Prospects who could make their Blue Jays debut in 2022

While it doesn’t seem like the regular season will start on time with the ongoing CBA negotiations, there most likely will be an MLB season but potentially shortened from the regular 162 game schedule. Well, at least hopefully there will be some Blue Jays baseball this year (trying to be optimistic amongst the back and forth).

Everything considered, the Blue Jays have a few prospects who could be knocking on the MLB door at some point this season, whether it be for Opening Day or later on in the campaign. Some may not even with the Jays organization.

Zach Logue

A former ninth-round pick of the Blue Jays back in 2017, the Blue Jays decided to put southpaw Zach Logue on the 40-man roster in order to protect him from being selected in the Rule 5 Draft (that has not happened yet with the lockout but is most likely to resume once the season is a go).

Logue spent last season split between AA and AAA, finishing the campaign with a combined 3.67 ERA through 24 starts and one relief appearance. He tied Nick Allgeyer for the most starts with the Bisons (17) and in innings pitched (89.1) but posted better numbers, pitching to a 1.11 WHIP and limiting opponents to a .236 batting average.

Logue will most likely start this season down in AAA but could be a dark horse to make the rotation if he posts strong Spring Training numbers to steal the fifth spot or injuries befall the current rotation. It is more likely he makes his debut later in the year in either a spot start capacity or in the bullpen but the Ohio product is one name to watch this year amongst the Jays’ prospects in the higher levels of the minor leagues.

Bowden Francis

Acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers last season alongside reliever Trevor Richards, right-hander Bowden Francis found himself in AAA Buffalo and also on the Blue Jays top prospect list at #28.

He started the season in AA within the Brewers system but once traded to the Jays, he would make 14 appearances (13 starts) for the AAA Bisons, posting a 4.19 ERA with a 1.192 WHIP through 73.0 innings.

He did see a slight increase in his BB/9 to 3.8 (a full point higher than what he posted in AAA with the Brewers) and doubled his HR/9 to1.8 after joining the Jays organization. While some of these stats may be cause for concern, the Jays also decided to protect Bowden from the Rule 5 Draft and he is currently on the 40-man roster, which gives him an inside track over some other names on this list.

Similar to Logue, Francis is a longshot to make the Jays Opening Day roster but is a solid contender to be a midseason/late-season call-up if he can post solid numbers in 2022 down in AAA.

Joey Murray

Considered a contender to crack the Blue Jays roster last season, injury troubles kept Joey Murray contained to just 0.2 innings in the Florida Complex League where he gave up a home run and two walks in the brief appearance.

A starter in the Jays organization, Murray’s calling card is his high spin rate on his fastball, which keeps opposing hitters off balance due to the way it disappears before reaching home plate. Back in 2019, Murray struck out 169 batters across three different Jays’ affiliates, finishing the year in AA and posting a combined 2.75 ERA with a 1.121 WHIP and an 11.1 K/9. It will be interesting to see if the crackdown on “sticky stuff” will heavily impact that spin rate but it appears that the Ohio product has put the injuries behind him and should be ready to go come Spring Training (whenever it happens).

Currently ranked at #25, Murray was not protected by the Blue Jays and is subjected to the Rule 5 Draft, when/if it happens after a new CBA is in place. Another team may be willing to give him a shot at the big league level in a relief capacity given that he has swing and miss material but the Blue Jays front office is probably hoping the injury concerns will persuade teams to pass. It will also be interesting to see if the club keeps him as a starter after the injury troubles last year or move him to a relief capacity.

Whatever happens given the Rule 5 Draft, if Murray can stay healthy and continue using that elite spin rate this upcoming season, he should be Major League ready in 2022.

Graham Spraker

Relief pitcher Graham Spraker has silently posted solid numbers since being drafted by the Blue Jays in the 31st round of the 2017 MLB Draft.

He spent most of last season in AA with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, amassing a 2.74 ERA with 62 strikeouts through 42.2 innings of work, but it was his play in the Arizona Fall League that started to turn some heads. With the Mesa Solar Sox, Spraker did not allow an earned run through 11 appearences while limiting opposing batters to just four hits while striking out 17 and making the Fall League All-Star team.

The Toronto Blue Jays have a few prospects that could find themselves on the active roster sometime in 2022, that is if they are still with the club.

The Jays did not add the Arizona product to the 40-man roster and he could also be picked up by another team via the Rule 5 Draft after his impressive 2021 campaign. He does have some experience at AAA (two apperances and 7.1 innings total) but many players have been drafted without having appeared in the highest level of the minor leagues.

This is one player that could find himself on a Major League roster next season, whether it be with the Blue Jays or elsewhere, especially if he can pick up right where he left off last season.