1. 3B Kevin Ahrens (DUN): 17 AB, .471/.526/.882 (1.408 OPS), 1 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 0 SB, 2/5 BB/K

Kevin Ahrens is set to enter his fifth season with the Blue Jays. The native of Houston, Tx., was a first round draft pick in 2007 and is hoping to prove the skeptics wrong by earning a place at third base for the Jays this year. (Arun Srinivasan/Toronto Observer)

I had a small glimmer of optimism with Ahrens after he performed fairly well in the Arizona Fall League last year. It’s predominantly a Double-A to Triple-A talent level, so I imagined his performance would create a Double-A assignment in 2012, especially given the lack of depth at that position. Instead, Toronto assigned him to Dunedin, where he’s opened the year for an astonishing four straight years. Now 23 years old, the door has all but closed on Ahrens’ major league future, but career-best weeks from former first round picks deserve mention. He has three home runs this season, all of which have come in the last eight days. This is Ahrens’ first placement on the Blue Jays prospect hot sheet –- and very likely his last –- but as someone who still fondly and naively remembers the Chipper Jones comparisons on draft day, it was nice to relish in his success, even if only for a couple of minutes.

2. C Travis d’Arnaud (LAS): 24 AB, .417/.440/.583 (1.023 OPS), 1 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 0 SB, 1/7 BB/K

Travis d’Arnaud didn’t have a great week, which makes the 1000+ OPS that much more impressive. In six games, he totaled only two extra base hits and a single walk. Yet, thanks to 10 hits, his overall numbers look very good. The power numbers this season have, unsurprisingly, been otherworldly. His extra base hit percentage is up to 40% with an isolated power of 248. The only discernible problem with d’Arnaud’s year has been his plate discipline. While his 18.1% strikeout rate is the lowest it’s been since 2009, it’s still a little high for a 23-year-old elite prospect in Triple-A. His 7.4% walk rate is in a similar boat, as while it’s in the average range, elite prospects should be better than average.

3. LHP Sean Nolin (DUN): 1-0, 5.2 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 6 K

Nolin has been one of the most pleasant surprises of the 2012 season. He had a solid professional debut with Lansing in 2011, but has taken his game to the next level this year. His latest impressive start on June 5th propelled his season record to 7-0, and Nolin has been a huge factor in Dunedin clinching the first half division title. With a 2.43 ERA and 1.15 WHIP through the first two-plus months of the season, one has to doubt he’s long for A-ball, as Nolin is quickly proving himself to be ready for the upper minors. With the Double-A Fisher Cats sitting dead last in the Eastern League, they could certainly use his talent.

4. 1B Mike McDade (NH): 22 AB, .273/.360/.545 (.905 OPS), 3 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 0 SB, 3/3 BB/K

Big Mac has been the lone bright spot on an otherwise thin New Hampshire offense. With the preseason promotions of d’Arnaud, Gose, Hechavarria, Sierra, and Gomes, and the season ending injury of A.J. Jimenez, there are really no other noteworthy prospects in the starting nine. Opposing pitchers appear to have taken note, as with 27 walks through only 59 games –- including three base on balls this week –- he’s on pace to shatter his previous career high of 33 back in 2008. Teams can simply work around McDade, as no one else in the lineup can do any significant kind of damage to them. I’d really like to see him get a chance at Las Vegas with a lineup of top prospects, but until Toronto can sort out the David Cooper/Adam Lind/Vladimir Guerrero mess, McDade appears stuck in New Hampshire.

5. RHP Javier Avendano (LAN): 1-0, 6 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 11 K

The Lansing long man snuck onto the second edition of the Blue Jays prospect hot sheet, and thanks to a thin group of performances from the system’s elite talent this week, he finds himself in the fifth spot again. Avendano appeared in three games and displayed some of his versatility, earning a win, a hold, and a save. He’s been a big strikeout guy this year, and his 11 strikeouts over six innings this week boosted his season total to 39 in 30.1 innings (11.57 K/9). With the Syndergaard/DeSclafani tandem often struggling to reach their seven or eight innings, Avendano has been a huge asset to the first place Lansing team this year.

Honorable mention: Marcus Knecht (DUN), Adeiny Hechavarria (LAS), Sean Ochinko (NH)

Almost all of them started off slow and heated up as the short Fall League season progressed, so here’s a look at how the Jays’ four position players fared in this year’s edition of AFL.

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The sample sizes are more substantial now since the previous update in October, with the most notable changes coming from Kevin Ahrens, Evan Crawford, and Aaron Loup.

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The sample sizes are all small, but here’s a look at how the Jays prospects have fared so far. Out of the group, it’ll be interesting to see how Chad Beck does as he could compete for a spot in the Jays’ bullpen out of spring training.

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Image courtesy of Wikipedia

After Alan Farina, our top reliever on the list at #37, comes a catcher at heart turned corner infielder at #36…

#36: Sean Peter Ochinko

C-3B-1B / 23 years old / 5′11″ 205 lbs

Born: October 21st, 1987 in Parkland, FL

Bats: Right    Throws: Right

High School Team: Stoneman Douglas Eagles

College: Louisiana State University

Drafted by: The Toronto Blue Jays in the 11th round (340th overall) of the 2009 First-Year-Player Draft

Jersey Number: #41 for the Lansing Lugnuts

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image courtesy of Gary W. Green of the orlandosentinel.com

#43: Justin Nicolino

19 years old / 6’3″ 160 lbs

Born: November 22nd 1991 in Orlando, Florida

Bats Left   Throws Left

High School Team: University High School (wore #11)

College: N/A

Drafted: by the Jays in the 2nd rd, 80th overall, of the ’10 First-Year Player Draft. Signed for a reported $615,000 and his deal also includes the Jays paying for his education. He was signed away from a verbal commitment to playing College ball for Virginia.

Wears: #77 for the GCL Blue Jays

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You have to love the fact that Aaron Hill hammered a HR (his 9th) off of the probable Cy young winner Jimenez, something that should go a long way to rebuilding the confidence in his swing. The Jays didn’t look bad against the ace, rain or not, and managed to get a decent amount of hits off of him in comparison to other teams this season. Still, one has to wonder if the Jays could have mounted a comeback as Ubaldo reached a high pitch count (106) in the 6th inning and the Jays could have won the game if they knocked the questionable Rox pen around. (more…)

Hot Jays Prospects:

1. 2B Jarrett Hoffpauir AAA - Hit for the cycle for the second time this season in AAA and is hitting .353 with 5 doubles, 1 triple, and 3 HRs over his last 10 games. He’s doing everything in his power to get the call to the bigs and could actually become some pretty decent trade bait. (more…)