Batter's Box Interactive Magazine

Extra-inning heartbreak at two levels as a couple high-end prospects stay hot.

Buffalo Bisons

John Stilson walked home the winning run in extras which surely is going to blunt his hopes of featuring anytime soon in a Major League bullpen. Danny Barnes, on the hand, was dominant in relief—striking out five in two and two-thirds innings of work. It’s a shame that Rowdy Tellez doesn’t play a different position because he might be the ideal guy to call up and spark our offence. Someone to occupy the media for a couple days and potentially bop a few long ones? He had two hits and walk, by the way.

New Hampshire Fisher Cats

Conner Greene is still struggling with the walk, but at least he’s striking people out. He now has eleven in nine and a third of work after tallying seven tonight. Gunnar Heidt has had a nice start to the season. He homered for the second straight game. Anthony Alford is coming back down to earth a bit. He was hitless tonight, but still managed a walk and a stolen base. Alford’s start is encouraging. You find with some of the uber-tooled prospects that they don’t quite realize that they can impact the game with one of their other tools if the bat isn’t working.

Dunedin Blue Jays

Dunedin had a long day. They played twice—going one-and-one—dropping an eleven-inning affair. Connor Panas had a hit and is now hitting at .300+ clip. Many of you will know of Panas’s dad either through the High Park Little League program or through his umpiring at all levels in the GTA area. I have a great deal of respect and appreciation for Panas Sr. for his commitment to the sport in the area. Oddly enough, Panas got me thrown out of a rather contentious high school baseball game where he was coaching the opposing team. Alas I was foolishly wearing an earring during the game, which Panas keenly brought to the attention of the unaware umpire (I guess I got myself thrown out). I’m not sure whether Panas Jr. will get much further than High-A ball, but it would be great for baseball in the GTA area to see that last name and such a staple in the scene up with the Big Club, at least for a cup of coffee.

Lansing Lugnuts

Bo Bichette had two hits and two walks. My word, if you haven’t seen his homer last week, go out and do it and come back and tell us how amazing it is. Nineteen year-old prospects insiding out fastballs to right-center is no joke. That’s a pretty exciting left-side.

Three Stars

3. Patrick Murphy

2. Jarrett Grube

1. Gunnar Heidt

Box Scores

Posted by sam on Friday, April 14 2017 @ 04:48 AM EDT.

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The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.

dan gordon - Friday, April 14 2017 @ 07:53 PM EDT (#340675) #

I see Bradley Jones is playing 2B today for Lansing. Third game he's been there. Last year he was 2/3 1B and 1/3 3B, but if he can handle 2B, he becomes a very interesting guy, because he sure looks like a hitter so far, from the early results. I'm beginning to think Bichette is one of those guys who can just flat out hit, and he might move up the ladder quickly.

John Northey - Friday, April 14 2017 @ 08:10 PM EDT (#340676) #

Right now it looks like the Jays short season players could outhit the major league team. Still, it is nice to see kids doing well in extremely small sample sizes.

20+ PA only

CA: Danny Janssen: 22 high A, 375/385/375 - rest with 20+ PA are sub 600 OPS with a couple over 1000 with 7-15 PA who are old for their level.

1B: Rowdy Tellez: 22 AAA, 273/333/545 just 24 PA but nice.

2B: Bradley Jones: 22 Low A, 357/406/536

3B: Gunnar Heidt: 24 AA, 375/400/792
Note: Vlad Guerrero: 18 Low A 320/469/600

SS: Bo Bichette: 19 Low A, 417/517/667 sweet

LF: Jake Thomas: 23 Low A, 385/579/615;
CF: Anthony Alford: 22 AA, 500/600/500
RF: Derrick Loveless: 24 High A, 267/463/400

Note: John Diaz has 5 BB allowing him to get over 900 for OPS despite a 125 average. Gotta love early season stats.

What I love is seeing top prospects performing like it in Tellez, Vlad, Bichette, and Alford. If those 4 can make it the Jays will be in good shape for 2020 and beyond. I'm guessing Vlad stays at 3B until/unless Donaldson signs a long term deal. Tellez we will see at some point this season (at the pace he and the Jays are going sooner rather than later) and the same with Alford.

jerjapan - Saturday, April 15 2017 @ 12:09 PM EDT (#340704) #

Happy birthday to Danny Jansen, off to a great start with the bat with 3 more hits yesterday. Minimal power, but if he continues to get on base, he could be a starter. That glove makes it seem likely that he could at least be a backup, but at 22, coming off an injury-riddled season, this could be a breakout year for the guy.

The org is suddenly pretty deep behind the plate - Graterol, Maile and Ohlman (who seems to be just a hitter in the org's eyes) in AAA, McGuire and Raffy Lopez in AA, and Alex Monsalve MIA. No harm in dropping one of these guys though if a prospect needs a push. McGuire homered yesterday and will hopefully end up in AAA by the second part of the season.

Any word on a timetable for Pentacost catching?

ramone - Saturday, April 15 2017 @ 07:01 PM EDT (#340738) #

Watching the Fisher Cats game, Alford had a nice opposite field double on an 0-2 count, Jon Harris does not look good in the two games I've watched. Hitting about 91 MPH and gave up two HR's so far and it's the 3rd inning.

PeterG - Saturday, April 15 2017 @ 08:06 PM EDT (#340739) #

Some thought the Harris promotion to be aggressive but he has settled down and still pitching in the 6th I think.

Good news on another front. Zeuch pitched 4 scoreless innings with 7 K's for Dunedin

ramone - Saturday, April 15 2017 @ 08:57 PM EDT (#340740) #

Alford just hit a HR to the opposite field as well, guy has me so excited, every at bat he works the count, looks better on the base paths this year with another stolen base tonight.

uglyone - Sunday, April 16 2017 @ 02:15 AM EDT (#340742) #

i thought the gibber was crazy to praise alford after he struck out all spring training long....but i guess the gibber has a good eye.

Gerry - Sunday, April 16 2017 @ 10:07 AM EDT (#340748) #

Max Pentecost was reassigned to extended a week ago. He is catching again there and should be catching in Dunedin within a week or so.

Mike Green - Sunday, April 16 2017 @ 10:36 AM EDT (#340749) #

That's interesting, Gerry. I am not sure that it's the right move for Pentecost, but it's really a medical question. It seemed to me that he could hit enough and had enough other tools to be a LF/1B- and the chance of him being able to remain as a catcher now given his injury history is pretty low.

bpoz - Sunday, April 16 2017 @ 11:02 AM EDT (#340756) #

I agree with Mike Green. Pentecost's injury history is a concern. But if he is the backup catcher to D Jansen then he can hopefully catch a little and stay healthy. Also he could play LF, 1B and DH to get ABs.

stevieboy22 - Sunday, April 16 2017 @ 11:42 AM EDT (#340757) #

For moving Pentecost back to catcher. If he is physically capable, at this point it sounds like a reasonable move. What are the chances he is going to hit enough to be a major league DH? or even enough to be a corner guy? I would suggest moving him back to catcher makes him interesting again...

greenfrog - Sunday, April 16 2017 @ 01:07 PM EDT (#340760) #

With Pentecost, it may be that the Jays prefer "low chance (because of health issues) of becoming an average to above-average catcher" to "moderate chance of becoming an average first baseman or left-fielder."

finch - Sunday, April 16 2017 @ 01:09 PM EDT (#340761) #

Agreed. I don't think he'll be able to sustain a full-time catching role but a catcher that is able to catch 4 days a week plus DH or play 1B or LF once or twice a week, is a very valuable asset.

Waveburner - Sunday, April 16 2017 @ 03:12 PM EDT (#340765) #

If Pentecost can't catch he's not really a prospect. When he was drafted the biggest appeal was his athleticism as a defensive catcher. As a 1B/LF he would not have much value due to his lack of both power and patience. At best you'd be looking a 1 win platoon type guy. Even if the odds of him remaining healthy as a catcher are low (And I don't believe anyone here has evidence that this is true), it's still the smartest move for the team. And my guess is Pentecost himself wants to give it a chance. I hope he can stay healthy, it would be great for the Jays to actually receive a good player from a 1st round pick again.

jerjapan - Monday, April 17 2017 @ 01:04 PM EDT (#340803) #

I don't know if the Jays 1st rounders have been poor - it's just that we traded Hoffman and Pentacost got hurt. Stro has been a beast and Davis a bust, Zeuch could be a good one (4 IPs, 3 baserunners, 7 Ks on Saturday), Harris looks average, although if you include the comp picks, we hit gold in 2010 with Thor and Sanchez, but since then you get names like Jacob Anderson, Dwight Smith, Matt Smoral and Mitch Nay.

Maybe I just talked myself out of my opinion ....

It would also be nice if Dwight Smith took a step forward, still only 24 in AAA, but that career slash line of .268/.341/.403 for a LF doesn't leave much to hope for.

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