Toronto Blue Jays 2018 Top Prospects: #23 Reese McGuire

Reese McGuire is a name that’ll soon be known to Jays fans everywhere.  This young and athletic catcher became a member of the Jays organization in August 2016.  That summer Toronto’s Drew Hutchinson was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for pitcher Francisco Liriano, and prospects Harold Ramirez and McGuire.

Name: Reese Jackson McGuire

Position:  Catcher             Age: 22

Height: 5’11”                    Weight:  215 lbs

Throws:  Right                   Bats:  Left

Acquired: Trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates (Francisco Liriano trade)

In 2013 McGuire was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1^st round, 14^th overall.  He was sent to the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League where he impressed fans and critics alike with his dominant and strong numbers.  In 46 games with the Gulf Coast Pirates, he hit .330 with 21 RBI.  He started the 2014 season in single A baseball playing for the West Virginia Power, where he appeared in 98 games, hitting for an average of .262 with 45 RBI and three HR.

2015 saw McGuire remain steadfast and consistent in the numbers he put up while in single A (98 games, .254 AVG, 34 RBI and 14 stolen bases).  He was assigned to the Pirates Double A team, the Altoona Curve, in 2016 where he played 77 games (.259 AVG, 37 RBI, one HR) before being traded to Toronto.

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McGuire finished the 2016 season as a member of the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the Jays Double A affiliate team.  Unfortunately the wear and tear of being a catcher can cause havoc to one’s body and McGuire was no exception.  In 2017, Reese only played in 45 games due to injuries but he made those games count; McGuire finished the season with an impressive .295 AVG, six HR and 28 RBI.

With the 2018 season starting in just over two months, the Jays are desperate to find additional support behind the plate.  Their every day catcher, Russell Martin, turns 35 in February, making the need for additional help even more prevalent than it was before.  McGuire can not only hit for power and consistency, but his defensive skills are something to be admired.  In 2017, he threw out a stellar 34% of base stealers and in the previous year, he posted a mark of 39%.  In 2016, McGuire had a total of three passed balls in 747.1 innings, compared to Martin who had nine in 1069.1 innings that same year.  This 22 year old born and raised in Seattle is a solid and reliable candidate to play alongside Martin in this intense, yet powerful position.

The plethora of catchers that came up last season from the minors all yielded the same results – low averages.  Thankfully McGuire doesn’t have that issue, and hopefully he can take that with him to the big leagues when he eventually arrives.  What he does have is depth, agility and power.  He can hit, run and contribute to the score.  He’s what the Jays need for the 2018 season.  If Reese remains healthy and puts up strong numbers in Spring Training, it should go without saying that he be sent to Toronto and put in a Jays uniform when the season begins on March 29^th.

Top-30 Blue Jays Prospect Rankings:
#30: OF Jonathan Davis    #29: OF Harold Ramirez  #28: OF Joshua Palacios      #27: 1B/OF Ryan Noda #26: SS Kevin Smith #25: OF Roemon Fields                  #24: SP Angel Perdomo

Next: Devon Travis could be the difference maker in 2018