Toronto Blue Jays: Farm-Roots Series; Moreno & Vicuna

For the first time in a long time, Minor League Baseball has returned.  The Toronto Blue Jays have a farm system filled with talent, eager to show out to their employer.  Let’s have a look at 2 guys whom fans can hopefully see at the Dome in a few years.

Blue Jays, Gabriel Moreno, Catcher (New Hampshire Fisher Cats, AA)

I’ve written about this kid before and will continue to string along the hype.

Gabriel Moreno, a catcher in the Blue Jays organization currently ranked on the top 30 Blue Jays prospect list.  The international signee of 2016 is currently looked at to be a promising first-string catcher in the next few years.  On Tuesday, May 4th, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats opened the season against the Portland Seadogs club, grabbing an 11-2 victory.  Moreno went 3 for 4, walked once, driving in 2 RBI on 3 hits, accounting for 3 of the 11 Fisher Cats runs.

This kid is the pinnacle of an offensive catcher.  His defensive fundamentals have been developing, and his bat is hot.  My scouting report on Moreno define his player strength as: “Moreno is built athletically as a shortstop and has transferred those strengths over as a catcher.  He is quick on his feet, with working twitch reactions and “fidgety”, making for a coachable defensive catcher.  His IQ is high, great interpersonal communications with his pitchers”.  Let’s add a reliable bat, good pitch recognition, and hit for contact type catcher to this report.

We’ll keep an eye on Moreno as the MiLB season continues; he could be a fast-track prospect!

Blue Jays, Kevin Vicuna, Shortstop (New Hampshire Fisher Cats, AA)

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Kevin Vicuna signed as an international free agent out of Venezuela by the Jays in 2014.  The AA starting shortstop is 6”0 sitting 140lbs, doing everything from the right side, lean, agile with quick feet, and always on his toes.  Vicuna is known for his speed and ability to cover the hole at the shortstop position.  He has a career average of .263, starting in the DSL Blue Jays designation in 2015, and working through the organizational ranks up until his current 2021 promotion, AA New Hampshire.  Although he may not be a home run machine, his key is base on balls, with a career on-base percentage of .325.  The kid has speed; he hits 8th in the current AA lineup, creating a speedy turnover with Samad Taylor under him and Austin Martin at the top spot.

Vicuna will be one to watch for his development; definitely an organizational player with value.  In the recent Fisher Cats victory, Vicuna went 2 for 6 with 2 RBI’s and coming across to score once.  Another set of runs to put the Cats on top of the Seadogs 11-2.

Stay tuned for more coverage on the farm system, via Blue Jays Farm-Roots Series.