10 in 10: Top offensive Spring Training performances over the past decade

Feb 19, 2017; Dunedin, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays players stretch during spring training at Bobby Mattix Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 19, 2017; Dunedin, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays players stretch during spring training at Bobby Mattix Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jose Bautista

MLB: Toronto Blue Jays-Workouts
MLB: Toronto Blue Jays-Workouts /

As you will see throughout this article, Jose Bautista appears on this list a few times. However it was in 2010 when he really broke on to the scene.

Entering spring training in 2010, Bautista was known as a utility player who came off the bench and had a little bit of pop in his bat. What Blue Jays brass and fans did not know at the time was that there just happened to be more than ‘a little bit’ of pop in that bat.

During spring training in 2010, Bautista surprised pretty well everyone. In 57 at-bats, the bat-flipping, right-handed hitting slugger launched five homeruns while knocking in 11 RBIs. To go along with the great production, Bautista had a slash line of .439/.448/.895 and stole two bases.

MLB: ALCS-Cleveland Indians at Toronto Blue Jays
MLB: ALCS-Cleveland Indians at Toronto Blue Jays /

While some attributed his great spring training to fluke, those doubters were silenced during the season. Bautista went on to smash 54 homeruns and drive in 124 RBIs, all while slashing .260/.378/.617.

Thankfully for the Blue Jays, the man known as ‘Joey Bats’ built on his 2010 spring training and frankly, never looked back. After all, he gave us one of the greatest moments in Blue Jays history, which can be seen in the video below.