What we learned through the Blue Jays’ first two spring training games

There’s no team that’s dominated this year's spring training spotlight like the Blue Jays. While this spring was always bound to be exciting due to the Blue Jays’ new faces, roster battles and impending free agents, part of the fun of spring training is keeping track of all the new storylines that pop up throughout camp. 

And after the first weekend of spring training, there are storylines abound. 

Orelvis Martinez is trying to smash his way onto the club 

The quickest way for a young position player to make an impression in spring training is by hitting the ball hard and far. And Martinez did just that on Saturday by launching a Brandon Leibrandt changeup 390 feet into right field for a solo home run. 

Martinez feasts off left-handed pitching (.300 average against lefties in 70 Triple-A at-bats last year) so it’s no surprise that he was able to shoot one out against the left-handed Leibrandt. What was surprising was the way he was able to do it. Instead of pulling a pitch inside the strike zone, he went out and poked a changeup away to the opposite field — a testament to his solid approach.

The Jays have at least one spot open for a reserve infielder (more on that in a second), so there’s a legit chance for Martinez to make Toronto’s Opening Day roster. The biggest question will come down to how his glove plays. He got the start at designated hitter on Saturday before playing at second base on Sunday, which could be a blueprint into how he could be used with the Blue Jays. 

He originally came up as a third baseman but now appears to have shifted to second base (which is to say nothing of him having a potential future at first base). 

Martinez missed out on three months of development last season after he got tagged with an 80 game suspension for PEDs. A strong spring can help him put that in the rearview mirror (and help him earn a spot on the Opening Day roster.)