Joe Sclafani Part 3

I finally have some time to wrap up - before the trick-or-treaters arrive on a wave of glucose - my conversation with Joe from earlier this month.

We had talked about the main guys in the system, so I asked Joe about some of his favourite under-the-radar guys, players who maybe are just on the cusp of breakouts in 2023. This is more or less the order in which he brought guys up….

Tucker Toman

“A player we’re really high on,” said Sclafani of the 2nd round comp selection, a guy the Jays went well over double slot value to sign. “He’s excited about being a Blue Jay, and just a great guy to have around.” Toman put together a tidy slash of .289/.391/.759 in 11 FCL games after being selected 77th overall.

Dahian Santos

Owner of perhaps the best slider in the system, Scalafani says of the right hand pitcher, “we’re truly excited about him - he has a good heartbeat,” but at the same time, “we’d like him to get a bit stronger.”

Rainer Nunez

The Florida State League batting champ - despite spending the last month of the year at High A - is described by Sclafani as “less heralded, but he had a fantastic year.”

Damiano Palmegiani

“Not many expected much from him, but it’s a credit to who he is,” Sclafani said of B.C.-raised Palmegiani, who slugged 24 round trippers at two levels.

Davis Schneider

“What more can you say?” Sclafani asked rhetorically of the multi-position Davis, who began the year in Vancouver and finished at Buffalo.

Dasan Brown

The last month of the season saw the Oakville native begin to fulfill some of the feats his enormous talent prophesizes. “What a finish,” Sclafani said of the toolsy centric fielder, who hit .298/.411/.803 over the final two months of the season with Vancouver. “This year, he really bought in to our program, all the while playing a plus CF and stealing some bases,” Joe added.

Cade Doughty

Taken one pick after Toman, Doughty was part of the airlift of college draftees that led High A Dunedin to the Florida State League championship series. “He’s a plus 3rd Baseman, in addition to that bat,” Sclafani observed.

Jimmy Robbins

One of my personal favourite stories of the season was the return of the lefty from Rollins (Robbins from Rollins - not the other way around, I have to continually remind myself) from Tommy John surgery. He was one of Sclafani’s too: “we really saw something from him in the Florida Development League, and knew he was going to break out.”

Michael Dominguez

The 15th rounder from 2019 really put things together this year, fanning 104 hitters over 80 IP at two levels. “He really broke through this year,” said Sclafani. “He really learned how to be a professional this year and we really saw some great maturity from them.”

Hayden Juenger

“He’s a bulldog…… he held his stuff through multiple innings this year, and we really see him as an option for the big club going into the next season.”

Brandon Eisert

As far back as spring training, former manager Charlie Montoyo tabbed Eisert as a “just in case option,” after the southpaw with the short arm stroke retired the side in order in the ninth to gain the Blue Jays their first Grapefruit League win.

Eisert did everything the AAA Buffalo Bisons asked of him this year, pitching in a multiple of roles, including opening five games. “We just love him,” said Sclafani. “He’s unassuming, just goes out, does his job, and gets guys out. He pitched really well (77 K in 60 IP) for Buffalo.”

Adrián Hernandez

The right handed reliever with the devilish change up rocketed through the system last year, and seemed at least in the mix for a big league shot this summer before landing on the IL for six weeks: “We’d still like to see him add a tick or two of velo, but he’s definitely a potential option.”

T.J. Brock

His numbers may not have reflected it, but the sixth round pick from last June is an arm the organization is very high on. Sclafani said, “his stuff is unreal. He has a big-time arm, and he touched 99 to 100 this fall. His slider is real – it’s already one of the best ones in the organization.“