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TSN Toronto Blue Jays beat reporter Scott Mitchell ranks the top 20 prospects in the team’s farm system every Wednesday.

 

1. 3B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Current affiliate: Double-A New Hampshire

Age: 19 (3/16/1999)

Height: 6-foot-1 | Weight: 200

Top 100 prospect rankings: Baseball America (3), MLB Pipeline (3), Keith Law ESPN (2), Baseball Prospectus (4), FanGraphs (3)

Projected MLB ETA: 2019

Season stats: .433/.481/.713 with 10 HR, 50 RBI, 3 SB in 207 plate appearances at Double-A

Past week: .500/.536/.808 with 2 HR, 5 RBI, 1 SB in 28 plate appearances at Double-A

There’s nothing left to be said. There’s likely a promotion to Triple-A coming at some point soon, but in the meantime let’s compare what Vlad Jr. has done in 46 games to the Double-A slash lines of three notable 19-year-olds who debuted in the majors that same year:

Mike Trout (2011): .326/.414/.544 with 11 homers and 33 steals in 91 games

Adrian Beltre (1998): .321/.411/.581 with 13 homers and 20 steals in 64 games

Andruw Jones (1996): .369/.432/.675 with 12 homers and 12 stolen bases in 38 games

 

2. C Danny Jansen

Current affiliate: Triple-A Buffalo

Age: 23 (04/15/1995)

Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 225

Top 100 prospect rankings: FanGraphs (71)

Projected MLB ETA: 2018

Season stats: .331/.438/.488 with 2 HR, 21 RBI, 4 SB in 147 plate appearances at Triple-A

Past week: .476/.542/.667 with 0 HR, 5 RBI, 0 SB in 24 plate appearances at Triple-A

Jansen had a hit in seven of eight games this past week, including three multi-hit box score fillers that has his slash line looking like he’s mighty ready for a new challenge. There hasn’t been much over-the-fence power, but Jansen’s popped 11 doubles and a triple in addition to his two dingers.

 

3. SS Bo Bichette

Current affiliate: Double-A New Hampshire

Age: 20 (03/05/1998)

Height: 6-foot-0 | Weight: 200

Top 100 prospect rankings: Baseball America (8), MLB Pipeline (13), Keith Law ESPN (17), Baseball Prospectus (19), FanGraphs (9)

Projected MLB ETA: 2019

Season stats: .264/.344/.415 with 3 HR, 22 RBI, 12 SB in 218 plate appearances at Double-A

Past week: .300/.400/.567 with 2 HR, 7 RBI, 3 SB in 35 plate appearances at Double-A

A slow start to the season continued into the week with a pair of oh-fers, but Bichette broke out in a hurry with home runs in back-to-back games Thursday and Friday. He also struck out just three times in 35 trips to the plate, another sign he’s started to adjust to more advanced Double-A arms.

 

4. 2B/3B Cavan Biggio

Current affiliate: Double-A New Hampshire

Age: 23 (04/11/1995)

Height: 6-foot-1 | Weight: 203

Projected MLB ETA: 2019

Season stats: .312/.432/.656 with 12 HR, 40 RBI, 7 SB in 192 plate appearances at Double-A

Past week: .385/.500/.538 with 0 HR, 7 RBI, 2 SB in 32 plate appearances at Double-A

Biggio continues to hit a lot, walk a lot, and he’s been able to sustain his elevated fly ball rate of 50.5 per cent. If the power sticks around and it’s not a mirage of Northwest Delta Dental Stadium, Biggio could eventually look something like Marwin Gonzalez, circa 2017.

 

5. SS/2B Richard Urena

Current affiliate: Triple-A Buffalo

Age: 22 (02/26/1996)

Height: 6-foot-0 | Weight: 185

Projected MLB ETA: Made MLB debut Sept. 1, 2017

Season stats: .148/.172/.148 with 0 HR, 2 RBI, 0 SB in 29 plate appearances at High-A; .278/.278/.444 with 1 HR, 3 RBI, 0 SB in 19 MLB plate appearances; .300/.310/.475 with 1 HR, 6 RBI, 0 SB in 42 plate appearances at Triple-A

Past week: .344/.353/.563 with 1 HR, 5 RBI, 0 SB in 34 plate appearances at Triple-A

Urena was demoted after an eight-game cup of coffee with the big club, and immediately caught fire. The Dominican product had four multi-hit games and slugged his first Triple-A homer. With the middle infield jobs at the major-league level far from settled, it’s a good start towards getting back there.

 

6. RHP T.J. Zeuch

Current affiliate: Double-A New Hampshire

Age: 22 (08/01/1995)

Height: 6-foot-7 | Weight: 225

Projected MLB ETA: 2019

Season stats: 3-3, 3.47 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 36.1 IP, 34 H, 9 BB, 24 K at High-A; 2-2, 4.30 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 29.1 IP, 36 H, 8 BB, 17 K at Double-A

Past week: 2-0, 13.2 IP, 14 H, 4 ER, 4 BB, 8 K at Double-A

Over the last seven days, Zeuch did what he’ll be expected to do at the back end of a major-league rotation one day — eat innings. The big righty gave up two runs over seven innings in a win over the Reading Fightin Phils (Philadelphia) and then went 6.2 innings, giving up two earned again, in another win over the Hartford Yard Goats (Colorado).

 

7. LHP Ryan Borucki

Current affiliate: Triple-A Buffalo

Age: 24 (03/31/1994)

Height: 6-foot-4 | Weight: 175

Projected MLB ETA: 2018

Season stats: 4-5, 3.51 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 51.1 IP, 45 H, 18 BB, 44 K at Triple-A

Past week: 1-1, 11.2 IP, 10 H, 5 ER, 5 BB, 11 K at Triple-A

Similar to Zeuch a level below, Borucki was unspectacular yet solid in his two starts over the past week, walking four in a loss to the Syracuse Chiefs (Washington) before rebounding to spin six innings of two-run ball in a win over the Rochester Red Wings (Minnesota). He might be the next arm in line for a spot start if the need arises.

 

8. RHP Sean Reid-Foley

Current affiliate: Triple-A Buffalo

Age: 22 (08/30/1995)

Height: 6-foot-3 | Weight: 220

Projected MLB ETA: 2019

Season stats: 5-0, 2.03 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 44.1 IP, 27 H, 20 BB, 52 K at Double-A; 0-1, 30.86 ERA, 4.29 WHIP, 2.1 IP, 8 H, 2 BB, 2 K at Triple-A

Past week: 0-1, 2.1 IP, 8 H, 8 ER, 2 BB, 2 K at Triple-A

Reid-Foley got a rude welcome to Triple-A when he was promoted last Thursday, lasting just 2.1 innings and giving up eight earned runs against a mostly nondescript Syracuse Chiefs lineup. It was a bit of a surprising promotion to begin with, but since he was repeating Double-A this season, the Jays felt like he had nothing more to gain at that level.

 

9. SS/2B Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

Current affiliate: Triple-A Buffalo

Age: 24 (10/19/1993)

Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 185

Projected MLB ETA: Made MLB debut April 20, 2018

Season stats: .347/.382/.510 with 1 HR, 11 RBI, 1 SB in 55 plate appearances at Double-A; .206/.229/.309 with 2 HR, 7 RBI, 1 SB in 70 MLB plate appearances; .244/.279/.439 with 2 HR, 10 RBI, 2 SB in 43 plate appearances at Triple-A

Past week: .269/.296/.423 with 1 HR, 3 RBI, 0 SB in 27 plate appearances at Triple-A

While the numbers don’t exactly jump off the page, Gurriel has hits in nine-of-11 games since being demoted in mid-May. The focus, even since Urena returned, has been his development at shortstop, as he’s made nine starts there and just one at second base.

 

10. C Reese McGuire

Current affiliate: Triple-A Buffalo

Age: 23 (03/02/1995)

Height: 5-foot-11 | Weight: 215

Projected MLB ETA: 2018

Season stats: .198/.261/.277 with 2 HR, 10 RBI, 0 SB in 112 plate appearances at Triple-A

Past week: .385/.471/.462 with 0 HR, 2 RBI, 0 SB in 17 plate appearances at Triple-A

Jansen wasn’t the only Bisons backstop having a good week, as McGuire had hits in three of his five starts behind the dish. The reports on his defence have been good, but the bat is still lagging well behind.

 

11. 1B Rowdy Tellez

Current affiliate: Triple-A Buffalo

Age: 23 (03/16/1995)

Height: 6-foot-4 | Weight: 220

Projected MLB ETA: 2019

Season stats: .261/.346/.366 with 2 HR, 17 RBI, 3 SB in 156 plate appearances at Triple-A

Past week: .250/.333/.393 with 0 HR, 6 RBI, 0 SB in 33 plate appearances at Triple-A

Still showing signs of life, still showing zero power. You want to remember those 23 home runs from Double-A in 2016, but at 650-plus plate appearances in Triple-A and counting, Tellez is sporting an Isolated Power (ISO) below .110. Ryan Goins’ last year was

.120. That should tell the story.

 

12. C Riley Adams

Current affiliate: High-A Dunedin

Age: 21 (06/26/1996)

Height: 6-foot-4 | Weight: 225

Projected MLB ETA: 2021

Season stats: .217/.292/.341 with 2 HR, 17 RBI, 0 SB in 154 plate appearances at High-A

Past week: .263/.333/.368 with 0 HR, 3 RBI, 0 SB in 21 plate appearances at High-A

Adams had his seven-game hitting streak snapped, but his May has been much, much better than his April, and that’s a step in the right direction. After slashing .194/.229/.299 with three walks and 24 strikeouts in the first month, Adams has slashed .239/.345/.380 with 10 walks and 12 strikeouts in May.

 

13. OF/1B Ryan Noda

Current affiliate: Low-A Lansing

Age: 22 (03/30/1996)

Height: 6-foot-3 | Weight: 217

Projected MLB ETA: 2020

Season stats: .195/.444/.276 with 0 HR, 13 RBI, 8 SB in 180 plate appearances at Low-A

Past week: .222/.300/.222 with 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB in 20 plate appearances at Low-A

A walk machine over the first six weeks, Noda amazingly only took one free pass over the past week, striking out seven times. He’s hitting just .159 in May, not exactly the production you’d expect from a college draftee in Low-A.

 

14. 2B Samad Taylor

Current affiliate: Low-A Lansing

Age: 19 (07/11/1998)

Height: 5-foot-10 | Weight: 160

Projected MLB ETA: 2022

Season stats: .230/.304/.379 with 3 HR, 16 RBI, 15 SB in 182 plate appearances at Low-A

Past week: .125/.115/.208 with 0 HR, 3 RBI, 1 SB in 26 plate appearances at Low-A

Taylor continues to be a streaky player with the Lugnuts this season, going from one of his hottest weeks to one of his chilliest. This is what happens when you’re 19 without the initials VGJ.

 

15. OF Anthony Alford

Current affiliate: Triple-A Buffalo

Age: 23 (07/20/1994)

Height: 6-foot-1 | Weight: 215

Top 100 prospect rankings: Baseball America (60), MLB Pipeline (47), Keith Law ESPN (44), Baseball Prospectus (58), FanGraphs (36)

Projected MLB ETA: Made MLB debut May 19, 2017

Season stats: .222/.364/.278 with 0 HR, 2 RBI, 0 SB in 22 plate appearances at High-A; .143/.250/.143 with 0 HR, 1 RBI, 1 SB in 16 MLB plate appearances; .145/.198/.158 with 0 HR, 4 RBI, 2 SB in 81 plate appearances at Triple-A

Past week: .136/.174/.136 with 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB in 23 plate appearances at Triple-A

While Urena hit his stride upon being sent down, Alford has done the opposite. Coming off the hamstring injury in spring training, Alford has struggled at all three stops he’s made this season, slashing just .111/.164/.111 without an extra-base hit in the month of May.

 

16. C Max Pentecost

Current affiliate: Double-A New Hampshire

Age: 25 (03/10/1993)

Height: 6-foot-2 | Weight: 191

Projected MLB ETA: 2019

Season stats: .215/.279/.355 with 2 HR, 14 RBI, 0 SB in 122 plate appearances at Double-A

Past week: .143/.263/.214 with 0 HR, 2 RBI, 0 SB in 19 plate appearances at Double-A

Pentecost continues to struggle with the bat in a lineup that’s scoring a ton of runs. Thanks to a couple of names high up on this list, the Fisher Cats lead the league in runs scored.

 

17. SS Logan Warmoth

Current affiliate: High-A Dunedin

Age: 22 (09/06/1995)

Height: 6-foot-0 | Weight: 190

Projected MLB ETA: 2020

Season stats: .243/.322/.316 with 1 HR, 12 RBI, 4 SB in 171 plate appearances at High-A

Past week: .000/.111/.000 with 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB in 9 plate appearances at High-A

Warmoth was placed on the seven-day disabled list with an undisclosed injury, opening the door for Kevin Smith to be promoted from Low-A Lansing. It was a well-deserved promotion for Smith, who was selected 107 picks after Warmoth last June and was slashing .355/.407/.639 with seven homers and 12 stolen bases in 46 games with the Lugnuts.

 

18. RHP Nate Pearson

Current affiliate: High-A Dunedin

Age: 21 (08/20/1996)

Height: 6-foot-6 | Weight: 245

Top 100 prospect rankings: Baseball America (91), Keith Law ESPN (100), FanGraphs (76)

Projected MLB ETA: 2020

Season stats: N/A

Past week: N/A

Now three weeks into being sidelined with a broken forearm since being hit with a comebacker May 7 in his season debut, Pearson was scheduled to be re-evaluated after 4-6 weeks. The 2017 first-round pick, who had a screw inserted into his pitching elbow in high school, is no stranger to injuries, and in addition to the oblique strain he suffered late in the spring, it has not been a good start to his first full pro season health-wise.

 

19. RHP Eric Pardinho

Current affiliate: Extended spring training

Age: 17 (01/05/2001)

Height: 5-foot-10 | Weight: 155

Projected MLB ETA: 2024

Season stats: N/A

Past week: N/A

The $1.4-million bonus baby from last year’s July 2 international class will marinate in extended spring training as a 17-year-old until further notice. The Brazilian right-hander already sits at No. 7 on MLB Pipeline’s list of top 30 Blue Jays prospects.

 

20. LHP Thomas Pannone

Current affiliate: Suspended

Age: 24 (04/28/1994)

Height: 6-foot-0 | Weight: 195

Projected MLB ETA: 2019

Season stats: N/A

Past week: N/A

Handed an 80-game suspension by Major League Baseball in March for testing positive for Dehydrochlormethyltestosterone (DHCMT), Pannone isn’t eligible to return until June 30. Pannone is currently working out at the team’s Dunedin complex and the Blue Jays are trying to maximize the downtime in this unfortunate situation for the lefty.

 

These rankings are put together based on information gathered from various prospect sources, conversations with evaluators inside and outside the Jays organization, as well as personal opinion. 

I am not a scout, so any notes gathered on pitcher mechanics or notable swing changes throughout the season are coming from an outside source.

While the first list to begin April outlined who the top 20 prospects in the organization are, the purpose of this weekly ranking from this point forward is to highlight how players have done over the past seven days (from Tuesday through the following Monday) and shuffle them up accordingly.

If you see Vladimir Guerrero Jr. as the seventh name on the list one week, it doesn’t mean he’s suddenly the seventh-best prospect in the system. It just means six other prospects from this top 20 performed better over a seven-day period.

We hope you enjoy this weekly snapshot that will run each Wednesday through the end of August when minor league seasons come to a close.