Blue Jays putting emphasis on utilizing the young guys early on in Spring Training

The Toronto Blue Jays possess a ton of excitement as they flood the field with young prospective talent across the field in Spring Training. The team is nine games deep, with only four days into the month of March, and we’re already getting a detailed look at both popular names, and names on the come-up.

We already know what we’re getting from the Springers, the Vladdys and the Varshos, but what about the farm boys? You have to play with the big boys to be one; having the young guys mixed in with the veterans and current key pieces make for key development of the players approach and skillset. The Blue Jays have given blue bird nation a sneak peak at the youth of the organization, which very well could be the future of this club.

The Blue Jays showcase their young talent early on in Spring Training, giving a glimpse of what could be the future

Let’s start with the obvious big-dogs, the topic most platforms are discussing; top Blue Jays prospect, left-handed pitcher Rickey Tiedemann. His spring debut was the talk of the town, and a bright brink of light coming from the minors. Let’s start with this, Tiedemann looked the part, absorbed and locked in; portraying his major league confidence. Big league right-handed bat, Javier Báez whiffed at a 99mph high and outside fastball, sending him back to the pine; this was after he showcased a few well place sinkers, sitting 97-98mph.

Without dissecting the entire outing, we’ve seen Ricky display not only his velocity and breaking pitches, but his ability to change speeds, command, work in and around the zone, and repeat a fluent delivery with confidence and composure. Yes, it was only 12 pitches, however, some MLB invite workouts only last 20 pitches. A 12-pitch gem of an inning is enough to get us excited about what’s to come.

No. 15 ranked prospect, outfielder Dasan Brown, recorded his first hit in his first ever Spring Training appearance. The Blue Jays are definitely excited to see him, and we will all have the opportunity to see Brown showcase his game skills in the 2023 World Baseball Classic for Team Canada.

Addison Barger, the No. 6 ranked prospect for the Blue Jays, is expected to be seen on the Rogers Centre field at some point this year. Barger did not show out well in the Arizona Fall League in 2022, but is making a statement in his spring campaign. With 10 at-bats, he has two hits, two runs, a home run and one RBI. Barger is showing his athleticism in form of his swing, good bat speed, complimented by his athletic-strong makeup. His frame appears developed along with his approach at the plate. We’ll see how this translates through the rest of the spring, going into the start of the season.

Ranking at No. 18 and already protected on the 40-man roster; 1B Spencer Horwitz, another name showcased this spring, putting up short-stint impressive showings, with 12 at-bats, two runs, five hits, and a .417 batting average. Horwitz is seeing the ball, finding holes and getting on base, using his appearances wisely. In 2022, he danced between two levels, with a .391 average, 51 RBIs, 12 homeruns and 111 hits. Now that he’s back and healthy, the sky is the limit for him.

A few more young Blue Jays to note are catcher/outfielder Zach Britton, with a homerun, two hits, and an RBI over seven at-bats. 3B LJ Talley who has three hits, three RBI over six at-bats, and a .571 OBP.  Last but not least, 3B Damiano Palmegiani and 1B Rainer Nunez, who are seeing some decent time at the dish. The Blue Jays have spotlighted the youth, and exposed their profiles on a positive showing.