Blue Jays: Building blocks on the current big league roster

The Blue Jays look like they may have some rebuilding to do this offseason, which then begs the question: Of those currently under contract, who should they build around?

Another day and another loss for the Blue Jays, who just can’t seem to solve Tropicana Field and their away games against the Tampa Bay Rays. It drops the Blue Jays record to an ugly 30-37, and another step further behind the competition in the playoff race.

I’m not normally one who likes to focus on the standings so much this early in the year, but even through their struggles last season the Blue Jays were in a better position to contend than they are now. Other than their four game sweep of the Baltimore Orioles, this has been one of the worst teams in baseball. It’s surprising given how much talent there is on paper, but baseball can be funny that way sometimes.

Unless they can catch some serious fire, and in short order, Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins are going to become sellers at this year’s deadline. I even wrote an article yesterday talking about some of the players that could be dealt who are more than just rental players. I count myself among the more optimistic fans that I see around this team, but I’m also a realist and I think it’s time to start shifting focus pretty soon here.

If this group isn’t going to get it done on the diamond, then obviously you start building and focusing on the next generation of this team. That will undoubtedly include minor league stars like Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette, and probably others like Anthony Alford and Kevin Smith. There are plenty of other talents that should make an impact as well, such as Danny Jansen, and probably Cavan Biggio too. I could go on, and that’s part of the reason that the Blue Jays may start building more toward this group than their current roster.

There is going to be a solid core in the future, especially when it comes to position players, and Blue Jays fans should take some solace in knowing that exciting days shouldn’t be far behind, even if this season has been a big disappointment. What isn’t yet known however, is who might be around for that next generation of players when they arrive. There are veterans like Russell Martin, Troy Tulowitzki, and others who could still be under contract when they are promoted, but that doesn’t mean they’ll still be on the roster by then either.

What I’m really curious about is who the Blue Jays might see as future building blocks for this team, out of the group that is currently on the big league roster. To me, a building block in this case doesn’t have to be a star player necessarily, but rather someone that the team can count on as a viable piece for the foreseeable future.

Here’s how I see things as the currently stand.