Future Blue Jays Newsletter

Some thoughts on 40 man rosters, an Orelvis update, and more….

Schneider on the 40?

There was considerable consternation on Twitter on Sunday afternoon (and Saturday, Friday, etc.) as the Blue Jays trailed the Twins and a sweep loomed large until Cavan Biggio - the subject of much of Blue Jays fans’ anguish - launched a 3-run bomb in the 8th inning to snatch a victory from the gaping jaws of defeat.

Up until that point, many fans were calling for a van load of players from the minors to arrive and take over spots on the MLB roster, including:

1. Optioning/Releasing/DFAing Biggio;

2. Optioning Santiago Espinal;

3. Promoting Davis Schneider;

4. Purchasing the contract of Adam Kloffenstein and putting him on the MLB roster.

Ok, that last one is so far-fetched that it barely deserves addressing, but suffice to say a guy doing OK at AA is not going to be added to the 40-man of a contending team anytime soon.

But the other three are worth addressing. Biggio’s value lies in his ability to play multiple positions, and his left-handed bat. He’s fallen far short of expectations as a pro, but he’s still an important roster piece in this day and age of shortened MLB benches. I really had thought Addison Barger would have pushed him this season, but a so-so spring training and elbow issues have forced him to the sidelines. Espinal certainly has tailed off from an All Star season of a year ago, but let’s face it - Santi is a role player, NOT an All Star. Like Biggio, his value lies in his ability to play a multiple of positions without being a defensive liability.

Which brings us to Schneider, who some feel is deserving of a big league shot. He’s in the Top 10 in International League slugging, and leads Buffalo in Home Runs. After belting a career-high 16 long balls at three levels last year, he seems poised to blow past that high water mark in a few weeks. Schneider primarily plays LF and 2B, so his versatility is somewhat lacking. If there’s one thing that the past few years have shown us, it’s that the gap between MLB and AAA is canyonesque. Add to that the fact that Schneider isn’t currently on the 40, and would necessitate a move in that regard, and you can understand why the front office is probably watching him closely, but given the choice between him and Espinal, it’s easy to see why the team is content to give the latter some more rope. Schneider is certainly an up-and-comer, and is possibly a player other teams are looking at.

And while Schneider’s power outburst has garnered attention, you could make a case that Rafael Lantigua - who is more versatile defensively - has been Buffalo’s best player on both side of the ball this season:

And this is how it typically goes when dealing with guys toward the bottom of the 40-man. There are many factors in play. Some guys are there because they’re not ready but were worth shielding from the Rule 5 (Orelvis Martinez and Leo Jimenez), while others are there as insurance. Teams consider these and many other factors before making a move.

The Ups and Downs of Zulu

 Yosver Zulueta has had his struggles with the strike zone over the past few weeks, hovering around 45-50% in any given outing. As a result, he’s been limited mostly to coming in at the start of the 6th inning. His slider, in particular, has given him difficulty; hitters seem to be laying off of it, likely because he’s had trouble landing it in or on the edges of the strike zone.

Fastball velocity is still sitting in the upper 90s, so there certainly isn’t a concern about that. A sample from an appearance the week before last underscores that:

Until he can throw his slider more consistently, Zulueta appears destined for more lower-leverage work.

Buffalo’s Bullpen

While we’re on the topic, Buffalo’s pen has similarly had their ups and downs to this point.

 Paul Fry, who’s arguably been the most consistent bullpen guy for the Bisons this season, went on the IL on June 1st.

 Hagen Danner is an interesting prospect. Placed on the 40 after the 2021 season, the converted catcher throws in the upper 90s, and pairs a good downward movement on that pitch with a sharp-breaking slider. He’s still working his way back after missing much of last season, and I suspect he would be more of a second-half of the season option.

Fisher Cats Trade Watch?

New Hampshire play-by-play man Steve Goldberg had suggested when we talked last week that some of the team’s roster could be trade chips as the deadline approaches, and it makes perfect sense.

A source I’ve touched base with confirms that there were a fair number of scouts in the stands at the Fisher Cats’ last home stand.

Guys who they’re probably looking at would include (in random order):

-Orelvis

-Leo Jimenez

-Adam Kloffenstein

-Sem Robberse

-Chad Dallas

-Rainer Nunez

-Trenton Wallace

-one or more of the high-octane bullpen guys:

(Burnette, of course, is now in Buffalo).

I’d also add some recent promotions like Connor Cooke, Mason Fluharty, and T.J. Brock. New Hampshire has a ton of guys who throw hard.

What’s interesting is that at least a half dozen of those names have come up from Vancouver in the last ten days (a bit ahead of schedule), perhaps to be showcased for other organizations. It’s all speculation, of course, but the indications seem to be pointing to the Blue Jays using some of that depth to fill some gaping holes in the MLB roster.

Orelvis on the Rise

His progress has been slow, but lots of things have been trending in the right direction for the prized slugging prospect of late. As Goldberg pointed out, he has been striking out less and putting the ball in play more as the organization tries to get him to use more of the field. He tripled his April walk total in May, and an AB this past weekend really seemed to put a lot of things that he’s been working on into play:

What I really liked was his response to that first pitch breaking ball - he laid off of it, and got ahead in the count. When Berroa - who was way off the bag - was picked off, Orelvis adjusted his approach, took what the pitcher gave him, and after fouling off a couple of pitches landed that Texas Leaguer to keep things going. That seemed to demoralize the opposing pitcher, who then threw five straight balls before grooving one to Robertson. In the past, Orelvis may have tried to pull that last pitch. He showed some maturity in putting the ball in play and keeping the inning going, which ultimately led to a Fischer Cats’ victory.

Injury Updates

Barger spent a few days with the FCL Jays, and was in Dunedin’s lineup last night as he works his way back into baseball shape.

RHP C.J. Van Eyk has been something of a forgotten man in the system after missing all of last year recovering from Tommy John. He’s spent the past few weeks rehabbing with Dunedin; Van Eyk was shut down for a few weeks, but tossed three scoreless innings in a start for the D-Jays last week.

RHP Joey Murray, once on the fast track to a possible big league job, has had his career severely derailed by injury. Murray, who was an Alt Site guy in 2020, has thrown all of 22 innings since then. He’s on a rehab assignment with the Complex Jays himself.

 Brandon Barriera began throwing from 90 ft on the weekend, and is expected to throw a bullpen at any time.

Links

It’s not Blue Jays-related, but any baseball fan will find Louisa Thomas’ profile of Daniel Bard’s incredible up-and-down career riveting.

Niall at Cs+ had a great profile on Dahian Santos, a big league bullpen guy in the making.

RHP Devereaux Harrison has been a pleasant surprise in Vancouver’s rotation, helping to fill the void left by the promotions of Wallace and Chad Dallas. He’s the NWL pitcher of the week after throwing six no-hit innings as part of a combined 7-inning no-no in the first game of Vancouver’s doubleheader on Sunday.

Jonathan Mayo of MLB Pipeline has the Blue Jays selecting TCU 3B Brayden Taylor with their 1st pick in his latest mock.

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