Blue Jays: Former players and how they are doing since the trade deadline

The Toronto Blue Jays didn’t make the flashiest moves at the 2022 trade deadline but the moves they did make are having an impact at the big league level this year.

Anthony Bass has been excellent in the Blue Jays bullpen, finding himself in the later innings alongside Yimi Garcia as a shut-down reliever while his counterpart Zach Pop is also finding some success with Toronto, albeit a brief stint in Buffalo due to the numbers game.

Whit Merrifield has utilized his speed on the basepaths and defensively while also coming up with some clutch plays and hits since being brought aboard while Mitch White has made some important starts/appearances for the Jays with Yusei Kikuchi being moved to the bullpen.

The Blue Jays made a few deals at the trade deadline earlier this summer. Let’s look at how the former players are doing with their new clubs.

Overall, the moves the Jays made at the deadline did make the team better. Although fans seemed initially disappointed in the deals or potentially with how their playoff rivals improved with their transactions, many have changed their minds and are impressed with the results as of right now. What’s great about these deals is the impact past the 2022 season, as every player acquired either has contract options or team control past this offseason, meaning the Jays’ competitive window over the next year or two (and beyond) will have some of these players in the mix.

That being said, all of the deals the Jays made at the deadline involved prospects or fringe MLB players, with the Jays dipping into their top prospect pool to get the Miami Marlins deal done. Considering the traded deadline was just over a month and a half ago, let’s take a quick look and see how these former Blue Jays are doing with their new organizations.

Jordan Groshans -SS/3B

Traded to the Miami Marlins in exchange for RHP Anthony Bass and RHP Zach Pop

At the time of the deal, Jordan Groshans was the fourth-ranked prospect and had been in the Blue Jays system since being drafted in the first round of the 2018 MLB Draft. An ankle injury in 2019 and the COVID-19 pandemic hampered his progression but Groshans put together a strong 2021 campaign at the plate and had spent all of this season in AAA with the Buffalo Bisons.

With the Bisons, Groshans split his time between shortstop and third base and crafted a .250/.348/.296 slash line with one home run and 24 RBI through 240 at-bats. His .644 OPS was down from his previous seasons but he had a strong eye at the plate, walking 35 times compared to 46 strikeouts.

After the trade, Groshans spent just under a month and a half with the Marlins AAA affiliate in Jacksonville and was hitting the ball well, crafting a .304 batting average through 113 at-bats with two home runs and 10RBI. The Marlins called him up to the big league roster on September 13th with Avisail Garcia heading to the IL and so far, the righty batter is making the most of the opportunity.

The Texas product has gone 6 for 17 so far, adding one walk compared to five strikeouts. He also has his first Major League home run out of the way off Phillies starter Noah Syndergaard, with his family in attendance and his brother’s reaction making all the highlight reels. The club has him playing third base right now, which was likely his route to the Majors if he stayed with the Blue Jays had he stayed given Matt Chapman is free agent eligible after next season and Bo Bichette doesn’t appear to be going anywhere for the next few seasons.

He appears to be settling in just fine with his new organization.

Max Castillo – RHP

Traded to the Kansas City Royals as part of the package for UTIL Whit Merrifield

Right-hander Max Castillo was one player who really impressed Blue Jays fans this season, as the Venezualan started the year in AA but progressed rather quickly to the Buffalo Bisons after just six starts. Castillo would then make a few starts in Buffalo before making his MLB debut on June 19th out of the bullpen, allowing two solo home runs in his first inning of work.

Over the next month and a half, Castillo flirted with the rotation and the bullpen while riding the options train a few times for the Blue Jays. At the big league level, the 23-year-old amassed a 3.05 ERA through nine games (two starts) while allowing five walks and striking out 20 to the tune of a 4.41 FIP. He also limited batters to a .197 batting average and had a 63% strike-throwing rate.

Max Castillo and his time with Kansas City

At the time of the trade, Castillo was back down in AAA and the Royals also had him report to their AAA affiliate as well, where he remained until August 18th and made a spot start against the Rays, going five innings while allowing one earned run (solo home run) off three hits while striking out three. He would go back down to AAA days later and made another spot start for the Royals back on September 4th against the Detroit Tigers, going 4.2 innings and allowing just two earned runs with five strikeouts. In the Royals AAA system, Castillo has struggled through six appearances, allowing 20 earned runs through 20.1 innings.

It seems like the Royals don’t have a specific role in mind for the right-hander so far this season but it wouldn’t be surprising if next season the club moves him into the bullpen or potentially into a full rotation spot. Considering the Jays are struggling with their fifth starter right now, moving Castillo might be one trade Ross Atkins would want back right now.

Samad Taylor – 2B/OF

Traded to the Kansas City Royals as part of the package for UTIL Whit Merrifield

Heading with Castillo to Kansas City was second baseman/outfielder Samad Taylor, who finished the 2021 campaign as the Blue Jays’ #15th ranked prospect.

Acquired as part of the 2017 trade deadline acquisition that sent reliever Joe Smith to Cleveland, Taylor has worked his way through the Jays organization ever since. This year, Taylor was assigned to AAA and through 70 games, the righty batter slashed .258/.337/.426 with nine home runs and 45 RBI, stealing 23 bases while hitting to a .763 OPS.

Defensively, Taylor split his time between second base (39 games) and left field (25), earning a .987 and a 1.000 fielding percentage respectively, adding one assist while working in the outfield.

Taylor has not appeared in a game since July 13th when he was with the Buffalo Bisons and has been on the IL ever since and did not appear in a game with the Omaha Storm Chasers. He appears that he will be heading to the Arizona Fall League as he was named to the Surprise Saguaros roster earlier this week.

It will be interesting to see what the Royals do with Taylor, as he is Rule 5 eligible this offseason. He was technically eligible last offseason as well before the draft was cancelled due to the CBA negotiations. A strong AFL showing will definitely help with his draft case for a shot in the MLB but he has struggled with swing and miss in his game over the past few years, although he did improve these stats this season with Buffalo.

It should also be noted that Taylor should technically be eligible for Minor League free agency this offseason under MLB Rule 9, as the 2022 campaign was his seventh season in the MiLB after starting his pro career with Cleveland in 2016. I don’t believe this changed in the most recent CBA at least and should still require a minimum of seven years of MiLB service. 

Nick Frasso – RHP

Traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers as part of the package for RHP Mitch White and INF Alex De Jesus

Drafted in the fourth round of the abbreviated 2020 MLB Draft, right-hander Nick Frasso had a rough start to his professional career.

After just three outings in Single-A Dunedin in 2021, Frasso headed to the IL and missed the rest of the season after undergoing surgery to repair his UCL, not undergoing the traditional Tommy John surgery we are accustomed to seeing. He started the 2022 campaign on the IL still recovering from the surgery and made his first appearance on May 14th back in Single-A. He made four starts there before being moved to High-A Vancouver, crafting a 0.82 ERA through three starts and 11.0 innings combined, hitting triple digits with his fastball and striking out 15.

Nick Frasso traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers

He would be dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers as part of the package at the deadline for right-hander Mitch White, with the Dodgers sending him to High-A. Frasso spent just under a month there (two starts) before being moved to AA Tulsa, where he continues to keep starting games. The California product has posted a 5.40 ERA through four starts, pitching two clean outings while allowing seven earned runs through his two other starts combined.

Frasso is not Rule 5 eligible until next offseason and is currently ranked as the Dodgers #18th prospect with an estimated MLB ETA of 2024. Could Frasso be one prospect the Blue Jays will regret trading away? We will have to wait and see.

Jeremy Beasley – RHP

Acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks in mid-April of last season, Jeremy Beasley rode the options bus for the majority of his Blue Jays career.

Over the course of two seasons, Beasley appeared in 17 games and pitched to a 5.92 ERA with 11 games finished, appearing in 24.1 innings at the big league level. He crafted an 11.8 K/9 but was mostly used in non-stressful situations, usually to help eat innings and then be sent back down to the Minor Leagues when needed.

Blue Jays trade Jeremy Beasley to the Pittsburgh Pirates

Beasley was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates for cash considerations and at the time, the right-hander was pitching in AAA Buffalo.

The Pirates moved him to their AAA affiliate and he has not appeared in a game for the Indianapolis Indians since the trade and was moved to the IL on August 16th.