Blue Jays Rumors: Teams Eyeing J.P. Arencibia and Travis d’Arnaud

The Toronto Blue Jays have a ‘problem’ that all teams would welcome; too many good, young players.  While the Blue Jays have multiple young and promising outfielders and starting pitchers, the club also has two catchers who profile as major league starters; J.P. Arencibia and Travis d’Arnaud.  This has caused clubs to ask Toronto about their pair of talented backstops.

ESPN’s Buster Olney reported yesterday that the Blue Jays are taking calls on d’Arnaud and Arencibia, though they will likely have to be overwhelmed to move either backstop.  Olney said Toronto could keep both players to start the 2012 season, as d’Arnaud is set for more time in the minors.

Last year, in his first full season in the majors, Arencibia hit 23 home runs and 20 doubles for the Blue Jays.  The 26-year-old isn’t arbitration eligible until 2014 and is under team control through the 2017 season.

Meanwhile, Baseball America rated d’Arnaud as the 17^th best prospect in baseball entering the 2012 season.  The 23-year-old former first round pick was acquired by the Blue Jays in the trade that sent Roy Halladay to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Over his five seasons in the minors, d’Arnaud has hit at a clip of .278/.336/.452.  While those numbers are impressive for a catching prospect, d’Arnaud broke out offensively last season, posting an OPS of .914 with 21 home runs and 33 doubles in Double-A.

While the Blue Jays could start the season with both catchers, having d’Arnaud begin the year in Triple-A, they will soon have to make a decision on how to handle their pair of promising backstops.

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