Blue Jays: Things to keep an eye on in Spring Training

With the lockout officially over and free agency back underway, all roads lead to spring training, where the Blue Jays will have a lot to figure out. With the signing of Yusei Kikuchi, the rotation seems more solidified, but the pitching staff is still far from certain, and the infield still has multiple positions up for grabs. The outfield may have three guys who seem to be locked in to start a full season but there’s still some uncertainty surrounding its depth, so that position group is also far from certain.

The team has made it clear that they want to contend for a World Series in 2022, and Spring Training is the start of that journey. This team is loaded with young talent and many of them, including Vladimir Guerrero Jr and Bo Bichette, have only played one full season at the major league level, so this year’s pre-season feels particularly important for them. The shortened Spring Training will also be important for the players who’ve been brought in from free agency to see where they fit within the team, or whether they’ll be on the roster come opening day. Add in players that could potentially be acquired as we draw closer to the season, and they’ll be plenty to look for down in Florida.

From the front office to the coaching staff, there’s plenty for the Blue Jays to evaluate in the next month prior to returning to Toronto, but some will be more important than others. Here are five things that I think you should keep an eye on in Spring Training.