Toronto Blue Jays all-time roster: Outfield – Jesse Barfield (1981-1989)
Known for his tremendous defense and excellent power, Jesse Barfield was a mainstay for the Toronto Blue Jays during the 1980s.
He made an immediate impact with his bat in the Toronto lineup, slugging 18 homers in his rookie year. After seeing a slight drop in his playing time over the next two years, he cemented his place in the starting lineup in 1985. That year, He hit 27 home runs and stole 22 bases, becoming an all-around threat. While he would never steal that many bases again, Barfield followed that up by hitting 40 home runs in 1986.
Although he finished in the top ten in the MVP balloting twice, Barfield only made one All-Star Game. Nonetheless, he was one of the better hitters in Blue Jays history, producing a .265/.334/.483 batting line with 179 homers. He hit 20 or more homers four times during his time in Toronto, even though he would not come close to the magic of his 1986 season again.
A two-time Gold Glove award winner, Barfield was one of the best defensive right fielders in MLB history. He led the American League in outfield assists four times, and right fielders as a whole five times, during his time with the Blue Jays. He led the league in runs saved as a right fielder on four occasions, and his 149 runs saved ranks third all-time, trailing only Roberto Clemente and Al Kaline. His 154 assists are 15th all time, and he ranks sixth with 45 double plays in right. One just did not run on Jesse Barfield.
A gifted outfielder with solid power, Jesse Barfield was a better player than most realize. That blend of power and world-class defense helped turn the Blue Jays organization around in the latter part of the 1980s.
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