Blue Jays make mistake demoting Teoscar Hernandez

The Toronto Blue Jays informed outfielder Teoscar Hernandez yesterday that the aspiring major leaguer will not break camp with the big club and rather will begin the 2018 campaign with the herd in Buffalo.

Teoscar Hernandez has been a force to reckon with all spring training and deservedly should have been rewarded for his efforts. The 25-year old is currently hitting .365/.393/.712 with four round trippers and 15 runs batted in throughout 56 Grapefruit League plate appearances.

The outfielder still strikes out at a less than ideal rate whiffing 17 times so far this spring offset by only three walks, however, he hits the cover off the ball when he makes contact. Obviously demoting Hernandez affords the Blue Jays another layer of outfield depth as Steve Pearce then remains with the squad.

The oft-injured Pearce is hitting .333 with one round-tripper and four ribbies in 32 spring plate appearances. However, as it currently stands the Jays are a better offensive team with Hernandez and Curtis Granderson platooning over Pearce. It is unknown if the Jays brain trust is currently shopping Pearce but he appears like an expendable commodity at this point.

Last season Pearce hit .252/.319/.438 with 13 homers in 92 games in his first season north of the border with the Blue Jays. A stat line Hernandez could surely duplicate in his sleep while providing better defense than the 34-year old Pearce.

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Hernandez will undoubtedly be the first player summoned from Buffalo in the event of an injury to any of the currently rostered outfielders. Anthony Alford was going to give Hernandez a run for his money this spring however he is dealing with a hamstring injury that derailed his Opening Day ambitions.

The Jays acquired both Hernandez and Nori Aoki from the Houston Astros in exchange for Francisco Liriano at the trade deadline last season, the transaction has the possibility to pay huge dividends for the Jays if Hernandez continues to produce.

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Hernandez has 12 career homers in 68 major league games with both the Jays and Astros, he will certainly add to that total in 2018 when he finally gets the call for good. His current production would suggest that call will come sooner than later.