Blue Jays prospect LJ Talley continues streaky hitting as he looks to take the next step

Last year was a breakout campaign for LJ Talley, as he finally earned a promotion to Triple-A. And he grabbed the opportunity with both hands, to show what he was capable of in Buffalo.

Talley displayed excellent poise at the plate, resulting in a fine slash line of .285/.350/.437 in 86 games. His production included eight home runs and 42 RBI, while he also forced 27 walks and stole 12 bases.

Not considered a top prospect

Despite being one of the Bisons' best bats however, Talley did not feature in MLB.com's top 30 Blue Jays prospects list for 2023. This was both telling and intriguing.

What was it about a player who was selected in the seventh round of the 2019 draft, that stopped him from being considered a top 30 prospect? Part of the answer may well have come with his offensive play so far this season in Triple-A.

In short, Talley has been infuriatingly streaky through 28 appearances in 2023 for Buffalo. You never know what you're going to get from game to game.

The 26-year-old's slash line of .193/.333/.301 is undoubtedly poor. However, even this doesn't tell the whole story of a player who often seems to be a case of all of nothing.

More than capable of dominating games

There is no denying Talley has talent. One of the best pieces of evidence, was his sensational performance in a game versus Gwinnett at the end of April.

Talley had a game-high six hits in six at-bats against Gwinnett, resulting in four RBI. He also had four runs of his own, as he led Buffalo to a 21-9 win on the road.

A more recent example of what the Folkston, Georgia native is capable of came last weekend, at home to LeHigh. He produced two home runs for a game-high six RBI, as he led the Bisons to a 14-9 victory.

What was particularly striking about this game was that the home runs were Talley's first of the season. In addition, the two games referenced contain 10 of the 16 RBI he's had in total in 2023 through May 30.

Just not good enough overall

In this respect, maybe even all or nothing is being too kind to Talley. The reality is he's much more nothing than all.

Again, there is no denying the left-handed bat has the talent. What he produced last year and has done on occasion this year in Triple-A proves this.

However, all the talent in the world does not mean a thing, if you can't perform consistently. Talley has dreams of playing in the Majors, but if he can't find a way to produce more regularly, a dream is what it will remain.