Blue Jays morning brew: Photo day, Drabek, Snider & more

Your Toronto Blue Jays news and notes for Thursday, Feb 23rd, 2016.

Blue Jays Photo day

The Blue Jays are well under way in Dunedin for Spring Training 2017. On Tuesday, several of the Blue Jays photos for the upcoming season started popping up on Twitter and elsewhere.

Some photos were of the more serious variety, and then of course there were several more taken in a different vain. With some of the characters in the clubhouse, it wasn’t going to be all business.

Here are a couple of my favourites.

Ever since his appearance on Jimmy Fallon this offseason, I can’t help but laugh every time I see Joe Biagini.

Former Blue Jay, Kyle Drabek, in camp with the Rangers… as an infielder

In one of the biggest trades the Blue Jays have ever made, they sent ace pitcher, Roy Halladay to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2009 in exchange for Michael Taylor, Travis d’Arnaud, and pitcher Kyle Drabek. All three were considered promising prospects at the time, perhaps highlighted by Drabek, the son of a former NL Cy Young winner, Doug Drabek.

Fast forward to 2017, and the trade didn’t exactly work out as the Blue Jays had hoped. That said, Taylor was flipped for Brett Wallace, who was flipped for Anthony Gose, who was eventually traded for Devon Travis, so that could have been a lot worse. d’Arnaud was used in the trade that brought R.A. Dickey to the Jays, but he’s struggled to establish himself in the majors with the Mets.

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Perhaps the most disappointing part the trade was the production of Kyle Drabek. He was arguably the top piece in the deal at the time, and had the look and pedigree of a future staff ace. He spent some time in the Blue Jays rotation, before under-going a second Tommy John surgery, and eventually being claimed by the White Sox on waivers in the spring of 2015.

Drabek would continue his struggles with the White Sox, before moving on to the Diamondbacks organization in 2016. From 2015-16, the former first round pick only threw 7.1 big league innings.

Still just 29 years old, Drabek has decided to continue to pursue the MLB dream, only now, he’s trying his hand as a middle infielder.

He may have been drafted and developed as a pitcher, but Drabek was a two-position star in high school and is hoping to extend his career in a new way.

Travis Snider in Rangers’ camp too

In addition to Drabek, Travis Snider is in the Texas Rangers camp on a MiLB deal and will hope to turn his career around as well.

Snider was a first round pick for the Blue Jays in 2006, and looked to be a future franchise cornerstone. Unfortunately for both parties, Snider was unable to develop into the hitter many thought he would be, and he’s bounced around as a 4th outfielder/AAA depth player for the last few seasons.

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