Jays Journal
FanSided

Blue Jays: The All Time Drafted and Developed Team

By David Corcoran

TORONTO - APRIL 21: Alex Gonzalez #11 and Vernon Wells #10 of the Toronto Blue Jays celebrate Gonzalez's run against the Kansas City Royals during a MLB game at the Rogers Centre April 21, 2010 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Abelimages / Getty Images)
TORONTO - APRIL 21: Alex Gonzalez #11 and Vernon Wells #10 of the Toronto Blue Jays celebrate Gonzalez's run against the Kansas City Royals during a MLB game at the Rogers Centre April 21, 2010 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Abelimages / Getty Images) /
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ARLINGTON, TX – MAY 8: Shannon Stewart #24 of the Toronto Blue Jays stands at bat during the game against the Texas Rangers at the Ballpark in Arlington on May 8, 2003 in Arlington, Texas. The Blue Jays defeated the Rangers 8-6. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX – MAY 8: Shannon Stewart #24 of the Toronto Blue Jays stands at bat during the game against the Texas Rangers at the Ballpark in Arlington on May 8, 2003 in Arlington, Texas. The Blue Jays defeated the Rangers 8-6. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

Left Field: Shannon Stewart

If I were to select the most underrated Blue Jay in team history it would be the team’s first-round pick in 1992 in Shannon Stewart.  Stewart was drafted out of Miami Southridge High School as the 19th overall pick that draft.

After being drafted, Stewart played at every level over the course of six seasons and got better at each level he climbed.  As Stewart advanced, the Blue Jays were really taking notice of their outfield prospect who had a ton of speed.  In 1995, they tried to jump Stewart straight from AA to the major leagues as a September call-up, but after batting just .211 on 38 at-bats he would start the next season in AAA Syracuse.

The next season Stewart would get even better in AAA and again earn a September call-up, but again would struggle in limited time and would again start 1997 in AAA.  The now soon to be 22-year old looked to be on a mission in Syracuse as he batted .346 with a .456 OBP over 58 games.  In August that year, Stewart would be recalled for good.  In the final 42 games of the year, he batted .286 with 10 stolen bases.

In his first full season in 1998, Stewart recorded a .279 batting average with 44 extra-base hits, an incredible 51 stolen bases, and a strikeout to walk ratio right around 1:1.  The season would mark the only full season that Stewart would play in a Toronto uniform where he would bat under .300.  In 2000, Stewart would have his best season finishing with 43 doubles, 5 triples, 21 home runs, and 20 stolen bases all while batting .319.

Stewart is second in franchise history in batting average (.298) trailing only Roberto Alomar while playing over 200 more games than the Hall of Famer.  He is also fifth in stolen bases, seventh in hits and sixth in doubles.

In 2003, with the Blue Jays third in the division and nine games back of first, they traded Stewart to the Minnesota Twins for Bobby Kielty, who they flipped that offseason for Ted Lilly.  In that final season in Toronto that he split with the Twins, he finished fourth in the AL MVP voting behind winner Alex Rodriguez, along with Jorge Posada and teammate Carlos Delgado.

Honorable Mention: Reed Johnson

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