Blue Jays: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Jordan Romano grab Canadian honour

Toronto Blue Jays prospects Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Jordan Romano were the recipients of some Canadian hardware handed out yesterday for their efforts in 2018.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. continues to add to his impressive trophy shelf winning the Randall Echlin Award as the Top Canadian Offensive Minor League Player of the Year. Although a native of the Dominican Republic, Guerrero was born in Montreal during his father’s playing days with the Expos.

The top ranked prospect in baseball enjoyed a season for the ages hitting .381/.437/.636 with 136 hits and 20 round trippers in 95 games split mostly between Double-A New Hampshire and Triple-A Buffalo. The 19-year old is currently suiting up for the Surprise Saguaros of the Arizona Fall League and has six hits including four doubles in his first two contests of the fall.

Guerrero is a career .331/.414/.529 hitter with 341 hits and 41 homers in 276 games spanning over three minor league campaigns. The uber prospect will undoubtedly make his MLB debut in 2019, the million dollar question is whether or not Vladdy will break camp out of Dunedin and head north with the team.

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Past Canadian winners of the Randall Echlin award include Tyler O’Neill, Dalton Pompey and Brett Lawrie.

Jordan Romano was also named the Top Canadian Minor League Pitcher of the Year along with Guerrero yesterday. The 25-year old Markham, Ontario native was 12-8 with a 4.11 earned run average in 26 minor league starts in 2018.

Romano spent the entire season with the Double-A Fisher Cats, minus one start he made for the Bisons. In his only Triple-A start he surrendered just two runs scattered over five innings for the herd. The hurler sports a career 23-16 stat line with a respectable 3.31 earned run average in 82 career minor league games on the bump.

There is no shortage of quality Canadian talent in the Blue Jays farm system from the likes of Pompey to Andrew Case, Connor Panas, Tanner Kirwer, Demi Orimoloye and Will McAffer to name a few of the Canucks honing their craft in the minors.