Blue Jays well represented in Arizona Fall League
The Toronto Blue Jays will send six players to the Arizona Fall League including the trio of Vladimir Guerrero Jr, Bo Bichette, and Cavan Biggio.
The Surprise Saguaros will have a contingent of players from not only the Blue Jays but the St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers for the upcoming fall season.
The squad will be managed by Canadian Stubby Clapp who was just named the Pacific Coast League Manager of the Year for the second year in a row. Clapp could be in line for a managerial position in the majors in 2019 and would be a perfect fit for the Blue Jays should John Gibbons vacate the position this offseason.
Joining Vladdy, Bo and Biggio in the desert will be pitchers Jackson McClelland, Shawn Morimando and Zach Jackson. Former Blue Jays farmhands Conner Greene and Lane Thomas who are now both members of the Cardinals organization will also suit up for the Surprise.
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McClelland has struggled this season after an impressive 2017 campaign in which he posted a 1.34 earned run average in 45 games. The 24-year old boasts an inflated 4.54 earned run average in 37 relief appearances between Dunedin and New Hampshire this season.
Shawn Morimando was released by the Indians organization earlier this season after a rough start to the season. The southpaw has spent time between Buffalo and the Jays rookie league affiliate making seven combined starts since joining the Jays. Morimando sports a 5.14 earned run average in three starts with the herd.
Zach Jackson has impressed in 42 relief appearances with the Fisher Cats posting a 2.52 earned run average while fanning 72 batters in 60.2 innings of work.
The offensive-minded Guerrero, Bichette, and Biggio should be the straw that stirs the Saguaros drink this fall. All three players have had impressive campaigns respectively thus far. Biggio has paced the Fisher Cats with 26 homers while his teammate Bichette has 32 stolen bases to go along with his 11 round trippers.
Guerrero’s epic season has been well publicized as the slugger is currently hitting .382 on the season and on the fast track to superstardom.
Tons of interesting storylines could develop from that contingent of fall talent this fall. Definitely something worth keeping an eye on.