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Toronto Blue Jays: Baby Jays fly under the radar

By Jesse Cook |
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 20: Bo Bichette #11 of the Toronto Blue Jays hugs teammate Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 on his way back to the dugout after Bichette hit a solo home run in the first inning of the MLB game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on August 20, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 20: Bo Bichette #11 of the Toronto Blue Jays hugs teammate Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 on his way back to the dugout after Bichette hit a solo home run in the first inning of the MLB game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on August 20, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)
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The Toronto Blue Jays can look forward to a brighter future than most other teams.

In 2019, four Toronto Blue Jays rookies cracked the top 25 in terms of Wins Above Replacement for rookies; third baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at 21st at 1.5, catcher Danny Jansen at 20th at 1.6, shortstop Bo Bichette at 13th at 2.3, and infielder Cavan Biggio at ninth at 2.9.

The next highest number of rookies in the top 25 for one team was two players, shared by the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Toronto’s left-handed pitching prospect said the Blue Jays’ success with younger athletes stems from their unconventional training styles. He said, “The Blue Jays have put a huge focus on the non-baseball aspects of baseball because those are the ones that tend to not get as much love when considering training.”

Jake Fishman. 912. player. Scouting Report. Union College. 39. Pick Analysis. Pitcher

He cited that the organization places an emphasis on mental preparedness for games alongside the already rigorous physical training regiment. “Based on their guidelines, I have created a constantly updating mental-nutrition-recovery routine,” said Fishman.

He continued, “I have found a lot of stuff that works really well for me, and they continue to bring new information to the table, so I always try to see if I like it and incorporate it in my routine to see if I can improve it further.”

Down to the lowest levels of Minor League Baseball, no Blue Jays affiliate finished below fifth place in their respective leagues last season. However, this contrasts with the Major League club’s dismal 12th place finish in the American League.

(Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Toronto Blue Jays: Baby Jays fly under the radar

Toronto Blue Jays top prospect, right-handed pitcher Nate Pearson, sits as the eighth-best prospect in baseball, boasting a 2.30 E.R.A., 0.89 W.H.I.P., and 5-4 record in 2019, split across a speedy ascension from Single-A Dunedin up to Triple-A Buffalo.

Pearson, 23 years old, is joined in baseball’s top 100 prospects by fellow Toronto Minor Leaguers 20-year old shortstop Jordan Groshans and 19-year old right-handed pitcher Simeon Woods Richardson.

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Three top prospects is not exactly a gold mine by any standards considering that teams like the Dodgers and San Diego Padres have five players on the list and the Tampa Bay Rays shine bright with a league-leading six players on the list, but remember that Guerrero Jr., Bichette, and Jansen headlined the board when they had not yet debuted in the Majors.

In 2018, Guerrero Jr. was third, Bichette was 14th, and outfielder Anthony Alford was 47th.

Toronto’s recent Minor League success promises confidence ahead.

Fishman said that the organization improves its players immediately out of the draft. He said, “When I was at [Union College], my biggest focus was getting bigger, faster, and stronger… Now, I don’t focus so much on maximal strength. There is a point where you are ‘strong enough’ and you can focus on skill acquisition. So over the past four years in pro-ball, I have really been focused on mastering the sharpness of my pitches and learning the tendencies of what the best hitters do.”

Another important facet for team success involves the “team mentality.” Toronto has named 39 players to their 40-man roster for 2020 (which will be able to expand due to special short-season rules), 28 of whom are returning players. 72% of the 2020 Blue Jays have played either on the Major League team or played in the Blue Jays’ organization for at least one year.

“There has been a consistent group of people that I have noticed continuing to move up with me,” said Fishman.

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This continuity brings team chemistry, one of the driving factors in developing the “team mentality.”

Fishman continued, “I haven’t had any challenges of being a teammate as I’ve moved throughout the organization. Honestly, the Blue Jays are filled with a bunch of great people and they pride themselves on creating a teammate centric atmosphere.”

Fishman recorded a 3.45 E.R.A. and a 1.26 W.H.I.P. with 74 strikeouts in 62.2 innings over 42 games for the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats in 2019. He surrendered the fewest home runs in the league at four. Along with a solid 2018 season at Single-A Dunedin, he also pitched 1.1 innings with Triple-A Buffalo in a home appearance against the Pawtucket Red Sox with no runs, no baserunners, and one strikeout.

(Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

Toronto Blue Jays: Baby Jays fly under the radar

Marching into a short season, M.L.B. teams face uncertainty with their future as thousands of prospects have lost their jobs.

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While Fishman has remained under contract with the Toronto Blue Jays, he regretfully remarked that many of his colleagues have not been quite as lucky. He said, “Unfortunately, a lot of my teammates have recently been released across different organizations. You never really know when it will be you. All you can do is pitch your best and focus on what you can control.”

As for players in his situation, he recounted that they are all making do with what they have available. “Everybody has been in a similar situation during this extended offseason. My local private gym is finally open, but for the past three months I have been doing at home workouts with the little equipment I had.”

He added, “It takes a little creativity, but I feel like the workouts were adequate to maintain my progress from the offseason.”

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While, like hundreds of other Minor League baseball players, Fishman was not added to the special short-season 60-man roster, the Blue Jays’ organization told its prospects to stay ready. Fishman said, “If a lot of people get injured or infected with COVID-19, they will most likely have to tap into their minor league system to fill the spots.”

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