Written by: Jordan Griffitt
It’s the beginning of March and that means the MLB season is creeping around the corner. With the normal 10 team playoff format back, the fight for the playoffs will be emphasized even more so. There’s one team that is flying under the radar in spring but is going to be in the thick of the competition come September, the Toronto Blue Jays.
Toronto has a mix of young and veteran star power that other teams in the AL East don’t have. With the addition of George Springer and Marcus Semien, the Blue Jays have loaded up during free agency and will compete in a weak division in the AL.
First, the young core is among the best in the entire league. The infield is stacked with pipeline prospects such as Bo Bichette, Cavan Biggio, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and catcher Danny Jansen. Outside of Jansen, all of those players are 2nd generation big-league ballplayers All of these players have not only shown insanely high ceilings but they have already produced at the major league level. Guerrero Jr. was the highest-ranked prospect among this young group but has now become just another good player in a team that is riddled with former top 100 prospects. He has not only lost some needed pounds in the off-season but has also been moved to 1st base, a move that will likely work out because of his poor fielding stats. The Jays have moved Lourdes Gurriel Jr. to left field to clear up some room for Cavan Biggio to move with the addition of Marcus Semien at 2nd base. Gurriel Jr. is another young player that is almost lost in the shuffle but has big-time power in the line-up. The possible downfall of this team will be the starting rotation.
The Jays starting rotation is rather top-heavy and thin towards the bottom. With only 3 legitimate proven MLB starters, Toronto might have to look elsewhere to fix that gap at the trade deadline.
If this rotation is to be successful, it will be because of pitching phenom Nate Pearson. Pearson has a lighting arm throwing up to low 100’s and staying in the upper 90’s with his fastball. This is a prospect that is not drawing much attention but will when the season begins in April. Robbie Ray and Steven Matz have to stay healthy and become a bit more consistent if they want to be mainstays in the starting five this season.
The bullpen is also pretty thin towards the middle relievers but the Jays have the best closer in the business with Kirby Yates. Bullpen problems can be easy to spot but also easy to fix during the season. With a closer like Kirby Yates holding them down, the rest can fall into line much easier.
The Toronto Blue Jays are going to smack the ball around the yard in a launchpad home ballpark but will need a couple of surprises in the rotation this year. With the free-agent addition in Semien and Springer, this team is not only primed to make the playoffs but ready to win the AL East.
