Toronto Blue Jays: New Generation Vs. Their MLB Fathers
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Vs Vladimir Guerrero Sr.
Last year a 19-year-old Vlad Guerrero Jr ascended three levels of minor league baseball, going from Dunedin all the way up to Buffalo and never looking out of place. The general consensus #1 prospect in all of baseball made quick work of opposing pitchers and dominated offensive statistical categories at will. Just this week Vladimir Guererro Jr was ranked the #1 prospect on our Jays Journal top prospects for 2019.
His father Vladimir Guerrero Sr was not as quick to jump the minor league levels in his day. The former nine-time All-Star played rookie-ball at 19, and Single-A in his 20-year-old season. However, Vlad Sr. did make up for lost time in his 1995 season in Single-A by posting monster numbers comparable to those of Vlad Jr’s 2018 season:
Minor League Comparison:
VLAD JR 2018 A/AA/AAA(19): 357AB, 67R, 136H, 20HR, 78 RBI, .381AVG .437OBP, 3SB
VLAD SR 1995 A (20): 421AB, 77R, 140H, 16HR, 63RBI, .333AVG .383OBP, 12SB
The next season in 1996, Vladimir Guerrero Sr would make his Montreal Expos debut at 21 years old. His son Vladimir Guerrero Jr will likely see the majors a year earlier than his father did at 20, and when you compare their minor league numbers it’s hard not to salivate at the thought of Vlad Jr turning into the player his father was. Guerrero Jr won’t have the speed his father did, which is represented by less minor league steals for Jr. last season. However, Guerrero Jr. makes up for his lack of speed with higher power numbers, including an increased HR, and RBI totals, with a higher average and OBP than his father had.