Blue Jays Spring Training Notes: Mar. 2, 2019

Blue Jays spring training news and notes from March 2, 2019, including the reassignment of a catcher to minor league camp and a clue as to who will start the season in left field.

Blue Jays Reassign Mineo to MiLB Camp

According to Keegan Matheson of Baseball Toronto, the Blue Jays are re-assigning catcher Alberto Mineo to minor league camp. He was invited to the team’s major league camp on February 14 and has not appeared in a spring training game yet.

Mineo, 24, appeared in 57 games for the High-A Dunedin Blue Jays in 2018, slashing a healthy .294/.377/.406 while adding two home runs, 23 RBI and 14 doubles in 197 at-bats.

Hernandez, McKinney Likely to “Platoon in Left”

Blue Jays radio broadcaster Ben Wagner tweets that Billy McKinney and Teoscar Hernandez are likely to platoon in left field during the 2019 season. In 2018, Hernandez (87) played the most games in left, while departed veteran Curtis Granderson (41) appeared in the second most.

McKinney, 24, played 26 games in left and 13 in right, slashing .252/.320/.470 and adding six home runs and 13 RBI. McKinney also briefly appeared at first base in Monday’s game.

Shoemaker Looked Solid in Spring Debut

New Blue Jays pitcher Matt Shoemaker looked solid in his spring debut, writes Matheson. Shoemaker sat comfortably within the 92-93 mph range and was consistently able to throw strikes.

In two innings, he allowed just a single hit (a home run to Jason Martin) and struck out one batter (Pablo Reyes) while getting “lots of ground ball contact.”

Adam Warren Signs with Padres

Right-handed pitcher Adam Warren, who was reportedly of interest to the Blue Jays earlier this week, has signed with the San Diego Padres, the team announced. Emily Waldon of The Athletic also adds that Warren’s deal comes with a host of performance based incentives.

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Warren, 31, pitched to an ERA of 3.14 in 51.2 innings in 2018. Mostly known for his tenure with the New York Yankees, Warren will earn $2.5 million guaranteed, per MLB Network’s Jon Heyman.

Riley Adams Joins Big League Camp

Wagner also adds that catcher Riley Adams, who spent the 2018 season with Dunedin, has been invited to major league camp. In 99 games, Adams, 22, slashed .246/.352/.361 with four home runs, 43 RBI and three stolen bases in 409 plate appearances.

A third-round draft pick in 2017, Adams spent the 2017 season with the Vancouver Canadians and was described by Ian Hunter as one of the organization’s “most promising catching prospects.”

Carlos Gomez Signs with Mets

Outfielder Carlos Gomez, who Blue Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman singled out as a veteran who he’d like to join the organization, has signed a minor-league contract with the New York Mets, per SNY’s Andy Martino.

Gomez, 33, spent the 2018 season with the Tampa Bay Rays, slashing .208/.298/.336 with nine home runs, 15 doubles and two triples in 360 at-bats.

Bud Norris’ Contract Includes Out, Per Report

According to Heyman, Bud Norris’ contract with the Blue Jays includes an “out” on March 21, most likely to allow Norris to pursue other opportunities if he’s told he won’t make the major league roster out of spring training.

Norris, who spent the 2018 season with the St. Louis Cardinals, will be joining his sixth franchise in the last five years. In 2018, he pitched to an ERA of 3.59 in 57.2 frames, striking out 67 and walking 21 in 64 appearances.

Andy Burns Signing Made Official

The Blue Jays have made the previously reported MiLB signing of INF/OF Andy Burns official, per the team’s MLB.com transactions page. Burns tweeted that he would be rejoining the organization on Feb 6.

Burns, 28, spent the 2018 season with Korea’s Lotte Giants, slashing .303/.361/.499 with 15 home runs, 57 RBI and 38 doubles in 116 games. He played in the Blue Jays’ minor-league system from 2011 to 2016.