Bo Bichette’s First Five Years in the Blue Jays System – Path to Stardom

TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 29: Bo Bichette #11 of the Toronto Blue Jays runs the bases on his home run in the eighth inning against the New York Yankees at Rogers Centre on September 29, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 29: Bo Bichette #11 of the Toronto Blue Jays runs the bases on his home run in the eighth inning against the New York Yankees at Rogers Centre on September 29, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
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Blue Jays
TORONTO, ON – OCTOBER 02: Bo Bichette #11 of the Toronto Blue Jays bats during a MLB game against the Baltimore Orioles at Rogers Centre on October 2, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)

2017 (Age 19)

The following spring, Bichette was sent to Michigan to play with Toronto’s Class-A affiliate, the Lansing Lugnuts.  It didn’t take him long to adjust to the higher level, to put it mildly.  At mid-season he was leading the league in hits, runs, and OPS and was named an All-Star. He slashed .384/.448/.623 with 32 doubles, 10 home runs, and 51 RBI in 70 games for Lansing before being promoted to the High-A Dunedin Blue Jays in early July. With Dunedin, he proceeded to hit .323 with four home runs, 23 RBI, and 10 stolen bases over 40 games.  At season end, he was named the Midwest League’s MVP, Prospect of the Year, and a Postseason All-Star.  Notably, his combined .362 batting average led all of Minor League Baseball, and made him the first teenager to lead the minors in hitting since Gil Torres did so in 1963.

Blue Jays
Oct 3, 2021; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette (11) reaches for but misses a ball hit for a single by Baltimore Orioles second baseman Pat Valaika (not shown) in the eighth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

2018 (Age 20)

Bo continued to roll after joining the Jays’ AA affiliate New Hampshire Fisher Cats for the 2018 campaign, leading the league in runs, doubles, and triples, and finishing third in RBI and second in stolen bases with 32.  Playing alongside Vladimir Guerrero Jr., team MVP Cavan Biggio, Jordan Romano, and Lourdes Guerriel Jr. at various points of the season, Bichette won an Eastern League championship with the Fisher Cats as the team claimed its first title in its franchise history.  For the season, Bo slashed .286/.343/.453 and set the single season doubles record for the Fisher Cats with 43.

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