Nov 2, 2017
Future Watch: Arizona Fall League edition
TSN Baseball Reporter Scott Mitchell takes a look at how Toronto Blue Jays prospects have fared in the Arizona Fall League.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Born in 1992, the Arizona Fall League is already halfway through its 26th season.
The annual desert developmental circuit has seen a who’s who of baseball stars come through over the years, and this year will be no exception.
On Saturday, the AFL’s all-star showcase, the 12th annual Fall Stars Game (MLB Network, 8 p.m. ET), will feature 10 players from MLBPipeline’s top 100 prospects list, including Washington Nationals outfielder Victor Robles (No. 2), Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna (No. 5) and Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker (No. 7).
After sending eight players of various prospect pedigrees to the AFL this year, the Blue Jays will be represented by right-handed starter T.J. Zeuch and catcher Max Pentecost, while Mississauga, Ont. will be watching San Diego Padres first base prospect Josh Naylor, who’s bashed three home runs in just 14 games, third-most in the Arizona Fall League, with two weeks to go.
Naylor and all the Jays prospects are suiting up for the Peoria Javelinas in the six-team circuit, a squad that also boasts Acuna, one of the Braves’ better pitching prospects in Max Fried, as well as Seattle Mariners’ first-rounder Kyle Lewis.
Here’s a look at how the Blue Jays prospects have fared in the AFL so far:
1. SS Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
Highest 2017 level: Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats
Age: 24 (10/19/1993)
Acquired: Signed out of Cuba for seven years, $22 million (November 2016)
Projected MLB ETA: Late 2018
Season stats: .229/.268/.339 with 5 HR, 36 RBI, 3 SB, 12 BB, 43 K in 236 at-bats
AFL stats: .278/.291/.481 with 2 HR, 9 RBI, 2 SB, 0 BB, 7 K in 54 at-bats.
Similar to his stateside debut this year, Gurriel has been hot and cold during his time in the AFL. He’s flashed the power, with a pair of home runs, but still hasn’t taken a walk and is sporting another sub-.300 on-base percentage. The Blue Jays sent him to Arizona as a shortstop in an attempt to continue to develop the 24-year-old as a middle infielder.
2. RHP T.J. Zeuch
Highest 2017 level: High-A Dunedin Blue Jays
Age: 22 (8/1/1995)
Acquired: Drafted in 2016 (1st round)
Projected MLB ETA: 2019
Season stats: 3-6 (14 starts), 3.56 ERA, 65.2 IP, 72 hits, 19 BB, 51 K, 1.39 WHIP
AFL stats: 1-0 (3 starts), 0.64 ERA, 14 IP, 7 hits, 4 BB, 11 K, 0.79 WHIP
After being limited to just 14 starts this season thanks to a back injury, Zeuch has impressed in the AFL in the early going. An extreme groundball pitcher, the right-hander relies on his command and ability to induce worm-burners in order to succeed. While he has yet to throw an inning above High-A, the 6-foot-7 product of the University of Pittsburgh could move quickly if he can carry this type of success into the 2018 season.
3. C/1B Max Pentecost
Highest 2017 level: High-A Dunedin Blue Jays
Age: 24 (3/10/1993)
Acquired: Drafted in 2014 (1st round)
Projected MLB ETA: 2019
Season stats: .274/.330/.431 with 9 HR, 54 RBI, 0 SB, 23 BB, 62 K in 288 at-bats
AFL stats: .216/.293/.324 with 1 HR, 4 RBI, 1 SB, 4 BB, 15 K in 37 at-bats
Similar to Gurriel, Pentecost’s AFL assignment is more about defence and development time than anything he does (or doesn’t do) with the stick. Pentecost missed a good chunk of time this season with a minor back problem, but it’s nothing compared to the multiple shoulder surgeries that set him back prior to 2017. Pentecost needs to be added to the 40-man roster this off-season or the Blue Jays will have to leave him exposed in the Rule 5 Draft.
4. OF Jonathan Davis
Highest 2017 level: Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats
Age: 25 (5/12/1992)
Acquired: Drafted in 2013 (15th round)
Projected MLB ETA: 2019
Season stats: .249/.361/.379 with 10 HR, 45 RBI, 20 SB, 69 BB, 110 K in 446 at-bats
AFL stats: .283/.377/.348 with 0 HR, 7 RBI, 3 SB, 6 BB, 8 K in 46 at-bats
A forgotten man on the Blue Jays’ outfield depth chart, the AFL assignment is an indication that the front office wants to get a look at the 25-year-old against some of the best prospects in baseball. Thus far, Davis has held his own in the desert, but the centre fielder has his work cut out for him to convince the organization he’s better than the glut of outfield prospects on the same developmental track in Double-A and Triple-A.
5. RHP Andrew Case
Highest 2017 level: Triple-A Buffalo Bisons
Age: 24 (1/6/1993)
Acquired: Signed as undrafted free agent (October 2013)
Projected MLB ETA: Late 2018
Season stats: 7-1 (0 starts), 12 saves, 2.86 ERA, 66 IP, 56 hits, 16 BB, 43 K, 1.09 WHIP
AFL stats: 1-0 (0 starts), 1 save, 0.00 ERA, 7 IP, 4 hits, 0 BB, 4 K, 0.57 WHIP
The next three names on this list have a couple things in common: They’re all 23 or older and all spent time closing games at the Jays’ various minor-league outposts this past season. Case, who climbed as high as Triple-A in 2017, has been lights out in the AFL and hasn’t allowed a run yet, a performance that could have him on the radar as a dark horse bullpen candidate in the spring. A New Brunswick native who threw for Lethbridge College prior to signing with the Jays, the 6-foot-2 righty could provide some bullpen depth at the MLB level next season if everything continues to click.
6. RHP Jackson McClelland
Highest 2017 level: High-A Dunedin Blue Jays
Age: 23 (7/19/1994)
Acquired: Drafted in 2015 (15th round)
Projected MLB ETA: 2019
Season stats: 3-4 (0 starts), 15 saves, 1.34 ERA, 53.2 IP, 40 hits, 18 BB, 42 K, 1.08 WHIP
AFL stats: 0-0 (0 starts), 1 save, 9.00 ERA, 6 IP, 10 hits, 2 BB, 4 K, 2.00 WHIP
This 6-foot-5 product of Pepperdine University was terrific across two minor-league stops at Lansing and Dunedin in 2017, but hasn’t been able to carry that over to the AFL. McClelland has given up six earned runs and 10 hits in six innings.
7. LHP Daniel Young
Highest 2017 level: Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats
Age: 23 (5/27/1994)
Acquired: Drafted in 2015 (8th round)
Projected MLB ETA: 2019
Season stats: 4-1 (0 starts), 4 saves, 3.00 ERA, 63 IP, 52 hits, 23 BB, 50 K, 1.19 WHIP
AFL stats: 0-1 (0 starts), 18.00 ERA, 5 IP, 14 hits, 3 BB, 3 K, 3.40 WHIP
Similar to Case and McClelland, Young enjoyed a solid 2017 season, even if his numbers suffered a bit once he was promoted from High-A Dunedin to Double-A New Hampshire. Young’s calling card is that he’s a southpaw, something the Blue Jays will be in desperate search of this off-season at the major-league level. The AFL hasn’t been kind to young, as he’s allowed 14 hits and 10 earned runs — including a pair of homers — in just five innings.
8. C Javier Hernandez
Highest 2017 level: Low-A Lansing Lugnuts
Age: 21 (7/21/1996)
Acquired: Signed as international free agent (August 2012)
Projected MLB ETA: 2021
Season stats: .235/.282/.340 with 2 HR, 16 RBI, 0 SB, 9 BB, 44 K in 153 at-bats
AFL stats: N/A
Hernandez is currently toiling away on the Javelinas’ taxi squad, a situation that finds him eligible only on Wednesdays and Saturdays. For one of the youngest players in the AFL, however, it’s all about soaking in the development time, as Hernandez is still a few years away from being on the major-league radar.