Toronto Blue Jays Under-The-Radar Prospects
Most Blue Jays fans are familiar with the big name prospects like Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette and Anthony Alford. The team also features a few lesser known prospects who may not have the same upside as the top prospects, but feature skills that could help them reach the majors. These players have clear flaws in their games that could hold them back, but if they can take a step forward at some point in their career they may be able to work their way onto a major league roster at some point.
Kevin Vicuna signed out of Venezuela as a 16 year old. Now 20 years old, he has a plus glove at shortstop, with some evaluators seeing plus plus in his glove. His average at best arm strength means he probably fits better at second base. Vicuna could reach the majors in a utility role based on his glove alone. The major hurdle that stands in his way is that he can't really hit. There is a complete lack of power and he has yet to hit a home run as a pro, despite more than 800 plate appearances. Currently it looks like he profiles similar to Ryan Goins except with less bat. Still, his fielding prowess will give him plenty of chances to show that he can develop enough at the plate to be worth giving a spot on the bench.
Yennsy Diaz signed as an international free agent in 2014 based on his explosive fastball. The Blue Jays have pushed him through their system and despite putting up poor run prevention numbers the past two seasons, he still shows potential due to the fact that it came against competition nearly two years older. He struck out nearly a quarter of batters he faced last season in single-A Lansing. He struggles with walks and his flyball tendencies make him susceptible to home runs. Unless he can improve his command and develop his secondary pitches he may end up in the bullpen. With a power fastball he could find success as a reliever.
The Blue Jays got a nice haul from the Indians in exchange for a few months of Joe Smith. Thomas Pannone looks like he could be valuable rotation depth in 2018 and Samad Taylor could prove to be a sneaky good pick-up. Taylor plays in the middle infield, but his arm strength probably limits him to second base if he's ever going to be a starter. There is a chance he could be competent enough at shortstop that he could have a future as a utility player if he's not quite starting lineup calibre. Taylor is very fast, even if his speed hasn't translated into stolen bases yet. He has put up good numbers so far as a pro with a .294/.344/.422 slash line. Those numbers are even more impressive considering they came against competition nearly three years older. He does strike out a bit more than you would like to see from a guy with average power. He also walks at a below average rate. 2018 will be an interesting year to see what the Blue Jays have in Samad Taylor. If the team starts him in single-A Lansing he will likely be one of the youngest players in the league. If he has another above average season at the plate you will surely see him climb the Blue Jays top prospect rankings.
The Blue Jays have more prospect depth at catcher than they have had in a long time. 2017 third round pick Riley Adams could soon join the list of Blue Jays top catching prospects. Adams is a bit more on the radar compared to other players in this article. Power is his main tool. He was a monster at the plate at college with San Diego. In his first season as a pro he hit ..305/.374/.438. Adams could move swiftly through the Jays system if he continues to hit. If he can prove that he can stick behind the plate he has the upside to be an above average hitting catcher.
Jake Fishman was taken in the 30th round of the 2016 draft after dominating NCAA Division 3 baseball. He has impressed as a bullpen lefty since becoming pro. Through 45.2 innings across 3 levels he has produced a 2.76 ERA with a very tasty 6.5 k/bb ratio. If he continues to strike out a high number of batters while limiting the walks I would expect the Blue Jays to push him quickly through the system. His velocity sits around 88-92 from the left side. If he can hit 92 more consistently and maintain his quality control he would become a legitimate option to see big league innings.
Maximo Castillo is a long way from the majors, having just wrapped up his first stint at the rookie level Appalachian League. Castillo was he second youngest pitcher in the Appalachian League last season and handled himself very well. He struck out 26% of the hitters he faced and walked only 3.5%. He kept the ball on the ground 51% of the time. His 3.80 ERA ranked 6th among pitchers who made 10 or more starts and that number was supported by an even better 3.31 FIP and 3.04 xFIP. Hitting 93 MPH at the Under-15 World Cup as reported by Blue Jays From Away certainly suggests he has the stuff to back up his solid numbers. Castillo will be an interesting one to watch as he emerges from rookie level. If he continues to beat up on much older competition I would expect to see him on Blue Jays top prospect lists very soon.
