Blue Jays: Greg Bird could have a role on the big league roster

The Blue Jays could use a left-handed bat for their big league roster, and they have an option already in the organization.

By no means am I suggesting that the Jays should plan for Greg Bird to be a big part of their MLB roster in 2022, but I think it’s entirely possible that it could happen. The 29 year old signed a MiLB deal with the Blue Jays not long before the lockout ended, and he’ll be in a battle to try and break camp with the team. As things stand right now, he’s got a pretty decent shot at it.

The Blue Jays could very well add one or more players to the organization before Opening Day, but right now they’re likely still looking for a bench bat or two. In the era of 26-man rosters, most teams carry 13 position players, as the Blue Jays did for most of the 2021 campaign.

At the moment the group that would be all but guaranteed a roster spot would include Vladimir Guerrero Jr., George Springer, Bo Bichette, Teoscar Hernandez, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Matt Chapman, Cavan Biggio, Danny Jansen, Alejandro Kirk, Santiago Espinal, and Randal Grichuk, for a total of 11 players. It’s possible that the Jays keep three catchers and use Kirk as more of a DH, which could mean that Reese McGuire makes the team as well.

If the lineup works the way I picture it in my head, the bench will be made up of Grichuk, Espinal, and McGuire, with room for one more. Each of those three could see semi-regular playing time as well, although I don’t know that I’d guaranteed McGuire’s place with this team just yet. In either scenario, I’d argue that there’s a bench spot available, and ideally it would be someone who could add a threat from the left side.

Bird hasn’t reached the potential that led many to believe he’d be the first baseman of the future for the Yankees, but he still has a chance to change the narrative before his career is done, and he’s only 29 years old. Last season he hit the ball very well in Triple-A while in the Rockies’ organization, slashing .267/.362/.532 with 27 home runs, 21 doubles, and 91 RBI over 112 games that amounted to 393 at-bats. That’s pretty impressive production, and he surely would have received a big league opportunity if not for the presence of C.J. Cron in Colorado last year, and the fact that the universal DH hadn’t started yet.

It wouldn’t be a huge role waiting for Bird with the way the roster has been put together, but I could see the need for some late-inning pinch hitting for guys like Jansen and Espinal when facing a tough right-hander, and another player capable of giving Vlad Jr. a day off his feet at first base is nice to have as well.

My guess is that the Blue Jays will look to add another player to the roster before Opening Day, and whether or not that happens could have a big impact on Bird’s big league prospects to start the season. In a worst case, having him around as depth on a MiLB deal is certainly a plus, and don’t be surprised if he gets a chance at the highest level. If everything goes right for him, he could be a quietly valuable bat to have kicking around.