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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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(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.

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