4 Blue Jays prospects who need to be called up next

Rafael Lantigua

In some respects, you can make the argument Rafael Lantigua is underrated. Regardless, it's becoming harder and harder to ignore what he's doing in the Minors for the Blue Jays.

Lantigua got his first taste of Triple-A last season, playing 42 games with the Bisons. He showed plenty of potential with his bat, as evidenced by a .286/.346/.373 slash line and .748 OPS.

One of the main questions however, was if the 25-year-old could produce at such a consistent rate over a longer period of time. The answer has been an emphatic 'yes' in 2023, with him actually being even more productive.

Lantigua has an excellent .295/.418/.464 slash line and .882 OPS through 118 Triple-A appearances. In the process, he's proven to be one of the offensive leaders in Buffalo this year.

In this respect, the right-handed bat leads the Bisons in RBI, doubles and walks, while also being second in hits and homers. (He is also second in steals.) He might be diminutive in size, but he's a monster at the plate.

Defensively, like Barger and Martinez, Lantigua's importance and allure is increased due to his versatility. Helped by his speed, this season he has played all three outfield positions, as well as every infield position save for first base.

The projections have Barger and Martinez slated for a call-up to the Majors first. However, in line with Lantigua arguably being underrated, don't be surprised if he somehow gets promoted to the Blue Jays before his two Bisons teammates.