In addition to the Blue Jays content, there are a few other prospects to keep an eye on with the Rafters. Anthony Rendon and Brian Goodwin of the Nationals are legitimate top prospects, as are Matt Davidson of the Diamondbacks and Trayce Thompson of the White Sox. However, as this is a Blue Jays website, the focus will rightfully be on Toronto’s contributions. Below is a breakdown of the seven players Toronto has chosen to send, as well as some expectations of the role they make play and the success they may or may not have.

RHP Deck McGuire (Double-A)

5-15, 144.0 IP, 162 H, 94 ER, 62 BB, 97 K, 5.88 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 6.06 K/9

Deck McGuire was Toronto’s 1st round pick in the 2010 draft (RENE JOHNSTON/TORONTO STAR)

Deck McGuire is both the least and most surprising amongst the Blue Jays contributions to the Arizona Fall League. On one hand, he had, from beginning to end, arguably the worst season of any pitcher in the minor league system this year. With that in mind, sending him to get some extra work in seems like a good opportunity to enter the offseason in a positive frame of mind. On the other hand, the Arizona Fall League is probably the least pitcher friendly environment in all of North American baseball. Not only is it played at high altitude in the southwestern US, but teams often send top hitting prospects on the cusp of a major league promotion there as a final dress rehearsal. Ergo, while sending McGuire to get extra work may seem like a good idea, the possibility of him getting absolutely shelled and taking a step backwards confidence-wise is very real. His flyball-heavy tendencies thus far in his minor league career don’t help my concerns either.

RHP John Stilson (High-A, Double-A)

5-4, 104.1 IP, 110 H, 45 ER, 8 HR, 42 BB, 91 K, 3.88 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 7.85 K/9

Admittedly, seeing John Stilson assigned to the Salt River Rafters was a bit of a shock for me. He is coming off a fairly heavy workload in his first professional season, particularly considering the question marks surrounding a shoulder injury at the end of his college career. What this assignment tells me is that the Blue Jays plan to move forward with the relief role for Stilly, which, as I’ve voiced a number of times, I feel is the right course of action. In terms of both quality of stuff and career longevity, the bullpen is the logical choice. We won’t know for sure until games get underway and box scores start to pile up, but the team may be preparing him for a mid-2013 debut as a late inning fireman.

RHP Sam Dyson (High-A, Double-A)

4-2, 74.0 IP, 73 H, 25 ER, 3 HR, 20 BB, 38 K, 3.04 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 4.62 K/9

The Sam Dyson selection makes a whole lot of sense. He has a splash of major league experience (2 games), and very likely will be counted on to contribute at some point during the 2013 season. Those 74 innings were also the first of his career thanks to some injury difficulties in previous years, so any added work would have to be looked upon as a bonus for the 24 year old. Additionally, Dyson is not the type of arm you worry about in the Arizona Fall League for two reasons. First, his ceiling is, at best, a 7th or 8th inning reliever, and more likely the former. While you always care about the confidence level of a prospect, you’re more willing to take risks with the bullpen guy than the future top of the rotation starter. The second reason is his groundball tendencies, as he had a 3.09 GO/AO ratio between Dunedin and New Hampshire last season. Heavy sinkers are the best way to combat the thin air environment.

RHP Ryan Tepera (High-A, Double-A)

8-6, 95.1 IP, 109 H, 58 ER, 7 HR, 49 BB, 71 K, 5.48 ERA, 1.66 WHIP, 6.70 K/9

With the Blue Jays required to send four pitchers to the Fall League, chances were high at least one of them was going to be an org guy. Ryan Tepera falls into that category this year. It’s nothing new, as last season the Blue Jays sent Wes Etheridge as their fourth pitcher, and in 2010, it was Matt Daly. Tepera was a 19th round pick by the Blue Jays back in 2009, and in his four years the highest level he has reached was Double-A here in 2012. The results have been subpar, and now 25, a major league future is beyond doubtful. Tepera’s role in the organization is to collect innings where needed and protect the valuable young arms from excessive workloads. He could be in a similar position with the Rafters as well.

CF Jake Marisnick (High-A, Double-A)

489 AB, .249/.321/.399 (.719 OPS), 29 2B, 10 3B, 8 HR, 50 RBI, 24 SB, 37/100 BB/K

Jake Marisnick is the only true elite talent the Blue Jays have chosen to send to Arizona this fall, and he likely has redemption on his mind after a subpar second half performance. After a promotion to Double-A, Marisnick’s numbers fell across the board. His contact rate sunk; as did his walk rate and power. The only positive from his second half numbers was a spike in stolen base numbers, but his bat skills are far more important to me than his athleticism at this point in his development. As I’ve mentioned, high elevation and low quality pitchers make the Arizona Fall League an ideal environment for hitters, and with Marisnick’s inherent talent, the 21 year old should be poised for a smashing performance. Anything less could be considered a serious disappointment.

SS Ryan Goins (Double-A)

546 AB, .289/.342/.403 (.745 OPS), 33 2B, 4 3B, 7 HR, 61 RBI, 15 SB, 47/78 BB/K

With nine infielders on the roster, Ryan Goins is unlikely to see a ton of playing time. I expect Chris Owings will be the primary starter at shortstop for the Rafters, but Goins’ defensive versatility should allow him to squeak in some games at second base as well. The 24 year old doesn’t have the flashy tools, but he has a sound approach at the plate and can hold his own in the field. He’s not going to be a star and is unlikely to even be a steady regular, but Goins is the type of guy who would fit in extremely well as the 25th man on the roster for somebody. These at-bats could prove valuable, as with four years of minor league service under his belt as a former college draft pick, Ryan Goins should be Rule 5 eligible this winter.

OF Kevin Pillar (Single-A, High-A)

499 AB, .323/.374/.439 (.813 OPS), 28 2B, 6 3B, 6 HR, 91 RBI, 51 SB, 40/70 BB/K

Kevin Pillar is the only player on the list who didn’t play in Double-A this season, but at 23 years old, he’s in a similar age bracket to most. He got off to a great start with Lansing, hitting .322 with an .841 OPS in 86 games. That earned him a promotion to Dunedin, and while he hit .323 there, the secondary numbers dropped off dramatically. Pillar’s walk rate dropped from 9.3% to 2.8%, and his isolated power dropped 37 points as well. All told, his OPS slipped to .754 in 42 games. While the Arizona Fall League is thin on pitching prospects, there are plenty of crafty minor league veterans who could take advantage of Pillar’s underdeveloped game. As such, he’s been classified as a “taxi squad” roster player, meaning he can only be active on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The Blue Jays appear to be setting Pillar up for more of a learning experience than a test.

I wouldn’t classify the list as underwhelming, but it’s missing a certain catcher whom I had both hoped and expected to see assigned. Travis d’Arnaud tore up his knee in late June, and at the time it was suggested he was looking at roughly an eight week recovery. That would have placed him at a late August or early September return, which isn’t particularly ideal for a prospect. The Triple-A season would be coming to a close, and it would be cruel to expect d’Arnaud to make his major league debut coming off a knee injury with no rehab assignment.

I can’t remember if it was ever said by General Manager Alex Anthopolous, but at the time it was widely speculated that d’Arnaud would finish his season in the Arizona Fall League, allowing him to recover some lost at-bats and better prepare himself for a possible starting assignment next spring. The fact he was held off the roster suggests two possible scenarios, neither of which makes me feel particularly good.

The first is that the knee injury has taken longer to recover from than initially expected. That would be extremely bad, as catchers are required to squat for brutally long periods of time every day, which is hard on the knees to say the least. It would also be yet another knock against d’Arnaud in the injury prone department, as in just the last few years he’s dealt with recurring back issues as well as a torn thumb ligament. Some level of durability is expected of catchers, and if this knee problem is lingering, one would have to seriously question d’Arnaud’s long term future behind the plate.

The second scenario is less worrisome but just as frustrating. By holding a healthy d’Arnaud out of the Arizona Fall League, the team would be all but handing the starting catcher job to J.P. Arencibia. While once could argue that d’Arnaud has done nothing at the major league level and shouldn’t simply be handed the starting job, one could also point out that Arencibia has a .272 on-base percentage in 229 career games. I was hoping to see a fair competition in spring training for the starting job, but if this is the accurate scenario, we appear headed for another Travis Snider / Eric Thames situation: a “competition” that is decided before it even starts.

1. RHP Asher Wojciechowski (DUN): 1-0, 7 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K

Asher Wojciechowski won his 5th straight decision on Wednesday night in Jupiter (Jim Goins, via MiLB.com)

I called out Wojcechowski on the hot sheet over a month ago, going as far as to suggest he needs to be converted to relief sooner rather than later. While I obviously had no impact, he’s coincidentally responded with the best stretch of his young career. Over his last six starts he’s allowed 1, 2, 0, 0, 2, and 0 earned runs respectively, good for a 1.23 ERA. The current period of success has been accentuated by the gem he pitched on July 11th, as 16 of his 21 outs came by way of strikeout or groundout. There’s been a lot of talk around the Blue Jays fan base that some of the Lansing pitchers, namely Aaron Sanchez and Noah Syndergaard, need to be challenged at the next level. If the team determines that to be true, Wojciechowski could be one of the guys moving up to make room in the rotation. As a 23 year old former college arm, the team needs to see what he’s capable of.

2. CF Anthony Gose (LAS): 14 AB, .357/.500/.714 (1.214 OPS), 0 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 0 SB, 4/4 BB/K

After wowing the world with his a jawdropping catch in the Futures Game over All-Star weekend, Gose picked up where he left off with the 51s. The break limited him to only four games, so while the 1.214 OPS is mighty impressive, the counting stats were simply too lacking to take the crown as this week’s hottest player. The home run numbers have surprisingly dropped off, but with 10 triples on the season, he’s already surpassed his 2011 total. The doubles aren’t far behind, as he’s two back of his 2011 number with nearly two months left to play. The most surprising decline in performance has been on the base paths, as after stealing 70 bases last year (reaching the 70+ plateau for the second time in three years), Gose has stolen just 29 this year, only on pace for a total in the low 40’s. Not listed above are his three caught stealing this week – again, in only four games – which makes five consecutive caught stealing since he last found success on June 25th. Opportunity hasn’t been the issue, as his on base percentage is 27 points higher than last season. Very puzzling.

3. CF Dwight Smith Jr. (BLU): 17 AB, .353/.389/.647 (1.036 OPS), 2 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 0 SB, 1/1 BB/K

Making his first appearance on a hot sheet this season is Dwight Smith Jr., a supplemental first round pick from the 2011 draft. He was literally my final cut when I wrote my top 30 prospects last winter, and it was really no fault of his. Smith’s professional contract wasn’t finalized until August 15th, too late for him to play in any affiliated games last season. When I’m trying to squeeze two or three players into the back end of the rankings, I tend to favor prospects with some professional experience, so in this case, Moises Sierra got the nod. Smith missed the first few games of Bluefield’s season with an injury, but has played really well since getting on the field. His hot streak goes beyond the four games within this timeframe, as over his past 10 he’s hitting .293/.383/.463, which is exceptional for short season ball.

4. RHP Jeremy Gabryszwski (BLU): 0-0, 5 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K

The very talented Bluefield staff is working through some issues right now, as in addition to poor weather reaping havoc on their pitching schedule, they haven’t been nearly as sharp in the early going. Despite being listed as active, neither Joe Musgrove nor Tom Robson have pitched in a couple of weeks. Picking up the slack has been Gabryszwski, as he’s produced three consecutive quality outings for the team. His July 14th start was both his longest and his best, as he went five innings without allowing any runs to score. Gabryszwski is one of the less heralded arms from the bountiful 2011 draft, but has a nice fastball/slider/changeup repertoire. His biggest issues have been inconsistency with his stuff and an elbow problem, but a healthy, productive 2012 season could quell some of those concerns. With a 1.89 ERA through 19 innings, he’s off to a good start.

5. LHP Justin Nicolino (LAN): 1-0, 6 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 5 K

It’s been a while since Nicolino made the hot sheet, as while Noah Syndergaard and Aaron Sanchez have made huge strides since being fully stretched out, he has stalled. As hitters are seeing him for a second and third time, they’re picking up on his stuff, resulting in 26 hits allowed in 20 post-All Star break innings. The stuff has still been there, with 23 strikesouts, as has his exceptional command, with only 3 walks allowed. This may be exactly what Nicolino needed to further his development, as he’s going to need to improve his physicality in order to succeed against more advanced and disciplined hitters in the upper minors. This taste of adversity should serve as a resounding message to Nicolino that he will need to hit the gym hard this offseason and add a solid 10-20 pounds of muscle to frame. There’s no doubting his changeup and the curveball is coming along nicely, but the added strength could boost his fastball up by a grade and better keep hitters honest.

6. RHP Deck McGuire (NH): 0-0, 6.1 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 7 K

No, you don’t need to check your vision. Deck McGuire has made a hot sheet. In actuality, McGuire hasn’t been that bad as of late, as he hasn’t allowed more than 3 earned runs in a start since June 7th. The problem is, most of those starts have been 5 or 6 innings allowing 2 or 3 earned runs, so the ERA isn’t dropped quite as quickly as I’m sure he’d like. The command has been solid and the strikeout rate has been okay, his biggest issue – like it was last year – has been the home run. With two more given up in this week’s start, he’s up to 16 in just 97.2 innings. That’s tied for the most in the Eastern League. As I mentioned, there have been some positives, as over his past two starts (dating back to last week), he has 17 strikeouts against one walk in just over 12 innings.

 Wins/Losses: 10-15 | Streak: W4 | 3rd in PCL Pacific South division (9.0 GB)

Las Vegas 51s 8, Reno Aces 7 (WP: Korecky, 1-0 | S: Igarashi, 1)

After taking the lead with five runs in the fourth only to find themselves tied after five innings, the 51s benefited from great relief pitching and the go-ahead run in the seventh frame to top the Aces 8-7 on Monday night in the opener of a four-game series.

Hitting:

Leading the 51s’ offense was Adeiny Hechavarria who, while leading off, went 2-for-4 with a walk and a two-out grand slam in the fourth inning. His four RBI were a season-high, and the home run was his 11th extra-base hit of the season, bringing his triple-slash line up to .311/.357/.443. Yan Gomes, getting a start at first base, flexed his muscle once again with a 3-for-5 night that included his 10th double and second home run of the season. Travis d’Arnaud also went 3-for-5 and Anthony Gose, hitting second, went 2-for-5 and stole his eighth base of the year.

Pitching:

51s starter Tim Redding tied a season-high with seven earned runs on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings of work. He struck out two while walking a pair, and gave up a solo home run in the fifth. While Redding’s outing was his longest of the season, I’m not exactly sure why Toronto is continuing to give him innings, as opposing hitters are hitting .431 off of him (not a typo) in five starts and he has a 12.56 ERA on the season so far.

The 51s’ bullpen picked up their starter, however, as Bobby Korecky got the win after coming on in relief of Redding to throw 1 2/3 scoreless innings without allowing a hit. Jerry Gil tossed a scoreless seventh and Robert Coello struck out the side around a base hit in a scoreless eighth.

Ryota Igarashi notched his first save of the season after striking out a pair in a scoreless ninth inning, and if the Blue Jays are thinking about making him Las Vegas’ closer, I like the idea. Igarashi, acquired by the Jays for cash at the very end of spring training, has 15 strikeouts in 11 1/3 innings and has limited opposing hitters to a .154 average (six hits). He also has not surrendered a home run and currently has a 1.59 ERA this season in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.

Wins/Losses: 10-13 | Streak: L1 | 5th in EAS Eastern division (6.0 GB)

Reading Phillies 3, New Hampshire Fisher Cats 2 (LP: McGuire, 1-4)

Despite out-hitting the Phillies, the Fisher Cats gave up three unanswered runs to blow a 2-0 lead and ultimately fall 3-2 to Reading on Monday night.

Hitting:

Offensively, Jonathan Diaz, John Tolisano and Brian Van Kirk all had multi-hit games, with Diaz and Ryan Goins supplying the club’s lone RBIs. Center fielder Brad McElroy reached base twice with a single and a walk, and went 1-for-2 in stolen base attempts. Overall, it appears as though the Fisher Cats were outmatched, as they failed to record an extra-base hit and could barely muster any kind of rally.

Pitching:

Going up against Trevor May, the Phillies’ No. 1 prospect, Fisher Cats starter Deck McGuire dueled with him until the sixth, when four Reading hits led to a two-run frame that tied the game. Then in the seventh, a wild pitch from McGuire allowed a runner to advance to second before a two-out single cashed in what eventually became the game-winning run. McGuire was handed the hard-luck loss, having allowed three earned runs on eight hits in a quality start, but only recorded two strikeouts. In five starts this year, the 2010 first round pick has a 7.18 ERA and opposing batters are hitting .330 off of him.

Danny Farquhar and Aaron Loup did not allow a hit in a combined 2 1/3 scoreless innings in relief.

Wins/Losses: 18-6 | Streak: L1 | 1st in FSL North division (0.0 GB)

Tampa Yankees 6, Dunedin Blue Jays 4 – F/10 (LP: Griffith, 3-1)

After giving up the tying run in the sixth inning, the D-Jays were stunned in extras and lost 6-4 to the Tampa Yankees on Monday night.

Hitting:

Dunedin was outhit 15-7 in this contest, and 27-year-old outfielder Kenen Bailli was the only player to get more than one. Leadoff hitter Jake Marisnick hit his third triple of the season, Sean Ochinko cashed in a pair and hit his seventh double of the season and Gabe Jacobo went 1-for-3 with a single and an intentional walk.

Defensively, Marisnick doubled up a runner at third base in the seventh for an outfield assist, while Canadian outfielder Marcus Knecht also notched an assist with a throw to second base in the 10th.

Pitching:

Dunedin starter Sam Dyson allowed three earned runs on seven hits in five relatively strong innings, with two walks and one strikeout. Reliever Dayton Marze was handed the blown save after giving up the game-tying run in his first of two innings of work, while Dustin Antolin and Boomer Potts each threw a scoreless frame. Shawn Griffith was handed his first loss of the season after giving up the game-winning runs in the top of the 10th inning on three hits.

Wins/Losses: 18-6 | Streak: W1 | 1st in MID Eastern division (0.0 GB)

*Cancelled* — Lansing Lugnuts vs. Clinton LumberKings

Via a press release on the Lugnuts’ official website:

“The Lansing Lugnuts (18-6) and Clinton LumberKings’ (10-14) scheduled Monday night series finale has been canceled due to field conditions and rain. It will not be made up. … The Lugnuts enjoy an off-day on Tuesday, May 1st, before traveling to Great Lakes to take on the Loons in a three-game set at Dow Diamond.”

-JM

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Notes include seven home runs against the Fisher Cats in New Hampshire, a hard-luck, extra-innings loss for a Dunedin Jays roster that gets more exciting every day, and lots of speed on the base paths that led to some timely runs for Lansing.

 Wins/Losses: 1-3 | Streak: L2 | T-3rd in PCL Pacific South division (2.0 GB)

April 7 – Sacramento River Cats 10, Las Vegas 51s 8 (LP: Murphy, 0-1)

After taking the lead in the sixth only to give up the tying run in the eighth, the 51s put together a two-out rally to walk off with a 4-3 win over Sacramento in extra innings on Friday night

Hitting:

Moises Sierra put together a nice game, cranking his first home run of the season, a two-out, solo shot in the sixth. In addition to his homer and RBI, Sierra finished the night 2-for-3 with three runs scored, a double and walk. Third baseman Yan Gomes — yes you read that right — went 2-for-4 with three RBI, while Danny Perales and Ricardo Nanita each added a double.

Pitching:

The star-studded rotation in Las Vegas continued to show itself on Saturday (note: sarcasm), as left-hander Bill Murphy, who previously played for the Jays and the 51s in 2009, gave up five runs (four earned) on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings, walking a pair and striking out three. It didn’t help that he was up against Brad Peacock, one of the pitchers Oakland acquired in the Gio Gonzalez trade and the No. 36 prospect in baseball according to Baseball America, either. Another former 51, Merkin Valdez, earned the save for the River Cats.

Clint Everts had his own troubles coming on in relief, as he surrendered three earned runs on a whopping seven hits in just 1 1/3 innings of work, while Bobby Korecky gave up a pair of earned runs on two hits in two innings of work as well. Jerry Gil tossed a scoreless eighth around a walk and a base hit, while Robert Coello struck out the side in a perfect ninth.

April 8 – Sacramento River Cats 10, Las Vegas 51s 3 (LP: Redding, 0-1)

As the only Jays affiliate in action on Easter Sunday, Las Vegas pitchers gave up 10 runs for the second consecutive night as they fell to 1-3 on the season with a 10-3 loss to Sacramento at Cashman Field.

Hitting

Las Vegas DH Ricardo Nanita supplied the bulk of the offense, going 2-for-3 with two RBI, a run scored and one walk, while Ruben Gotay, another name I wasn’t expecting to see in the Jays organization, went 2-for-4 hitting ninth. Batting cleanup, Moises Sierra went 0-for-2 and committed his second fielding error of the season, but also drew two walks, while left fielder Danny Perales hit a double, the 51s’ only extra-base hit of the game.

Leadoff hitter Anthony Gose went 1-for-4 with a walk, but was caught stealing for the second time this season in the first inning as he continues to search for his first Triple-A stolen base.

Pitching:

To be completely honest, I had no idea that 51s starter Tim Redding was even on the roster, let alone part of the Blue Jays organization at all. After splitting the 2011 season playing for the Phillies’ and Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliates, Redding, 34, was shelled for eight runs (seven earned) on 10 hits with one walk and one home run in 3 and 2/3 innings to take the loss.

Ryota Igarashi tossed another 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief with three strikeouts to keep his ERA at zero, while Jim Hoey did not allow a hit in 1 2/3 innings of work but did walk three and toss a wild pitch, eventually being charged with two earned runs. Chad Beck, another lone bright spot of the 51s’ pitching staff, tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings around two hits and a walk.

Wins/Losses: 2-1 | Streak: L1 | 2nd in EAS Eastern division (1.5 GB)

April 8 – OFF DAY

April 7 – Trenton Thunder 11, New Hampshire Fisher Cats 2 (LP: McGuire, 0-1)

It’s hard to win a ball game when your offense gives you just four singles, but it’s even harder when your opponents hit seven home runs and your starter gives up eight earned runs . All of those things happened to the Fisher Cats on Saturday, as they were handed their first loss of the season to Trenton 11-2 in a game they’d like to forget.

Hitting

Kevin Howard, Brad Glenn, Mike McDade and Koby Clemens were the lucky ducks to each hit a single on an otherwise terrible day for New Hampshire’s hitters. Glenn also drew a pair of walks and stole his first base of the season, while Jonathan Diaz stole his third bag of the year as well.

Pitching:

In what 2010 first round pick Deck McGuire called the worst outing of his career, the Virginia native was shelled for eight earned runs on 11 hits in five innings with two walks and six strikeouts. He was also hit hard, as eight of those 11 hits were for extra bases, including a staggering five solo home runs, three of which were hit back-to-back-to-back to open the bottom half of the third inning.

Reliever but apparent starting rotation member Ryan Tepera tossed two innings of relief, surrendering three earned runs on four hits including, wait for it, two home runs. Fernando Hernandez mopped up the leftovers with a scoreless eighth.

Wins/Losses: 2-1 | Streak: L1 | T-2nd in FSL North division (1.0 GB)

April 8 – OFF DAY

April 7 – Clearwater Threshers 8, Dunedin Blue Jays 7 (F/11) (LP: Gracey, 0-1)

Trailing 7-5 after seven innings, a game-tying, two-run rally in the eighth to force extra innings wasn’t enough, as they were narrowly handed their first loss of the season by the Threshers 8-7 on Saturday.

Hitting:

Despite never having the lead in the game, Dunedin’s bats were persistent enough to constantly keep the club within striking distance. The D-Jays finally got on the board with a two-out rally in the third, when stud center fielder Jake Marisnick slapped a ground-rule double to right-center before Jonathan Jones reached on a fielding error and Marcus Knecht walked to load the bases. Cleanup hitter Kevin Nolan made no mistake, as he ripped a two-run, line-drive single to left to cut the Threshers’ lead to one.

Then in the sixth, against former Blue Jays prospect Frank Gailey, Jack Murphy walked to once again load the bases with two outs and, once again, the D-Jays pulled through as Marisnick smacked his second double of the game, a two-run knock to right to use the whole field once again. Then with runners on second and third with one out in the bottom half of the eighth, the Jays were gift-wrapped their game-tying runs after a fielding error and wild pitch from the Threshers.

Second baseman Ryan Schimpf quietly put together a solid game, going 2-for-3 with a pair of walks before being lifted for pinch runner Ivan Contreras, who wound up getting caught stealing. Michael Crouse went 1-for-4 with two walks and two runs scored as well. If I’m Dunedin manager Mike Redmond, I’m pretty excited about seeing this team over the course of a full season, even after just three games.

Pitching:

Up against Jesse Biddle, one of Philadelphia’s top pitching prospects, highly-regarded Blue Jays pitching prospect Asher Wojciechowski was roughed up in his first outing of the season, giving up seven runs (six earned) on nine hits in four innings of work with one walk and two strikeouts. He did not give up a home run, but was bitten by a two-out, two-run single in the first inning before three-straight hits opened a three-run fourth inning for the 23-year-old.

The D-Jays’ bullpen was stellar in relief, as Mat Wright, Dayton Marze, Boomer Potts, Danny Barnes and Scott Gracey combined to throw six scoreless innings to keep their team in the game. Gracey, however, wound up taking the loss after giving up a pair of singles and the game-winning run to Clearwater in the 11th.

Wins/Losses: 3-0 | Streak: W3 | 1st in MID Eastern division (0.0 GB)

April 8 – OFF DAY

April 7 – Game 1: Lansing Lugnuts 4, Great Lakes Loons 2 (F/7) (WP: Champlin, 1-0 | S: Meyer, 2)

Cramming the final two contests of a three-game set into a doubleheader due to the Lugnuts’ annual Crosstown Showdown, the Lugnuts took the first seven-inning affair on Saturday thanks to some solid pitching and timely hitting.

Hitting:

After the Lugnuts found themselves trailing 1-0 after the top half of the first, Kenny Wilson and Jonathon Berti took it upon themselves to get a rally started and open the frame with back-to-back walks. Unfortunately Carlos Perez grounded into a double play to somewhat end the threat, but Kevin Pillar was able to cash in Wilson with a two-out single to tie the game at 1. Pillar wound up advancing to third on a stolen base and a throwing error, but Lugnuts first baseman Kevin Patterson was unable to cash him in.

The Lugnuts manufactured their second run in the bottom half of the second inning, where Markus Brisker got himself on base with a leadoff single before stealing second and third to put himself in position for the sacrifice fly from shortstop Andrew Burns that put Lansing up 2-1. Pillar stole another bag in the fourth inning before scoring, and Burns notched his second RBI of the game with a two-out single in the sixth to put the Lugnuts up 4-2.

Pillar and Patterson each finished the night 2-for-3 with a RBI, and speed was the deciding factor for the Lugnuts in this one as they swiped five bags overall.

Pitching:

No. 50 on our top 50 prospects list and making his full-season debut with the Lugnuts was 22-year-old starter David Rollins, who put together a solid outing, limiting the Loons to a pair of earned runs on five hits in four innings with five strikeouts and two walks.  Rollins showed great composure in the top of the second inning where, after walking Jesus Arredondo (his second free pass of the inning) to load the bases following a double steal, he struck out the next batter to end the inning and keep the game tied.

Kramer Champlin, a 6-foot-6 right-hander that closed out 2011 with the Vancouver Canadians, earned the win after pitching two shutout innings of relief, allowing just one hit. Ajay Meyer earned his second save in as many games as he closed things out with a scoreless seventh.

April 7 – Game 2: Lansing Lugnuts 4, Great Lakes Loons 3 (F/8) (WP: Avendano, 1-0)

Scoring four runs for the second time in one day proved to be enough once again, as the Lugnuts edged out the Loons 4-3 in extra innings on Saturday to complete the sweep of both the doubleheader and the three-game series.

Hitting:

A three-run second inning almost held up for the Lugnuts, where first baseman Bryson Namba and backup catcher Pierce Rankin opened the frame with back-to-back singles before Markus Brisker drew a walk to load the bases with one out for Kellen Sweeney. Sweeney, who entered the game 0-for-4, roped a bases-clearing double to right field to snag all three RBIs, but was thrown out at third trying to stretch the hit into a triple. He finished the day 2-for-3.

Namba also finished the day 2-for-3, when his single in the eighth inning turned out to be the game-winner after it plated Kevin Pillar who had stolen second base after drawing a one-out walk. The Lugnuts stole another three bags in this game, and Wilson, Berti and Pillar are turning into quite the three-headed monster for opposing pitchers on the base paths.

Pitching:

Returning to the Lugnuts after logging 100 innings for them in 2011, 23-year-old right-hander Marcus Walden kept Great Lakes in check, limiting them to just three hits over five innings with four innings. He did, however, walk three batters, one of which scored in the first inning, and was also the victim of a squeeze bunt in the fifth so he finished with two earned runs on his pitching line.

A newcomer to the Blue Jays organization after spending his entire minor league career with in the St. Louis Cardinals’ system, Javier Avendano tossed three strong innings in the first A-ball appearance of his career. He was charged with blowing the save in the sixth inning after a dropped popup in foul territory by Namba led to an unearned run that tied the game, but overall the right-hander allowed just two hits without a single walk in his three innings.

-JM

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March 17, 2012; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Drew Hutchison (69) pitches in the first inning against the Atlanta Braves at Champion Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-US PRESSWIRE

To say last season’s rookie crop of Blue Jays was impressive would be an understatement. In Brett Lawrie, Kyle Drabek and J.P. Arencibia, the club promoted arguably their three top prospects; an extremely rare sight in the overprotective environment of modern day baseball.

While the results weren’t always there, all three exceeded the 130 at-bat or 50 innings pitched limits set in place by Major League Baseball. It’s a bittersweet scenario for Lawrie, as with 150 at-bats in 2011, he surpassed the threshold by less than a week’s worth of games and would have been one of the early favorites for Rookie of the Year. Beyond the big three, another pitcher lost his eligibility last season: Henderson Alvarez. In a situation similar to Lawrie, Alvarez only just edged past the limit, totaling 63.2 innings in his August and September starts.

While the potential rookie crop for this season lacks star power, it has legitimate depth that could both patch holes created by injuries and strengthen a Blue Jays team looking to contend in the second half. As we’re looking at players projected to exceed 130 at-bats and 50 innings, top prospects who are doubtful to debut before September – such as Travis d’Arnaud and Anthony Gose – will be excluded. They’ll have to wait until next year.

The biggest name expected to receive a promotion this year is Drew Hutchison. The 21-year-old Hutchison cruised through three minor league levels in 2011, finishing the year with three starts in Double-A. While three starts above A-ball doesn’t sound like the description for a potential call-up, Hutch’s combination of a well rounded arsenal, excellent command and baseball intelligence should allow him to competently face Major League hitters by the All-Star break. Two other members of the impressive New Hampshire rotation, Chad Jenkins and Deck McGuire, could feasibly be up before him. Neither has the upside of Hutchison, but the two former college pitchers are very polished and should be the first to receive the call should the injury bug strike the rotation early in the season.

The farm also has some ammo for the bullpen, as the recently demoted Joel Carreno and Evan Crawford are both big-league ready. Carreno had a 15-inning taste of Toronto last September, looking very impressive with a 1.15 ERA and 0.96 WHIP. Crawford, meanwhile, spent the entire season in Double-A, but turned heads with an impressive Arizona Fall League assignment. The two are simply on the wrong end of the numbers game, as the offseason acquisitions of Sergio Santos, Francisco Cordero, Darren Oliver, and Jason Frasor stocked the cupboards in Toronto. Working to the advantage of Crawford is his left handedness, as only Luis Perez and the aforementioned Oliver sit above him on the depth chart.

With 71 at-bats to his name already, 25 year old David Cooper is all but guaranteed to lose his rookie eligibility this season. He is currently blocked at first base and designated hitter by Adam Lind and Edwin Encarnacion respectively, but an injury to either player could result in a serious run for the 2008 first-round pick. It’s doubtful he’ll ever live up to his draft status, but as a left-handed bat with a solid plate approach, he could provide value to the team in short bursts.

The last two position players with legitimate shots of exceeding 130 at-bats this season are Adeiny Hechavarria and Moises Sierra, both of whom will start the season with Triple-A Las Vegas. The depth charts for the two, however, are very different. The team has a dearth of middle infield prospects in the upper levels, so Hechavarria is the first (and only) replacement should Yunel Escobar or Kelly Johnson spend any time on the disabled list. In a complete contrast, the corner outfield position is loaded both at the Major League and minor league levels. Jose Bautista is entrenched in right field, while Travis Snider and Eric Thames are waging a war in left field to determine the Opening Day starter. Whoever loses the battle in left will be sent to join Sierra in the Triple-A outfield, and would be the first callup. The club also has Rajai Davis and Ben Francisco on the roster to serve as the 4th and 5th outfielders. For Sierra to get an extended look, he likely needs both a trade and an injury to occur, making his best case scenario a debut after the July 31st trade deadline.

Unlike last year, it’s very doubtful any of these players will head north with the club, making it difficult to predict a favorite for Toronto’s best contender for the 2012 AL Rookie of the Year award. With that being said, of these eight players, I feel McGuire has the best chance. Hutchison is the best pitcher of the group, but even with impressive numbers it’s hard for a starter to contend for the award with only two or three months of work. McGuire, on the other hand, has the potential for five-plus months of big league time if injury or ineffectiveness were to strike the big league rotation early. Strong command of a four-pitch repertoire should allow the 22-year-old to keep hitters uncomfortable his first time through the league. With that being said, the American League has Matt Moore, Jesus Montero, and Mike Trout – not to mention that Yu Darvish guy – so it’s doubtful any Blue Jay sniffs the top 3 in voting.

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McGuire, 22, looked good in his first major league spring training, giving up only a pair of earned runs (including a home run) in seven innings spread across three outings. I was able to see his first spring outing in person back on March 7, and he looked great, keeping the ball down while throwing strikes. Out of New Hampshire’s starting rotation last season, McGuire could be the first of the group to receive a call-up to the big leagues.

Gil, 29, signed a minor league deal with the Jays back in November and has had a decent spring with the club this year, allowing three earned runs on four hits in 6 2/3 innings and six appearances. Here’s what I wrote after seeing him in his first outing of the spring against Pittsburgh, when he did not allow a hit in his inning of work: “His off-speed stuff looked great in warm-ups and even more so against the first batter he faced, getting two swinging strikes on breaking balls to get the punchout. He then switched to his heat against Robbie Grossman, who was always behind and couldn’t catch up to it.”

In his third big league spring with Jays, not much can be said of McDade’s two singles in 14 at-bats across 12 games. After making some changes with New Hampshire last year, the Las Vegas, Nevada native has used the spring to continue working with the Jays’ coaching staff on his approach at the plate. His strong defensive skills at first base are easy to spot, and he should improve his overall game even further when repeating Double-A this year. McDade was recently ranked No. 33 on our pre-2012 top 50 prospects list.

Coming in ranked almost unanimously as the Jays No. 1 prospect, d’Arnaud, 22, used this year’s edition of spring training to work even more with Jays pitchers and on his defense, something that Jays skipper John Farrell had mentioned recently. The reigning Eastern League MVP is headed to the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League this season and will likely be, at worst, a September call-up. After that, however, the Jays’ catching situation will get quite interesting.

Jimenez, one of my personal favorites and the best defensive catcher in the Jays’ minor league system, broke out offensively with High-A Dunedin last season and continued that trend this spring, going 4-for-9 with a double in an unbelievably small sample size. Like d’Arnaud, Jimenez got himself more acclimated with the Jays’ coaching staff and will move up a level this season, to Double-A New Hampshire, giving the Jays an impressive catcher at the three highest levels of their organization.

- JM

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With the other half of the Jays’ squad playing against the Red Sox in Dunedin, the game against the Pirates was a great opportunity to see prospects from different minor league levels play in the same game.

After Yunel Escobar made a pair of great throws in the bottom of the first,  Adam Lind led off the top of the second with a groundout to Pirates second baseman Josh Harrison, who was able to throw him out despite bobbling the ball since it looked like Lind wasn’t hustling down the line as much as he could have.

David Cooper roped a long single to the corner in left field, where he stumbled slightly while motoring around first base, contemplating taking second. Later in the frame, Moises Sierra hit a “ground-rule double” that rolled down the left field line and into the bullpen by the entrance to the clubhouse, out of play. Despite the two hits, the Jays didn’t manage to score.

Kyle Drabek got the start for the Jays and, after tossing a 1-2-3 first that included a strikeout of leadoff hitter Alex Presley, he didn’t fare well in the second inning.

After getting ahead 1-2 to leadoff hitter Garrett Jones, Drabek pitched himself into a full count after two consecutive high balls but managed to strike him out swinging on a great fastball low and inside. In the next at-bat to Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez, though, Drabek got himself into another full count and paid for it, as Alvarez knocked a wind-carried, opposite-field solo home run to left to put the Pirates up 1-0.

Then, after giving up a deep double to Clint Barmes on an 0-2 pitch, Harrison ripped a double of his own to put the Pirates up 2-0. After a pickoff attempt from Drabek, Harrison stole third after Blue Jays catcher Travis d’Arnaud‘s throw was high and to left of the bag in foul territory. Drabek’s emotions might have been getting to him, as he walked Mike McKenry on five pitches to put runners on the corners. Since McKenry was the fourth consecutive batter to reach base in the inning, it prompted a mound visit for Drabek.

After he got a bit of a break with Pirates pitcher Jeff Karstens laying down a bunt to advance McKenry to second, Presley knocked an RBI single to left that only scored one, since McKenry was thrown out trying to score from second on a fantastic throw from Travis Snider and an equally great tag from d’Arnaud in a collision at home plate.

Promising right-hander Drew Hutchison came in to pitch the third where, after getting Jose Tabata to fly out to right he benefited from another great throw by Escobar to hit an outstretched Cooper at first base to get speedy Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen in a bang-bang play at the bag. After angrily staring straight ahead following the home run that he gave up to Jones, Hutchison struck out Alvarez swinging to end the inning.

The Jays put together a two-out rally in the top of the fourth, where Cooper drew a walk and advanced to second on a passed ball before Rajai Davis stroked a single to right. Cooper, hustling once again around third and thinking home the whole way, he was held up by the Jays’ third base coach. A walk from Sierra after being behind 1-2 set up a bases-loaded situation for Mike McCoy, who flew out to shallow center to end the threat, keeping the Jays off the scoreboard.

Outside of a double to Harrision, Hutchison pitched a scoreless bottom of the fourth, keeping the ball down in the zone and using primarily off-speed pitches. After a flyout to Sierra, he showcased his cannon of an arm, launching the ball to third base with only a short bounce amid “oohs” and “ahhs” from the crowd to prevent Harrison from tagging.

The Jays’ offense broke out in a big way in the fifth, with Brian Bocock hustling out a leadoff triple and scoring on a single from Escobar. Then, after Luis Valbuena came on as a pinch runner for Escobar, Snider hit a towering home run over the right field wall to make it a 4-3 game. Snider had looked great in BP, hitting five consecutive balls to deep right field and three over the fence, and it seemed to have rubbed off on him in-game because his home run was an absolute moon shot. D’Arnaud roped a double down the third base line before Lind singled him home to tie the game at four.

Travis d'Arnaud and Deck McGuire talk things over before getting started.

Deck McGuire came in for the bottom of the fifth, and he was looked the best out of the Jays pitchers on the day. He threw the ball low in the zone, keeping hitters honest with his circle changeup while bringing his fastball, which looked great. He was the victim of a great leadoff at-bat against Tabata, who kept fouling pitches off with the count 2-2 before slapping a single. As expected, Tabata stole second base, on a throw from d’Arnaud that was on line but too high, and McCoy had to jump to keep the ball from sailing into center field. The baserunner didn’t affect Mcguire, though, since he finished with a scoreless frame that included a strikeout of Jones looking at a perfectly-executed changeup.

It was more of the same from McGuire in the bottom of the sixth where, after giving up a leadoff single to Alvarez and another base hit, he ended the threat and kept the Pirates off the scoreboard.

Blue Jay hitters broke the 4-4 tie in the top of the seventh, when Yan Gomes, pinch-hitting for Lind, cranked a solo home run to center before Jonathan Diaz hit a double that scored two to put the Jays up 7-4. Scoring on the play was outfielder Jake Marinick, who had come on for Davis in the previous inning, and it was not only easy to spot just how big he is, but also how fast, since he came barreling around third to score.

Reliever Ryan Tepera warms in the bullpen.

Jays right-hander Ryan Tepera got touched for two runs in the bottom of the frame, after giving up a leadoff walk and a home run to Starling Marte. Marte, one of the top prospects in the Pirates organization, showed exactly why he is so highly-touted and was fun to watch. Speaking of fun to watch, Diaz, who impressed me with some slick defensive plays at third base over the weekend, made a great stop on a ball in the hole at second to rob Pirates hitter Matt Hague of a base hit.

After Valbuena knocked a solo home run in the eighth to give the Jays a two-run lead, Tepera was able to bounce back with a scoreless frame and Robert Coello worked around two hits in a scoreless ninth to preserve the Jays’ 8-6 lead and give them the victory.

Like I mentioned above, I was really impressed with how McGuire looked, especially since it was his first appearance of the spring. Home run to Jones aside, Hutchison looked good as well, keeping the ball on the outer half of the plate more often than not. It was also nice to see some of the young, big-bodied outfielders like Marisnick and Michael Crouse, plus the cannon that is Sierra’s arm.

- JM

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Here are some Jays Notes as they head into a road trip in Baltimore and will hopefully begin a long win streak.

The Brett Lawrie Hype

• Fans across Canada have been on pins and needles as they await a Stanley Cup winner to be decided between the Vancouver Canucks and Boston Bruins. However, anyone and everyone who follows baseball at all knows that the biggest news for the Jays has to do with Brett Lawrie. In the last 3 days, I’ve received more email than ever from fans telling JJ how anxious they were to see him in the lineup. There is now a spot open for him on the 40-man roster, and it seems to be something that could happen any day now. The main question people are now wondering about is, where will he hit in the lineup? (more…)

In what I hope to have as a daily update for you, the minor league recaps are designed to not only keep you up to date with everything concerning the Jays’ affiliates, but also to provide it all in one quick and easy place, saving you the hassle of sifting through team websites, box scores, and standings.

Check back tomorrow morning for Fisher Cats and Lugnuts rundowns of games being played tonight.

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