2018 Toronto Blue Jays Bold Predictions: Minor League Edition
Yesterday I published my bold predictions for the Toronto Blue Jays 2018 season. Today, I have some bold predictions for the minor leagues.
1: Ryan Noda mashes his way onto a Top 100 prospect list
Noda had a remarkable professional debut last season with a .364/.507/.575 slash line. I'm a big fan of power hitters who can draw a lot of walks. He is athletic enough to play the corner outfield, but will need his bat to carry him to the majors. If he can maintain the gaudy walk rate and provide above average power he could move rather quickly through the system and by the end of the year find himself on the back end of one of the major top 100 prospect lists.
2: Sean Reid-Foley pitches his way to the majors
2017 was a disappointing season for Reid-Foley. He struggled with command all year and finished with an ERA over 5. His xFIP was a more encouraging 4.20. The Blue Jays lack starting pitching depth in the upper minors, so there is definite opportunity to make the majors if he gets off to a strong start. If he struggles with command again, or fails to develop his changeup, he could still make the majors as a reliever with a power fastball and a couple of plus breaking balls.
3: Danny Jansen solidifies himself as the Blue Jays catcher-of-the-future
Injuries held Jansen back for most of his professional career and he was finally healthy in 2017. He always had good strikezone judgement, but in 2017 he combined that with an elite contact rate and the entire hitting package came together. He makes an absurd amount of contact and with a large amount of walks he should have no problem getting on base. He has just enough power to be one of the better offensive catching prospects in the game. His defensive skills need work, but it will be his bat that really stands out. In 2018 he will continue to hit and show that he has the upside to take over when Martin leaves.
4: Angel Perdomo is converted to relief and fast tracked through the minors
Perdomo has moved slowly through the Jays system as a starter, but I predict he will be moved into a relief role and thrive there. He has had excellent strikeout numbers in the low minors, but struggles with walks. He has yet to develop reliable secondary pitches and is likely better suited as a reliever where his fastball can play up and he can focus on refining his slider. He's a giant lefty so if he can develop a power fastball/slider combo he should have no problem moving up the ladder. The Blue Jays are a little short of left handed reliever depth, so Perdomo has an opportunity to work his way into the big league conversation as a reliever.
5: TJ Zeuch becomes a consensus top 100 prospect
Zeuch dealt with injuries for much of last season, but when he was on the mound he showed some skills that point to a bright future. He had a 61.5 groundball percentage in high-A last year, which would have placed him 3rd among major league starters. Along with keeping the ball on the ground, Zeuch does a nice job of limiting walks. Being stingy with free passes and home runs is an excellent way to reach the majors as a back-end starter at the very least. His upside will be determined by the development of his breaking pitches. If he can develop a plus breaking ball he will generate more strikeouts and project as a middle-of-the-rotation pitcher, or better. Marcus Stroman has shown us what a pitcher with great groundball and walk rates can do without big strikeout numbers. Zeuch will hopefully spend the year in AA and could even reach AAA or even a few spot starts the majors if everything goes right. As long as he's healthy I see him being a consensus top 100 prospect this time next year.
