Blue Jays: Sure, call up Cavan Biggio, but where does he play?

Cavan Biggio is tearing up Triple-A right now, and while there is a call for him to get promoted to the Blue Jays, it could be tough to give him regular playing time.

We’ve been talking quite a bit about how the Blue Jays have a suddenly enviable collection of infielders, with depth playing well at the big league level and another rung in Triple-A that are pushing for a promotion.

In Toronto the Blue Jays currently have Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Justin Smoak, and Rowdy Tellez to handle the infield corners, and a combination of Freddy Galvis, Brandon Drury, Eric Sogard, and Alen Hanson to cover things at the keystone. It’s not a list of All-Stars, but right now this group is getting things done, winning nine of their last twelve, lead largely by the outstanding play of guys like Sogard and Drury.

Charlie Montoyo has to be pleased that his young roster is starting to put things together, and you can’t blame him for riding the hot hands that he’s got available to him. Even now that Galvis is back and healthy, someone out of the above-mentioned group of players is going to have to sit in order to get him into the lineup, which again, is a good problem to have.

More from Jays Journal

• Matt Chapman has been exactly what the Blue Jays needed
• Blue Jays: The goalposts are moving in the right direction
• Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays advance to the Championship Series
• Blue Jays: Comparisons for Alek Manoah’s Second Season
• Blue Jays: Adam Cimber, the unlikely decision King

I’m bringing this up again because there are many Blue Jays fans and several in the media that are pushing for a promotion for Cavan Biggio, who is tearing things up with Triple-A Buffalo right now. He’s coming off an MVP season in Double-A in the Eastern League, and he’s taken it up another notch with his early performance at the highest rung of the minor leagues.

He entered Monday’s game slashing .348/.470/.530 with three home runs, and 10 RBI in just 66 at-bats, and he added a huge blast to his total for his fourth of the campaign. He’d end up going 1-3 in the game with two RBI’s on the home run, but he also took his 17th walk. That’s a lot of free passes already, and it’s also one more than the 16 strikeouts he’s accumulated so far, which is a great sign.

https://twitter.com/MLBPipeline/status/1122995889319153665

There shouldn’t be any talk of service time manipulation for someone like Biggio, as he’s a different prospect than guys like Guerrero Jr. or even Bo Bichette. He’s already 24 years old, having played college ball before joining the minor league ranks, and the Blue Jays would already have control of his contract beyond his 30th birthday. If he’s ready, there’s no reason to hold him back.

Except for the fact that the Blue Jays will want him to be getting everyday at-bats wherever he’s stationed, and right now that could be a tough task for Montoyo in Toronto. He has the options I’ve already mentioned, and there are also guys like Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Richard Urena who could use a roster spot at some point. One could argue that Biggio could take over for Socrates Brito or Alen Hanson’s roster spot, but that wouldn’t mean he’d be a regular starter, which is the bigger question.

For now, Biggio may have to “toil” in Buffalo for a little while longer, and perhaps either wait for an injury to happen, or maybe a trade from the big league roster before he gets his opportunity. The Blue Jays may be able to find room for him on the 40 man roster, but until they can make room for him in the everyday lineup, I’m guessing he stays put. I also hope I’m wrong.