2017 Toronto Blue Jays Top 10 Prospects Insider
See Also: Blue Jays Top 10 Prospects
Talent Infusion: Draft Report Card
Get it all: Subscribe to Baseball America
Go 30 deep: Order the 2017 Prospect Handbook!
SEASON IN A SENTENCE: The Blue Jays reached the ALCS for the second-straight year behind a pitching staff that led the AL in ERA and one of the games’ most explosive offenses, but they once again fell a round short of reaching their first World Series since 1993.
HIGH POINT: Needing a win on the final day of the regular season to clinch a playoff spot as a wild card, emerging ace Aaron Sanchez pitched seven brilliant innings and Troy Tulowitzki delivered the tiebreaking RBI single in the eighth to lift the Blue Jays to a 2-1 win over the Red Sox and into the postseason.
LOW POINT: The Blue Jays’ powerful offense fell silent at the worst time: the playoffs. They scored just three runs combined in the first three games of the ALCS to fall into a 3-0 hole against the Indians, from which they couldn’t recover.
NOTABLE ROOKIES: Rule 5 draft selection Joe Biagini dominated out of the bullpen from day one and eventually took over as the setup man for closer Roberto Osuna. Biagini went 4-3, 3.06 with 62 strikeouts in 67.1 innings and pitched 7.1 more scoreless innings of relief in the postseason. Fellow righthanded reliever Danny Barnes struck out 14 in 13.2 innings and earned an ALDS roster spot, and lefthander Chad Girodo posted a 4.35 ERA out of the bullpen in his first MLB action.
KEY TRANSACTIONS: The Jays acquired veteran reliever Jason Grilli from the Braves in May in exchange for minor league righthander Sean Ratcliffe. The 39-year old Grilli went 6-4, 3.63 as a key part of the Jays bullpen and didn’t allow a run in five postseason outings. The Blue Jays further rearranged their pitching staff during the summer, acquiring Joaquin Benoit for Drew Storen, Mike Bolsinger for Jesse Chavez, Scott Feldman for Lupe Chavez and Francisco Liriano and well-regarded prospects Harold Ramirez and Reese McGuire from Pittsburgh in exchange for Drew Hutchison. Liriano in particular proved key, posting a 2.92 ERA in 10 appearances, eight starts, for Toronto down the stretch.
DOWN ON THE FARM: High Class A Dunedin won a wild card spot in the Florida State League and was the only Blue Jays affiliate to make the playoffs, led by touted righthanders Connor Greene (4-4, 2.90), Sean Reid-Foley (6-2, 2.67) and Jon Harris (3-2, 3.60). Tellez was an offensive force at the upper levels of the system, while Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (12 2B, 8 HR) and Bo Bichette (1.182 OPS), the sons of former big leaguers Vladimir Guerrero and Dante Bichette, respectively, had big seasons in Rookie-ball.
— Kyle Glaser
OPENING DAY PAYROLL: $140,582,027 (13th)
| BEST TOOLS | |
| Best Hitter for Average | Bo Bichette |
| Best Power Hitter | Vladimir Guerrero Jr. |
| Best Strike-Zone Discipline | Cavan Biggio |
| Fastest Baserunner | Roemon Fields |
| Best Athlete | Anthony Alford |
| Best Fastball | Conner Greene |
| Best Curveball | Zach Jackson |
| Best Slider | Sean Reid-Foley |
| Best Changeup | Ryan Borucki |
| Best Control | Ryan Borucki |
| Best Defensive Catcher | Javier Hernandez |
| Best Defensive Infielder | Richard Urena |
| Best Infield Arm | Richard Urena |
| Best Defensive Outfielder | Reggie Pruitt |
| Best Outfield Arm | Reggie Pruitt |
| PROJECTED 2020 LINEUP | |
| Catcher | Reese McGuire |
| First Base | Rowdy Tellez |
| Second Base | Devon Travis |
| Third Base | Josh Donaldson |
| Shortstop | Richard Urena |
| Left Field | Bo Bichette |
| Center Field | Anthony Alford |
| Right Field | Vladimir Guerrero Jr. |
| Designated Hitter | Troy Tulowitzki |
| No. 1 Starter | Aaron Sanchez |
| No. 2 Starter | Marcus Stroman |
| No. 3 Starter | Sean Reid-Foley |
| No. 4 Starter | Conner Greene |
| No. 5 Starter | T.J. Zeuch |
| Closer | Roberto Osuna |
| TOP PROSPECTS OF THE DECADE | ||
| Year | Player, Pos. | 2016 Org |
| 2007 | Adam Lind, of | Mariners |
| 2008 | Travis Snider, of | Royals |
| 2009 | Travis Snider, of | Royals |
| 2010 | Zach Stewart, rhp | (Korea) |
| 2011 | Kyle Drabek, rhp | Giants |
| 2012 | Travis d’Arnaud, c | Mets |
| 2013 | Aaron Sanchez, rhp | Blue Jays |
| 2014 | Daniel Norris, lhp | Tigers |
| 2015 | Daniel Norris, lhp | Tigers |
| 2016 | Anthony Alford, of | Blue Jays |
| TOP DRAFT PICKS OF THE DECADE | ||
| Year | Player, Pos. | 2016 Org |
| 2007 | Kevin Ahrens, 3b | Did not play |
| 2008 | David Cooper, 1b | Did not play |
| 2009 | Chad Jenkins, rhp | Blue Jays |
| 2010 | Deck McGuire, rhp | Cardinals |
| 2011 | *Tyler Beede, rhp | Giants |
| 2012 | D.J. Davis, of | Blue Jays |
| 2013 | *Phil Bickford, rhp | Brewers |
| 2014 | Jeff Hoffman, rhp | Rockies |
| 2015 | Jon Harris, rhp | Blue Jays |
| 2016 | T.J. Zeuch, rhp | Blue Jays |
| *Did not sign. | ||
| LARGEST BONUSES IN CLUB HISTORY | ||
| Adeiny Hechavarria, 2010 | $4,000,000 | |
| Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 2015 | $3,900,000 | |
| Jeff Hoffman, 2014 | $3,080,000 | |
| Max Pentecost, 2014 | $2,888,300 | |
| Adonys Cardona, 2010 | $2,800,000 | |
Comments are closed.