Both teams will be divided into two articles; one for position players and the other for pitchers. It will be explained how each player became a member of the Blue Jays organization, as well as how they performed last year, whether with Toronto or otherwise. A lot of people are familiar with the Triple-A and Double-A rosters, but less so with the low level, short season teams. The goal behind the preview is to give Blue Jays fans a better idea of who is on the rosters, and who they should be keeping their eyes on. The Bluefield and Gulf Coast rosters are even more loaded than usual, as with the draft signing deadline being moved ahead over a month, a number of top draft picks will be playing when in previous years they’d still be sitting at home negotiating.

I will be examining the hitters for both clubs, while Jared will be writing about the pitching side of things. To get things started, here are the position players for the Rookie Class Gulf Coast League Blue Jays.

Catchers

Seth Conner (20 years old)

How he was acquired: Selected in the 41st round of the 2010 draft, signed for $100,000

How he fared in 2011: Conner had a successful professional debut with the Gulf Coast Blue Jays, and finds himself back with the club in 2012. The difference, however, is that after playing third base for the club last year, Conner now finds himself behind the plate. It should be an interesting transition to monitor, as while he has smooth defensive actions and a near ideal catcher build at 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds, his arm very fringe average, and teams could take advantage of him in the running game. Offensively, he had one of the best lines of any player on the roster, showing solid all-around skills, including 30 walks in 50 games.

2011 (GCL): 174 AB, .276/.395/.420 (.815 OPS), 9 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 23 RBI, 4 SB, 30/37 BB/K

George Carroll (24 years old)

How he was acquired: Signed as undrafted free agent in June 2011

How he fared in 2011: Carroll was signed by the Blue Jays just prior to the opening of the short season leagues and served as nothing more than a backup, compiling only 41 at-bats for the club. He didn’t do much with his playing time either, as his .324 OPS with the lowest by anyone on the team with 20 or more at-bats. Carroll is already 24 years old, and with no major league future, he’s likely hoping to parlay his minor league experience into an eventual coaching position.

2011 (GCL): 41 AB, .098/.178/.146 (.324 OPS), 2 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 0 SB, 3/15 BB/K

John Silviano (17 years old)

How he was acquired: Selected in the 13th round of the 2012 draft

How he fared in 2011: Silviano was just drafted out of a Florida high school, and as such has no professional data. With his high school team – Summit Christian – Silviano played both catcher and outfield, so his athleticism should provide some versatility to the Gulf Coast team. He also threw a few innings of relief, with a fastball that resides in the mid to high 80’s, which is plenty of arm strength for a position player. Silviano is only 17 years old and has some potential, so I hope he is able to steal some playing time away from the older backup catchers.

Jorge Saez (21 years old)

How he was acquired: Selected in the 32nd round of the 2012 draft

How he fared in 2011: Saez is a Miami native, and after spending some time at Miami Dade College – the same college that produced Nationals 2011 first round pick Brian Goodwin – he transferred to Lee University in Tennessee. The transfer wasn’t due to poor performance, as Saez hit a respectable .277/.372/.380 with the team. It was an interesting choice, as Lee University has produced a total of 1 major league player in its long history, and that player, Lance Zawadzki, has just 20 games to his name.

Infielders

Mitchell Nay (18 years old)

How he was acquired: Selected in the Supplemental 1st round of the 2012 draft, signed for $1,000,000

How he fared in 2011: Nay had an up and down 2011-2012 high school season, before picking things up in the spring and vaulting himself into day one pick status. He fits the third base profile well, with a number of similarities to 2011 draft pick and Bluefield third baseman, Matt Dean. Nay has a strong arm with plenty of power in his swing, and could be among the team leaders in many offensive categories.

Dawel Lugo (17 years old)

How he was acquired: Signed out of the Dominican Republic as an international free agent in July 2011 for $1,300,000

How he fared in 2011: Lugo received the Blue Jays second highest bonus during the 2011 international free agent signing period, with his 1.3 million being bested only by Roberto Osuna’s 1.5 million. Lugo is a shortstop now, but will have to put a lot of effort into his defensive work to prevent a move to the hot corner. He has excellent contact skills which can get him in trouble at times, as he’ll swing at pitches well outside of the strikezone because he knows he can put them in play. That approach will need to be reeled back by coaches, as smart pitchers will take advantage of him. Lugo has the potential for power, but that will likely develop later once he matures and builds upon his 6-foot-1, 175 pound frame. As a potential big bodied offensive shortstop, he’s drawn comparisons to Detroit’s Jhonny Peralta.

Gabriel Cenas (18 years old)

How he was acquired: Signed out of Venezuela as an international free agent in July 2010 for $700,000

How he fared in 2011: Cenas was a part of the Blue Jays impressive haul of international free agents in the summer of 2010, alongside elite pitching prospect Adonys Cardona. He made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League last year, with mixed results. His plate discipline was very impressive, but he struggled to make consistent and strong contact. It’s possible he was being physically overmatched, as despite standing 6-foot-1, Cenas is a very lean 155 pounds.

2011 (DSL): 53 AB, .208/.368/.226 (.594 OPS), 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 3 RBI, 1 SB, 9/11 BB/K

Emilio Guerrero (19 years old)

How he was acquired: Signed out of Dominican Republic as an international free agent

How he fared in 2011: Guerrero played in the Dominican Summer League last season and got an extended look, playing in 53 games. The results were mediocre, but for an 18 year old making his professional debut, there were plenty of positives. The power manifested itself in doubles instead of home runs, but as Guerrero fills out his 6-foot-4, 170 pound frame, he should start clearing fences. Despite the 47 strikeouts, the 11 walks were a pleasant surprise as well. Hopefully he will continue to make strides as me makes his stateside debut in the Gulf Coast.

2011 (DSL): 180 AB, .239/.297/.311 (.608 OPS), 11 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 22 RBI, 4 SB, 11/47 BB/K

Justin Atkinson (18 years old)

How he was acquired: Selected in the 26th round of the 2011 draft, signed for $100,000

How he fared in 2011: The Canadian infielder got into only limited action with the Gulf Coast Blue Jays last season, and finds himself back there despite his wishes to open the year in his native Vancouver. Atkinson had a solid average at .279, but with only 4 extra base hits and 2 walks, his OPS wasn’t particularly eye catching. His defensive position is a bit of a mystery at this point, as he lacks the speed and agility for shortstop – his usual position – and lacks the power ceiling for third base.

2011 (GCL): 43 AB, .279/.298/.395 (.693 OPS), 3 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 6 RBI, 0 SB, 2/3 BB/K

Shaun Valeriote (22 years old)

How he was acquired: Selected in the 39th round of the 2012 draft

How he fared in 2011: By being selected by the Blue Jays, Valeriote became the first player from the Canadian collegiate ranks to ever be drafted into professional baseball. In 2010, he broke Andrew Tinnish’s – yes, the same Andrew Tinnish who was just named Assistant GM – school record for batting, with a .519 average. He followed that up last season by winning the OUA Triple Crown, hitting .460 with five home runs and 20 RBI. The OUA seasons are very short – less than two months – so despite his age, Valeriote is as raw as many US high school players.

Cody Bartlett (23 years old)

How he was acquired: Selected in the 41st round of the 2011 draft

How he fared in 2011: Barlett began drawing draft attention in 2011, when he hit .323 with seven home runs and 34 RBI, earning second-team All-Pac-10 honors. That success didn’t carry through to his professional debut, as he struggled mightily with Bluefield. Contact was the biggest issue, as both his walk rate and ISO were acceptable for a middle infielder. He’ll look to make improvements in that department in 2012, after being demoted to the Gulf Coast where he’ll likely serve primarily in a backup infielder role.

2011 (BLU): 91 AB, .198/.284/.308 (.592 OPS), 7 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 17 RBI, 2 SB, 11/22 BB/K

Outfielders

D.J. Davis (17 years old)

How he was acquired: Selected in the 1st round of the 2012 draft, signed for $1,750,000

How he fared in 2011: Davis was Toronto’s top pick in the 2012 draft, and his rise up the pre draft rankings was due in large part to a 2011-2012 season in which he finally made strides with the bat. In 26 games during his senior year, Davis hit .373/.558/.836 with 7 home runs. On the base paths, he was a near perfect 24-for-25 in steal attempts. The speed has been compared to Reds star prospect Billy Hamilton, the question with Davis – not unlike Hamilton – is whether or not he can hit. He joins a crowded center field depth chart, behind Colby Rasmus, Anthony Gose, Jake Marisnick, and Dwight Smith, so he has plenty of time to figure out professional pitching.

Anthony Alford (18 years old)

How he was acquired: Selected in the 3rd round of the 2012 draft, signed for $750,000

How he fared in 2011: Alford is a rare two sport talent, as in addition to being drafted and signed by the Blue Jays, he was also heavily recruited by Southern Miss., and will play football there this fall. His baseball skills are unquestionable, as his .483/.569/.793 slash line in his senior year can attest. Alford fills up stat sheets, as in only 30 games, he accumulated 11 doubles, 2 triples, 4 home runs, 31 RBI, 39 runs scored, and went 14-for-14 in stolen bases. If he eventually settles on baseball, he could be an elite talent in the outfield.

Wuilmer Becerra (17 years old)

How he was acquired: Signed out of Venezuela as an international free agent in July 2011 for $1,300,000

How he fared in 2011: Becerra was one of Toronto’s big international signings last summer, but didn’t play any games as a 16 year old. He played shortstop in his early baseball days, but now standing 6-foot-4 at age 17, it’s obvious why that experiment wasn’t going to last. Becerra has a nice combination of speed and power, with his legs currently being his best tool. It takes him a few strides to get to full speed, which gives him great range in the outfield but “only” plus times from home to first. His arm might limit him to left field, but his bat should be more than play at that position.

Jesus Gonzalez (17 years old)

How he was acquired: Signed out of Venezuela as an international free agent in July 2011 for $700,000

How he fared in 2011: Like Becerra, Gonzalez was also signed out of Venezuela, but has a much different toolset than. He has a strong frame at 6-foot-1 and 200 pounds, and has above average power potential. Like almost every young Latin American prospect, reviews are mixed on his hit tool. His bat speed is unquestionable, but some fear his swing can get too long and creating consistent contact could be a problem. Other scouts, however, thought his swing path was just fine.He doesn’t have the speed to play center field, but his plus arm makes him a good fit for right field.

Derrick Loveless (19 years old)

How he was acquired: Selected in the 27th round of the 2011 draft, signed for $125,000

How he fared in 2011: Loveless has a history of offensive success, as in his draft year, he hit .554 with 14 doubles, 6 triples, 11 home runs, and 28 stolen bases. That didn’t translate into playing time with the Gulf Coast Blue Jays in 2011, as he appeared in only five games with poor results, though his late signing surely didn’t help matters. He could struggled to find playing time again, as the team is loaded with high ceiling outfielders.

2011 (GCL): 17 AB, .059/.200/.059 (.259 OPS), 0 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 0 SB, 3/7 BB/K

D.J. (Dennis) Jones (19 years old)

How he was acquired: Selected in the 20th round of the 2012 draft

How he fared in 2011: Jones is yet another athletic outfielder on the Gulf Coast roster. During the 2011 season – his final season at Jeff Davis High School – he hit .559 with 35 steals and 49 runs scored. He was drafted by the Brewers in the 22nd round, but declined to sign, instead choosing to attend Hillsborough Community College in Tampa. He attempted to become a switch hitter, but the results didn’t follow, as Jones hit only .205 in 32 games. He also worked off the mound, compiling a 2.13 ERA in 25.1 innings.

Joe Musgrove is another big-bodied pitcher from the 2011 Draft. (East County Sports)

Starting pitcher / 19 years old / 6′5″ 230 lbs

Born: December 4, 1992 in El Cajon, California

Bats: Right Throws: Right

High School: Grossmont (El Cajon, CA)

College: Had committed to San Diego State University prior to signing with the Jays

Acquired: Drafted by the Blue Jays in the 1st round (46th overall) of the 2011 Amateur Draft, signed for $500,000 on June 9, 2011

Pre-2011 Rank: N/A

Quick Facts:

• Was ranked 16th in the state of California by Perfect Game just before the 2011 Draft
• Grew up a fan of the San Diego Padres
• Also played varsity football and basketball in high school
• Follow him on Twitter: @musgrove23Jays
• Was the compensation pick obtained by the Blue Jays when free agent catcher John Buck signed with the Marlins

Career stats:

GCL Blue Jays team ranking (min. 3 GS):

• 2nd in H/9 (7.1) and WHIP (0.969)
• T-2nd in BB/9 (1.7) and fewest walks allowed (4)
• T-3rd in starts (7)
• 6th in in innings pitched (21.2)
• 8th in ERA (4.57)
• 9th in K/9 (6.6)

Scouting report:

A big-bodied right-handed pitcher from Grossmont High school in California, 6-foot-5, 230-pound Joe Musgrove already had a durable pitcher’s frame when he was drafted last year as an 18-year-old. Ranked 90th-best in the 2011 draft crop by Baseball America, the Blue Jays took Musgrove with the 46th-overall selection, higher than anybody had anticipated, including Musgrove himself.

Two other AL East teams, the Rays and the Orioles, were reportedly interested in drafting Musgrove, largely because of his plus fastball and projection to be a workhorse, 200-inning starter in the big leagues. His fastball sat consistently in the low 90′s last season, ranging from 90-96 mph and even touching 98 once. Musgrove also made changes to his workouts over the winter in hopes of adding a few ticks to the pitch, so it will be interesting to see what he’s clocked at when short season ball starts in late June.

Velocity isn’t the only thing with Musgrove’s fastball, though, since it has great movement with tremendous sink, and he will regularly use a two-seam variation of the pitch, especially against left-handed hitters. Musgrove also possesses above-average command of his fastball as well, something he quickly discovered had to be harnessed more often in pro ball after being able to blow his fastball anywhere over the plate to inexperienced hitters in high school.

Musgrove complements his impressive fastball with a a high-70′s hammer curveball, considered to be his best secondary pitch that currently grades as major-league average but has plus potential. He also boasts a low-80′s split changeup that is considered a work in progress. It’s been reported that Musgrove has prioritized working on his changeup and even switching to a circle grip, and considering the importance of a the pitch to Blue Jays coaches, it wouldn’t be surprising to see a much-improved changeup from Musgrove early on this season. The main issue the 19-year-old has with his changeup right now is inconsistent command, which is expected for a young pitcher right out of high school.

Musgrove signed quickly last year and was able to log eight starts, seven for the Gulf Coast League Blue Jays and one with Bluefield after a late-season promotion. On top of just getting accustomed to pro ball, the California native worked on keeping the ball down in the zone and repeating his delivery, two things that he’ll continue to work on this season.

Musgrove has a fantastic work ethic and takes instruction very well, so I’m interested to see the improvements that he’s made to his game after an entire off-season and extended spring training. It’s likely that he’ll pick up where he left off with Bluefield to open the year, but an assignment to Vancouver isn’t out of the question, either, and once the necessary improvements have been made to his off-speed pitches he could see a late-season promotion to Class-A Lansing.

Expected 2012 team: Bluefield Blue Jays (Rookie)

Ultimate ceiling if he puts it all together: No. 3-4 starter

-JM

No. 29: Griffin Robert Murphy

Starting pitcher / 21 years old / 6′3″ 200 lbs

Born: January 16, 1991 in Highland, California

Bats: Right Throws: Left

High School: Redlands East Valley (Redlands, CA)

College: N/A

Acquired: Drafted by the Blue Jays in the 2nd round (61st overall) of the 2010 Amateur Draft

Pre-2011 Rank: 19

Quick Facts:

• Was scouted by every AL East team except the Orioles
• Went 11-1 with a 1.35 ERA in 73 innings (15 games) as a high school senior, including 104 strikeouts and 20 walks for an uncanny 5:1 ratio
• Baseball America 2010 High School All-America 3rd Team selection
• In preparation for the rigors of a minor league baseball schedule, he was forced by his father to travel to baseball showcases and tournaments by himself and plan everything in advance

Career stats:

GCL Blue Jays team ranking (min. 25 IP):

• 1st in starts (11), hits allowed (48), runs (27) and home runs (6)
• 2nd in innings pitched (41.0)
• T-2nd in earned runs (20)
• 3rd in strikeouts (39)
• T-3rd in losses (2)
• T-4th in walks (16) and wild pitches (5)
• T-5th in wins (2) and HBP (3)

Video:

MLB.com draft video from 2010 can be found here

Extra Information and previous experience:

The Blue Jays selected the top-ranked high school lefty in the 2011 draft, but they also did so the year before when they took Southern California product Griffin Murphy, who significantly boosted his stock by upping his average fastball velocity by over three miles per hour and into the low 90s weeks before the draft.

Murphy has above-average command of his fastball, which is something that he was praised for prior to the draft given its rarity among high school pitchers. Against left and right-handed batters alike, Murphy can throw his primary offering inside, outside, high or low, consistently hitting spots with it when he needs to. He rounds out his standard starting pitcher’s repertoire with an improved mid-70s curveball and low-80s changeup that is still a work in progress.

Though he has room to improve both of his off-speed pitches, Murphy has shown that he’s been able to throw either of them for strikes on occasion, which bodes well against hitters in the lower levels of the minors, who typically sit on fastballs. Despite this, Murphy had some hiccups in his first taste of pro ball.

After working through the months of extended spring training in 2011, Murphy made his pro debut with the rookie-level Gulf Coast League Blue Jays in June. He overpowered opposing hitters in his first two starts, allowing three earned runs on six hits in nine innings with 14 strikeouts to only two walks, but ran into some trouble in five July starts when he struggled with his command. He issued seven walks, hit three batters and gave up five home runs in roughly 17 innings that month, before calming down in his final four starts of the year and allowing just one run in August.

Murphy finished the year overall with a 4.39 ERA/4.59 FIP in 11 starts, along with averaging over three walks and almost nine strikeouts per nine innings. He did, however, give up over 10 hits per nine as well — an underwhelming stat for an old-for-his-level pitcher facing inexperienced and much younger competition. Given the extreme uselessness of rookie ball numbers, though, it’s important to look at the reasons why Murphy didn’t have as dominant of a rookie-ball campaign as he would have liked.

As you can see in the MLB.com draft video via the link above, Murphy has a lot going on in his quirky delivery and, like the majority of young pitchers, repeating it has been an issue for him. Leaving balls up in the zone more often than not led to him getting hit hard in the middle of the season, and being able to throw downhill more consistently will be the biggest thing he’ll work on in 2012.

Having turned 21 in January without any experience above rookie ball, though, Murphy’s future is becoming cloudy. Failing to make a full season club this year and once again staying back in extended spring training means that he’ll have to impress at his first destination, likely short season-A Vancouver, to have any hopes of getting back on the radar, with a late-season promotion to Lansing almost a necessity at this point.

Expected 2012 team: Vancouver Canadians (Short-season A)

Ultimate ceiling if he puts it all together: No. 4 starter

People have seemed to give up on Murphy because of this, but after seeing him for the first time in spring training in March, I’m intrigued to watch how he fares this season. The pressure will be certainly on him, but as a hard worker with good pitchability, Murphy could make great strides this season, especially if his mechanical adjustments give his curveball–his out pitch–more bite.

-JM

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Up next on the top 50 list is a patient hitter with a great eye at the plate that grew up a Jays fan…

No. 41: Eric Arce

Left fielder / 20 years old / 5’10″ 193 lbs

Born: November 29, 1991 in Tampa, Florida

Bats Left   Throws Right

High School Team: Lakeland H.S. (Lakeland, FL)

College: Florida State University

Drafted By: The Toronto Blue Jays in the 25th round (769th overall) of the 2011 Amateur Draft

Jersey Number: 34 for the Bluefield Blue Jays

Pre-2011 Rank: N/A

(more…) ]]> http://jaysjournal.com/2012/01/26/jays-journal-top-50-blue-jays-prospects-no-41-eric-arce/feed/ 12 http://jaysjournal.com/2012/01/02/jays-journal-top-50-blue-jays-prospects-no-46-jorge-vega-rosado/ http://jaysjournal.com/2012/01/02/jays-journal-top-50-blue-jays-prospects-no-46-jorge-vega-rosado/#comments Tue, 03 Jan 2012 00:45:42 +0000 Jared Macdonald http://jaysjournal.com/?p=10414 Up next on the top 50 list is one of the many shortstops from this year’s draft, but one who made adjustments to get himself noticed… No. 46: Chino Vega Infielder / 20 years old / 5′8″ 175 lbs Born: December 5, 1991 in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico Bats: Right    Throws: Right High School: [...]

Jays Journal Top 50 Blue Jays Prospects: No. 46 Jorge Vega-Rosado - Jays Journal - Jays Journal - A Toronto Blue Jays Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More

Up next on the top 50 list is one of the many shortstops from this year’s draft, but one who made adjustments to get himself noticed…

Image courtesy of Batter's Box

No. 46: Chino Vega

Infielder / 20 years old / 5′8″ 175 lbs

Born: December 5, 1991 in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico

Bats: Right    Throws: Right

High School: Trinity Christian H.S.

College: Miami-Dade CC South

Drafted By: The Toronto Blue Jays in the 28th round (859th overall) of the 2011 Amateur Draft

Signed For: $200,000

Jersey Number: 4 for the GCL Blue Jays

Pre-2011 Rank: N/A

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Never has a compensation pick for letting a free-agent shortstop walk via free agency after a career year ever looked so good…

#5: Aaron Jacob Sanchez

Pitcher / 18 years old / 6′4″ 190 lbs

Born: July 1, 1992 in Barstow, California

Bats: Right    Throws: Right

High School: Barstow H.S.

College: N/A

Drafted By: The Toronto Blue Jays in the 1st round (34th overall) of the 2010 amateur entry draft

Signed: June 15th, 2010 for $775,000

Jersey Number: #28 for the Auburn Doubledays

(more…)