Bichette will likely be ear-tagged for a short-season league in 2017, but after his GCL success, it wouldn’t surprise to see the Blue Jays push him to a full-season league in 2017.
6. TJ Zeuch, RHP
Birthdate: 8/1/95 (21 years old)Level(s) Played in 2016: rookie, short season A, low AStats in 2016: 34 IP, 4.50 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 5.04 BB%, 27.34 K%
Zeuch made a big impression last summer in the Cape Cod league and then carried that over to his draft year at Pitt. He did miss some time due to an injury, but his season was very good, and that led to him being the Blue Jays’ first pick at 21st overall.
Zeuch is a command and control righty with a mix of four pitches that could play up significantly with just a tick more polish overall across the board.
Zeuch has an excellent delivery from a 6’7 frame that he repeats well, which is rare for that height. He does well creating plane on his fastball that sits 92-94 with sink and run and the ability to touch 97 with it.
His slider was his best breaking pitch in my views, with a sharp break that got lots of swing and miss. His curve is a solid pitch as well, with an excellent plane from his height, creating difficulty lofting the pitch.
His change is still a work in progress, but right now the biggest issue is having confidence in it. He has reportedly thrown solid changes in the bullpen, but he rarely uses it in games.
He’ll likely open at a full-season league, whether it’s Midwest League or bumping up to the Florida State League this year.
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
5. Rowdy Tellez, 1B
Birthdate: 3/16/95 (21 years old)Level(s) Played in 2016: AAStats in 2016: .297/.387/.530, 23 HR, 4 SB
I may have an unnatural love for Rowdy, first for his awesome first name, and second for his ability to generate positive baseball results at his body style.
He’s a big guy, sitting at 6’4 and listed at 220, though I think that’s a few Big Macs short of actuality. He’s not a guy you’d likely pick to win a foot race, but pretty much anything else on the diamond, give me Rowdy!
Tellez has a big power swing from the left side, though not in the way that many generate that power. His swing is compact and explosive, and he is able to utilize the whole field for power.
Tellez has excellent plate discipline, and seeing a power hitter strike out less than 100 times in a full season is extremely impressive.
He’s not a tremendous defender at first base, but he’s worked hard to present a good target for his fielders and be a good picker. He’s just not going to be great at ranging for grounders.
Tellez will likely head to AAA in 2017. It will be fun to see how he handles that promotion and being one step away from the big leagues for a team likely looking for another power bat.
Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
4. Richard Urena, SS
Birthdate: 2/26/96 (20 years old)Level(s) Played in 2016: high A, AAStats in 2016: .296/.335/.434, 8 HR, 9 SB
Urena was part of the Blue Jays 2012 signing period where they took two of the top 3 shortstops off the market in the first two days of the signing period, signing he and Franklin Barreto. Barreto was traded as part of the deal to bring in Josh Donaldson.
Urena has flourished in the Blue Jays system, and really made big strides once he hit full season ball in 2015. 2016 was a bit of a gathering year for Urena as he hit high-A and AA, but saw some steps backward in discipline at the plate and a few knocks in his defensive focus.
For pure raw skills, there are few who have better defensive chops up and down the Toronto system at shortstop than Urena. He has tremendous range and hands along with a plus arm. His biggest issue is a seeming lack of focus at times on defense.
Urena offensively is a solid average player across the board, and he’s started to see those skills blossom into game power and game speed, and he showed excellent contact ability in the FSL this year.
His strike zone judgement left some to be desired, however, especially from the right side of the plate. He’s only been switch hitting a short time, however, so that could still come and with his raw speed and good bat speed, he could produce solid batting average as well as good strike zone control as well.
Urena may head back to AA to start as he did struggle a touch there in 2016 just to get some success at the level before bumping up to AAA, but at 21 on opening day, that’s pretty advanced.
3. Sean Reid-Foley, RHP
Birthdate: 8/30/95 (21 years old)Level(s) Played in 2016: low A, high AStats in 2016: 115 1/3 IP, 2.81 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 8.41 BB%, 28.76 K%
Reid-Foley made a big splash in the summer showcase games going into his senior year of high school and moved himself up to a second round selection with the Blue Jays, who paid him an above slot bonus to sign him away from Florida State.
He may not have the prettiest delivery, but Reid-Foley does repeat it very well using his physicality and athleticism. He’s built like a football safety on the mound, and he fields his position extremely well.
His unique delivery has allowed his raw stuff to play up, though it didn’t need all that much help. He has a plus-plus fastball that sits at 92-95 and can run to 98-99 with very good life.
His slider has tremendous break and angle due to his release point, allowing him to get a ton of swing and miss on the pitch.
His change made big strides in 2016, flashing possible plus action as a pitch with excellent life low in the zone, but sitting more as an above-average pitch.
Reid-Foley also throws a curve, though I honestly did not see a single curve in the two starts of his I caught this year. I’ve seen some on other video, and the curve is more of a “show me” curve that would keep hitters honest than to truly be a weapon pitch for him.
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
2. Anthony Alford, OF
Birthdate: 6/20/94 (22 years old)Level(s) Played in 2016: high AStats in 2016: .236/.344/.378, 9 HR, 18 SB
Many considered Alford to be unsignable in the 2012 draft because he wanted to play football with Southern Miss. The Blue Jays gambled on allowing him to do both, and spent a 3rd round pick on Alford.
After three years of playing both, one year with Southern Miss and two years at Ole Miss, Alford chose to focus exclusively on baseball in 2015. He exploded onto the scene in 2015 with a big year in his first full season concentrating on baseball, hitting .298/.398/.421 across both A levels.
He returned to high A in 2016 to start in 2016, but multiple trips to the disabled list for a knee injury and a concussion, respectively, kept him from making big strides offensively on the year.
Alford did show out with more of his power than had been seen in 2015 in the FSL, hitting 9 home runs and 17 doubles in his 92 games. He has the ability to hit for solid power with a quick bat and athletic frame that could generate 15-20 home runs as he matures.
Alford’s biggest carrying tool will be his plus-plus speed, which he uses to completely alter the game when he’s on the base paths and track down everything in center field.
Hopefully healthy in 2017, Alford will work his way to AA, and the Blue Jays will be excited to see how he handles the upper minors.
1. Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., 3B
Birthdate: 3/16/99 (17 years old)Level(s) Played in 2016: rookieStats in 2016: .271/.359/.449, 8 HR, 15 SB
Growing up as the son of a former MVP, it’s likely Vlad, Jr. had plenty of exposure, which is why when he was one of the most sought-after overall prospects in the July 2015 international free agent class, it was no surprise to anyone.
When the Blue Jays signed him for a big bonus, even they couldn’t have expected him to have the level of success that he did in 2016 in his first exposure to pro ball.
He skipped over the Dominican Summer League and the low-level rookie league and was sent to the Blue Jays advanced rookie league team in the Appalachian League. In spite of being put up against primarily college draft picks and high school picks from 2015, he never once looked overmatched.
More than anything, Guerrero may have looked even more comfortable than some of those college players he was playing against. His 33/35 BB/K ratio on the year showed exceptional plate discipline, something not exactly associated with the Vlad Guerrero name!
Guerrero has elite skills offensively with a big power bat that already rates as a plus game power with plus-plus raw power. He also uses his quick bat to get to balls throughout the strike zone and make solid contact.
The Blue Jays moved Guerrero from the outfield to third base based on below-average speed but an accurate arm. He really made big strides at the position and showed excellent instincts there, though his arm strength is in question.
Even if he does have to move to first base in the end, his bat should be special to the point where it doesn’t matter what position he plays.
Guerrero will be at a full-season league in 2017.
Newcomer to Keep an Eye On: Lourdes Gourriel, Jr., OF
Birthdate: 10/19/93 (23 years old)Level(s) Played in 2016: noneStats in 2016: none
Gourriel comes from very good baseball bloodlines in Cuba, with his father one of the best players in Cuba for nearly two decades before becoming a manager in Serie Nacional and a coach on the Cuban national squad.
Lourdes’ brother Yulieski made his major league debut this season after signing with the Houston Astros and certainly didn’t look overmatched, and Lourdes has been considered the better prospect of the two as they’ve worked their way through defection to becoming free agents.
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Lourdes is a very solid athlete, and many reports indicate that he could find a home at second, third, or a corner outfield spot with solid infield hands and instincts with enough range to handle the outfield.
He brings solid patience to the plate and has shown the ability to recognize breaking stuff very well in Cuba, so that transition should not be difficult, though his recognition of premium velocity is yet to be seen.
Many of the reports I got back from those who did see Gourriel were that he looked as if he’d added some significant bad weight in his time off while waiting to be cleared as a free agent, and that may have scared away some teams from signing him.
The Blue Jays have been quite excited to get him in the fold, however, and they’ll likely start him out in full season ball after getting a good look at him in spring training.
Agree? Disagree? Someone you have a question about from the system? Leave a comment down below!
