Batter's Box Interactive MagazineBaseball news and analysis from a Canadian perspectivehttps://www.battersbox.ca/2024-03-28T09:30:47-04:00Batter's Box Interactive Magazineroster@lists.battersbox.caBlue Jays at Tampa Bay, 28-31 Marchtag:www.battersbox.ca,2024-03-28:/article.php?story=202403280810225632024-03-28T09:30:22-04:002024-03-28T09:30:22-04:00MagpieA journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Likewise, the 162 game season begins with the first one.<br>
<div>Do I have any predictions? </div><div><br></div><div>I do! </div><div><br></div><div>I think that esteemed philosopher, Clubber Lang, expressed it most memorably.</div><div><div><br></div><img width="1440" height="900" class="storyimage" src="https://www.battersbox.ca/images/articles/20240328081022563_1.jpg" alt=""></div><br>"Prediction? <br>[Dramatic pause, looks into camera.]<br><div>"Pain."</div><br>Yes, there will be pain. Maybe not today, or tomorrow, but soon. There will be soul-crushing defeats that come groaning up out of some dark abyss and unfold like a car crash in slow notion. There will be sudden unforeseen catastrophes falling from the heaverns like so many frogs and snakes and sundry monsters and demons. <br><div><br></div><div>And I am ready for it! I am ready to get hurt again! This is what we've signed up for. This is the bargain we have made.</div><br>And there will be some fun along the way. Trust me.<br><br>Matchups!<br><br>Thu 28 March - Berrios vs Eflin<br>Fri 29 March - Bassitt vs Civale<br>Sat 30 March - Kikuchi vs Littlee<br>Sun 31 March - TBD vs Alexander<br>Best and Worst Pitchers for the Jays All-Timetag:www.battersbox.ca,2024-03-26:/article.php?story=202403170007001862024-03-26T11:56:00-04:002024-03-26T11:56:00-04:00John NortheyWell, time to finally get into the pitchers side of this. Wonder if any of these records (good or bad) will be broken in 2024?<br>
<div>This time I made sure to get all split seasons where guys played partial years for the Jays. Pitchers have different challenges than hitters for lists like this. Luckily FanGraphs is nice enough to split every pitcher into relief and starting - so I have stats for just starts and just relief for every Jay pitcher season ever. 833 relief player seasons - ranging from 89 games for Mark Eichhorn in 1987 to 1 relief game that happened 93 times, twice without getting an out (Steve Luebber 1979 and Brad Mills 2011). Eichhorn in 1986 set a Jays record that I doubt will ever be broken - 157 IP in relief (it was a sight that year).<br></div><div><br></div><div><b>Starting Pitching</b> </div><table border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0"> <tbody> <tr> <th rowspan="2">What</th><th colspan="3">Best</th><th colspan="3">Worst</th><th rowspan="2">Notes</th> </tr> <tr> <th>Who</th><th>Year</th><th>Best</th><th>Who</th><th>Year</th><th>Worst</th> </tr> <tr> <td>Wins</td> <td>Roy Halladay</td> <td>2003</td> <td align="right">22</td> <td>132 players</td> <td> </td> <td align="right">0</td> <td>Luis Andujar 1997 0-6 had the most losses without a win</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Losses</td> <td>64 players</td> <td> </td> <td align="right">0</td> <td>Jerry Garvin, Phil Huffman</td> <td>1977, 1979</td> <td align="right">18</td> <td>Tom Filer 1985 7-0 had the most wins without a loss</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Starts</td> <td>Jim Clancy</td> <td>1982</td> <td align="right">40</td> <td>55 players</td> <td> </td> <td align="right">1</td> <td>Jackson Todd 1979 went 7 IP in his 1 start</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Innings</td> <td>Dave Stieb</td> <td>1982</td> <td align="right">288.1</td> <td>Anthony Banda</td> <td>2022</td> <td align="right">0.1</td> <td>250 IP reached 14 times, Halladay '03 the last. 225 last reached 2011 Ricky Romero.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>K/9</td> <td>Robbie Ray</td> <td>2021</td> <td align="right">11.54</td> <td>Mike Flanagan</td> <td>1989</td> <td align="right">2.46</td> <td>Kevin Gausman '22 the only other Jay to crack 11. Phil Huffman the only other with sub 3 (1979).<br></td> </tr> <tr> <td>BB/9</td> <td>Ross Stripling</td> <td>2022</td> <td align="right">1.02</td> <td>Al Leiter</td> <td>1995</td> <td align="right">5.31</td> <td>Halladay 2003 is 2nd (1.08), 3 times over 5 ever - twice by Al Leiter, once Ricky Romero.<br>At 50IP you get Josh Towers 2003 0.85 BB/9 and Jeff Byrd 1977 7.01 BB/9<br></td> </tr> <tr> <td>HR/9</td> <td>Roy Halladay</td> <td>2001</td> <td align="right">0.26</td> <td>Paul Quantrill</td> <td>1996</td> <td align="right">2.12</td> <td>Only 1 Jays pitcher had a HR/9 lower than 0.5 since 2003 - Marcus Stroman in 2014</td> </tr> <tr> <td>BABIP</td> <td>Marco Estrada</td> <td>2015</td> <td align="right">.220</td> <td>Joey Hamilton</td> <td>2001</td> <td align="right">.370</td> <td>Kevin Gausman's 2022 363 is #2 for worst, 4 lowest are 2 Stieb and 2 Estrada seasons. 50 IP gets us Halladay 2000 370 avg.<br></td> </tr> <tr> <td>LOB%</td> <td>Robbie Ray</td> <td>2021</td> <td align="right">90.1%</td> <td>Cory Lidle</td> <td>2003</td> <td align="right">59.8%</td> <td>Might explain why the Jays were willing to basically trade Ray for Gausman. Halladay 2000 was 49.4% (!)<br></td> </tr> <tr> <td>GB%</td> <td>Marcus Stroman</td> <td>2018</td> <td align="right">62.1%</td> <td>Marco Estrada</td> <td>2018</td> <td align="right">24.0%</td> <td>3 of the top 4 (all 60%+) were Stroman with a Halladay season mixed in, Estrada the only one sub 30%</td> </tr> <tr> <td>ERA</td> <td>Roger Clemens</td> <td>1997</td> <td align="right">2.05</td> <td>Chris Carpenter</td> <td>2000</td> <td align="right">6.55</td> <td>Just 4 times sub 2.50 - Clemens, Manoah, Halladay, Stieb. At 50 IP you get Halladay 2000 11.13 as a starter only.<br></td> </tr> <tr> <td>HR/FB</td> <td>Marcus Stroman</td> <td>2014</td> <td align="right">0.06</td> <td>Esmil Rogers</td> <td>2013</td> <td align="right">0.18</td> <td>Not seeing any consistency in leaders - seems far more variable than I thought it would.</td> </tr> <tr> <td>vFB</td> <td>Dustin McGowan</td> <td>2007</td> <td align="right">95.46</td> <td>R.A. Dickey</td> <td>2015</td> <td align="right">82.12</td> <td>Dickey has the 4 slowest years for FB, then 3 years of Buehrle, all sub 85 mph no one else sub 87</td> </tr> <tr> <td>FIP</td> <td>Roger Clemens</td> <td>1997</td> <td align="right">2.25</td> <td>Chris Carpenter</td> <td>2000</td> <td align="right">5.89</td> <td>Roy Halladay 2001 tied to 2 decimals with Clemens. 50 IP gets Price '15 2.22 and Marty Janzen 1996 7.17<br></td> </tr> <tr> <td>fWAR</td> <td>Roger Clemens</td> <td>1997</td> <td align="right">10.7</td> <td><b>Yusei Kikuchi</b></td> <td><b>2022</b></td> <td align="right"><b>-0.75</b></td> <td>Halladay's 7.03 is the highest non-Clemens score, Clemens '98 was 8.21</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Age</td> <td>Jeff Byrd</td> <td>1977</td> <td align="right">20</td> <td>Phil Niekro</td> <td>1987</td> <td align="right">48</td> <td>Next oldest is R.A. Dickey at 41 - Don't see Niekro's record being broken anytime soon, he also has it for Atlanta & Cleveland</td> </tr> </tbody></table><br><br><div><b>Reliever Tables</b><br></div><table border="1" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0"> <tbody> <tr> <th rowspan="2">What</th><th colspan="3">Best</th><th colspan="3">Worst</th><th rowspan="2">Notes</th> </tr> <tr> <th>Who</th><th>Year</th><th>Best</th><th>Who</th><th>Year</th><th>Worst</th> </tr> <tr> <td>Saves</td> <td>Duane Ward</td> <td>1993</td> <td align="right">45</td> <td>583 players</td> <td><br></td> <td align="right">0</td> <td>No other Jay reached 40, but 19 other seasons of 30+, 1991 the only time 2 reached 20+ at the same time</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Holds</td> <td><b>Erik Swanson</b></td> <td><b>2023</b></td> <td align="right"><b>29</b></td> <td>424 players</td> <td><br></td> <td align="right">0</td> <td>3 times 2 guys same year 20+ holds - 1998, 2007, 2023, first to 20 was Ward '92, Scott Downs did it 3 times</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Blown Saves</td> <td>Duane Ward</td> <td>1989</td> <td align="right">12</td> <td>503 players</td> <td><br></td> <td align="right">0</td> <td>Jordan Romano's 6 in 2022 was the highest in the 2020's</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Sv/Hld/BlSv Chances</td> <td>Duane Ward</td> <td>1993</td> <td align="right">51</td> <td>338 players</td> <td><br></td> <td align="right">0</td> <td>Trent Thornton 2021 most G without a Sv/Hld/BlSv at 34</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Save %</td> <td>8 Players, Ken Giles (14-0) best</td> <td>2018</td> <td align="right">100%</td> <td>Joey McLaughlin, Scott Cassidy</td> <td>1983, 2002</td> <td align="right">50%</td> <td>10 or more chances</td> </tr> <tr> <td>K/9</td> <td>Steve Delabar</td> <td>2012</td> <td align="right">14.11</td> <td>Mark Bomback</td> <td>1981</td> <td align="right">2.18</td> <td>Twice over 14 (Ken Giles '19), 5 times under 3 (last Xavier Hernandez 1989)</td> </tr> <tr> <td>BB/9</td> <td>Aaron Loup</td> <td>2012</td> <td align="right">0.59</td> <td>Paul Menhart</td> <td>1995</td> <td align="right">8.72</td> <td>Loup the only sub 1, Pedro Borbon 2000 also over 8 (with 12 holds, 0 blown saves)</td> </tr> <tr> <td>HR/9</td> <td>7 with 0</td> <td><br></td> <td align="right"><br></td> <td>Jason Grilli</td> <td>2017</td> <td align="right">3.92</td> <td>Brock Stewart 2019 the other over 3 HR/9, Victor Cruz 1978 at 47 1/3 IP the most IP without a HR given up</td> </tr> <tr> <td>BABIP</td> <td><b>Trevor Richards</b></td> <td><b>2021</b></td> <td align="right"><b>.132</b></td> <td>Sergio Santos</td> <td>2014</td> <td align="right">.426</td> <td>9 sub 200 (highest IP is 39 for Ken Robinson '95), 2 over 400 (other is Dave Lemanczyk '78)</td> </tr> <tr> <td>LOB%</td> <td>3 players</td> <td><br></td> <td align="right">100%</td> <td>Don Gordon</td> <td>1986</td> <td align="right">48%</td> <td>Bowden Francis 2023 most recent perfect score, and with most IP at 36 1/3</td> </tr> <tr> <td>FIP</td> <td>David Wells</td> <td>1987</td> <td align="right">1.70</td> <td>Brock Stewart</td> <td>2019</td> <td align="right">8.38</td> <td>Just 6 seasons sub 2 (6 different players), just 1 over 8, highest 50+ IP is Joe Biagini 2018 5.41</td> </tr> <tr> <td>fWAR</td> <td>Mark Eichhorn</td> <td>1986</td> <td align="right">4.94</td> <td>Brian Tallet</td> <td>2010</td> <td align="right">-1.16</td> <td>3 sub -1 seasons (Frascatore & McLaughlin), best in the 2000's is Osuna '17 at 2.95</td> </tr> <tr> <td>vFA</td> <td>Jordan Hicks</td> <td>2023</td> <td align="right">99.04</td> <td>Shawn Camp</td> <td>2009</td> <td align="right">81.39</td> <td>Just 4 others in the 97's - Pearson, Romano, Merryweather, Sanchez, 2 others sub 85 (Camp '10, Carlson '08)</td> </tr> <tr> <td>GB%</td> <td>Brandon League</td> <td>2006</td> <td align="right">73%</td> <td>Tyler Clippard</td> <td>2018</td> <td align="right">19%</td> <td>10 of 202 were 60%+, just the 1 under 25%. League has 2 of the 3 highest (Sanchez '15 the other)</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Wins</td> <td>Mark Eichhorn</td> <td>1986</td> <td align="right">14</td> <td>422 players</td> <td><br></td> <td align="right">0</td> <td>Tom Henke 0-6 (but led the league in saves) 1987</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Losses</td> <td>Tom Buskey, Duane Ward</td> <td>1979, 1989</td> <td align="right">10</td> <td>409 players</td> <td><br></td> <td align="right">0</td> <td>Lamp 11-0 in '85 most wins without a loss<br></td> </tr> <tr> <td>IP</td> <td>Mark Eichhorn</td> <td>1986</td> <td align="right">157</td> <td>Steve Luebber, Brad Mills</td> <td>1979, 2011</td> <td align="right">0</td> <td>Mills faced 3 batters, all scored; Steve Luebber faced 3 batters, 1 scored</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Age</td> <td>Elvis Luciano</td> <td>2019</td> <td align="right">19</td> <td>Darren Oliver, LaTroy Hawkins</td> <td>2013, 2015</td> <td align="right">42</td> <td>3 20 year olds (Osuna, Castro, Cruz), 8 40+.</td> </tr> </tbody></table><div><b><br></b></div><div><b>Notes:</b></div><div><ul> <li>Ratio stats are 20+ IP (374 player seasons out of 833, just 172 have 50+ IP) for relievers, 100 IP+ for starters (193 out of 501 - just 119 have 162 IP+, 285 had 50+ IP). I'd rather be too inclusive here than too restrictive (often you see a 50 IP relief/162 start for tables like these).</li><li>Save % I'm using (Saves + Holds)/(Saves + Holds + Blown Saves)</li> <li>vFA (velocity fastball - only 2007 and up)</li> <li>GB% for 2002 up, the rest are 1977-now.</li><li>LOB% = (H+BB+HBP-R)/(H+BB+HBP-(1.4*HR)) (via FanGraphs - to estimate runners stranded by a pitcher)</li><li>Bold indicates guy who is still here holding the record (good or bad).<br></li></ul><div>A few surprises - how few holds happened pre-1990 (of course, often the pen just stunk back then so it kinda makes sense), Hicks really did throw damn hard. McLaughlin's '83 shows you why us older Jay fans never feel safe with bullpens. Buehrle was proof you can win in the modern era without a 90+ FB, but it is hard. Dickey did it with a knuckleball. Lamp's 11-0 was the most wins without a loss since 1938 (Ray Brown in the Negro Leagues), and only passed twice (Tom Zachary Yankees 1929 - both starters, while only Matt Herges in 2000 has reached an 11-0 record in relief with the Dodgers in 2000). 13 other pitchers lost 7 or more without a win as a reliever, mostly closers ala Henke who saved lots (most was 38 for John Franco in 1998 while going 0-8)<br></div></div><div><br></div>Ten More Daystag:www.battersbox.ca,2024-03-18:/article.php?story=202403181841087212024-03-18T18:41:08-04:002024-03-18T18:41:08-04:00MagpieUntil I start <i>really</i> paying attention.<br>
In the meantime, seeing we're up to 300 comments is like the Bat Signal. I'm on my way, commissioner!<br>Spring Training Rolls Ontag:www.battersbox.ca,2024-03-07:/article.php?story=202403071519108202024-03-07T15:19:10-05:002024-03-07T15:19:10-05:00GerryTime for a new spring training thread. A spring training that is about to get biz-zay. The Jays play 13 games in the next 11 days. There are split squad games on the next two Sundays.
<p>The next 11 days will take us to March 17. After an off day on the 18th the Jays will have eight spring training games before the season starts in Tampa.</p><p>The objective for the next 11 days is to get everyone healthy and ready to really bear down in the final week.</p><p>That plan has hit a few speed bumps. Alek Manoah continues to be shut down with a sore shoulder. Kevin Gausman had a sore shoulder too and the Jays are hopeful he can throw off a mound on Monday next. Ricky Tiedemann will start on Saturday. Bowden Francis, Mitch White and Paolo Espino will each be auditioning over the next week.</p><p>In other news the Ernie Clement vs. Santiago Espinal contest is heating up with Jeff Blair reporting that several teams will select Clement if he goes on waivers.</p><p>There is baseball tonight, Thursday, on Sportsnet at 6pm.</p>Best and Worst by Position Jays All-Timetag:www.battersbox.ca,2024-02-23:/article.php?story=202402172022425742024-02-23T22:22:42-05:002024-02-23T22:22:42-05:00John NortheySo how good is the team now?tag:www.battersbox.ca,2024-02-08:/article.php?story=202401311127471192024-02-08T21:16:47-05:002024-02-08T21:16:47-05:00John NortheyOverdue New Threadtag:www.battersbox.ca,2024-01-29:/article.php?story=202401291433023932024-01-29T14:33:02-05:002024-01-29T14:33:02-05:00MagpieThree hundred comments? It's January!<br>
<div>In the immortal words of Deke Leonard (a cuttlefish to anyone who knows<i> that </i>name), "nothing is happening."</div><div><br></div><div>But a quick <i>vaya con dios</i> to Jimy Williams, who the more senior of us remember not so fondly. It wasn't all his fault. But Williams inherited a team that was supposed to win and he didn't win. History seldom smiles on such achievements. He was a very well-regarded coach while he was here, but the switch to the top job simply didn't work. As a manager he was a compulsive juggler, forever riding the hot hand, sending pitchers back and forth between the rotation and the bullpen. It's an approach that has worked, in other places and other times. But not in Toronto. He was a baseball lifer, who got two other shots at managing (he was the AL Manager of the Year in 1999, for what that's worth) and collected a pair of World Series rings as a coach in Atlanta and Philadelphia. His major league playing career amounted to just 14 games with the Cardinals in the mid 1960s - he was a middle infielder who didn't hit at all. It's possible that I actually saw him playing with Winnipeg half a century ago. I have no idea if I did or not.<br></div>Free Agent Signings - OK, just IFA onestag:www.battersbox.ca,2024-01-15:/article.php?story=202401151619462512024-01-15T16:19:46-05:002024-01-15T16:19:46-05:00John NortheyBlue Jays 2023 Top Prospects - The Otherstag:www.battersbox.ca,2024-01-12:/article.php?story=202401081014031512024-01-12T07:00:03-05:002024-01-12T07:00:03-05:00GerryNow that the top 30 is done, lets talk about some other guys in the system. We will start with the players who dropped off the 2023 list.
<p>Gabriel Martinez had a great season in 2022 playing well in Dunedin and then hitting .324 in 28 games in Vancouver. That caught the attention of prospects watchers and he made several top 30 lists. He returned to Vancouver for 2023 and it didn't go as well. He hit just .242. He had an extremely average season. He has some power, 12 home runs, 28 extra base hits. He walks a bit, strikes out a little but not excessively. He turned 21 during the season. He is still young but needs a big return to form in 2024. I assume he should be back in Vancouver until he proves he can handle that level.</p><br><p>His teammate Rainer Nunez also had a big 2022 and he too returned to vancouver for 2023. Unlike Martinez, Nunez hit well in 2023. In 37 games, he hit over .300 and earned a promtion to New Hampshire. There he seemed to hit a wall. He hit just .224 in 78 games, around ahalf season. He did hit 20 home runs. One positive is that he played in AA at 22 years old. But he is a first baseman and it is tough for a first baseman to make it to the majors versus other hitters who slide down the defensive spectrum. Nunez should be back in NH for 2024.</p><br><p>Otto Lopez is now 25 years old and it seems as though if he has a major league career it will be as a utility player. Lopez missed almost half the 2023 season with an oblique strain. When healthy he hit .258.</p><br><p>Tanner Morris is a good AAA or quad A player. he hits reasonably well for average, has an excellent eye at the plate but doesn't have much power or speed. He did have a 105 wRC+ in AAA but he is at best an average defender at second or third. He is 26 now so his chance could be gone. </p><br><p>Adrian Hernandez looked to have a chance at a major league career thanks to his above average change-up/screwball. His issue was a well below average fastball. He was sent down to New Hampshire to start 2023 to find more fastball velocity and he wasn't good, ERA of 9 in April and over 6 in May. But he finished the season with ERA of 2 in August and September. Despite the excellent change up, his chance looks to have passed him by.</p><br><p>Jimmy Robbins had an excellent 2022 despite fringy stuff. 2023 was not as good although generally not terrible. He finished with a 4.67 ERA in NH but in a brief cameo in Buffalo he was hit all over the park. He is 26 now and again, time is passing him by. </p><br><p>Irv Carter had a tough 2022 with a few flashes of good starts. 2023 was a mess, a 8.60 ERA in 37 innings. It seems like he just can't sort out his delivery.</p><br><p>Zach Britton has trouble staying healthy. He had jus 55 at-bats in 2023 and hit .218. He had around 250 at-bats in 2021 and 2022 and only hits a little. He is 25 now.</p><br><p>Hayden Juenger was a sixth round pick in the 2021 draft and he has been fast tracked, ending 2022 in Buffalo and returning there for 2023. His ERA last year was 6.33. He is prone to giving up the long ball, 18 home runs allowed in 75 innings. His batting average against went from .195 in AAA in 2022 to .285 in 2023. Thats around three per nine innings. Juenger is still just 23 years old, youngish for AAA so he has time to figure something out.</p><br><p>Estiven Machado hit .187 in 68 games in Vancouver. Nuff said.</p><br><br><p><font size="+1">And now some players who just missed the list.</font></p><br><p>Cam Eden made it to "The Show" last year. He did because he is an excellent outfielder with plus speed. As a hitter he hit .257 with an 81 wRC+ in Buffalo.</p><br><p>Fernando Perez was signed by the Jays in 2022, played in the DSL that year and was in the FCL for 2023. In eleven games there he posted a 2.72 ERA with a 29% K rate. He has a tall pitchers body, sits 91-94 with the fastball and has a good curveball and change-up. Reportedly he was up to 96 mph at the end of the season. He is young, just 19, but should be in Dunedin to start 2024.</p><br><p>Devereaux Harrison was a ninth round pick in 2022 and pitched in relief in that year and until the end of May 2023. At that time Vancouver needed an extra starter and Harrison got the job. At that time he had a 3.38 ERA as a reliever so expectations were not high. In that first start he went five innings and just allowed one hit. He followed that up with four June starts and a 0.78 ERA in the month. From there his ERA bumped up to 3.92 in July and 4.38 in August. His strikeout numbers were average, 8.4%. His walk rate was 3.6%. Harrison's ERA was better than his underlying numbers but he took a big jump forward in 2023. He was 22 years old then and should be in New Hampshire as a 23 year old in 2024. He will look to take another jump forward there.</p><br><p>Sam Shaw was drafted in the ninth round of the 2023 draft out of a Victoria BC high school. He just played in nine games but scouts have been talking him up. He played second base and centre field in the FCL.</p><br><p>Nolan Perry was drafted in the 12th round of the 2022 draft out of a high school in New Mexico. He didn't pitch in 2022 but threw 38 inning in the FCL in 2023. His ERA was a lofty 7.28 so why talk about him? well his xFIP was 3.85, much better. He struck out 51 in 38 innings. Perry got some attention at the end of the season when he faced a loaded Yankee lineup. He threw five shutout innings with seven K's. He has the ability, he needs consistency.</p><br><p>The Blue Jays acquired Edward Duran in 2022 in the Anthony Bass/Jordan Groshans trade. He is a catcher who also played some first base. Duran hit .340 in 50 at-bats in the FCL. That earned him a promotion to Dunedin where he hit .299 in 77 at-bats. Duran controls the zone well, walking more than he strikes out. He is 19 years old and one to watch in 2024.</p><br><p>David Guzman and Aneudi Escanio are two hitters from the DSL that should be in the FCL in 2024. Guzman is a right fielder who hit .292 with a .793 OPS in 2023. He walked more than he struck out at age 17. He is listed at just 5'7" so he will need to keep proving himself. Escanio is older, aged 18 in season, but he was noted when he ran his average up to .365 in late July. He fell off in August, hitting in just one of his last nine games. We don't know what that was due to but he will get a chance to repeat that in 2024. Escanio played all over the field for the DSL Jays, with 3B being his most played position.</p><br><p>Trenton Wallace is a left handed pitcher who was an 11th round pick in 2021. He had an excellent 2022 moving from Dunedin to Vancouver. He was back in Vancouver to start 2023. In eight starts he had a 1.79 ERA, a WHIP of 0.82 and 47 K's in 40 innings. That earned him a promotion to New Hampshire before going on the IL in June and that was basically it for the season. He should be back in NH for 2024.</p><br><p>Mason Fluharty is left handed reliever. Fluharty was also a reliever in college and continued in the bullpen after he was drafted. He was a 5th round selection in 2022 which is a relatively high draft position for a pure reliever. After he was drafted Fluharty was sent straight to Vancouver where struck out 12.3 per nine in 15 innings.</p><p>He returned to Vancouver to start 2023. He spent six weeks there, appearing in twelve games, where he replicated his 2022 stats by striking out 21 in 15.1 innings. He only allowed seven hits in those innings and had a .059 ERA. That was enough to see him promoted to New Hampshire. In NH he appeared in 48 games with 54 strikeouts in 42 innings. He was hit a bit, 49 hits in those 42 innings with 18 walks. But remember that this was Fluharty's first full season and he is still just 22 years old. He pitched most of the season at age 21. </p><p>Fluharty is not a hard thrower. He has a low 90's fastball but relies more on a cutter that comes in around 90 mph. He also throws a sweeper. Fluharty sets up on the extreme first base side of the rubber and throws at an angle to left handed hitters. That makes him tough on lefties but the ball is coming in to righties making it easier for them to see him. In the "old days", before the three batter minimum limit, Fluharty would be a great LOOGY candidate. With the new rules Fluharty will have to work on getting right handed hitters out. But time is on his side. The Jays are working with him to try and get another tick or two on the fastball.</p><p>Fluharty will likely return to New Hampshire to start 2024 as there appears to be a logjam of relievers in Buffalo. He should aim to get to Buffalo by mid season.</p><br><p>It seems as though Manuel Beltre has been around for a long time but he is still just nineteen. He played all of 2023 in Dunedin. He hit .231 in 98 games. He does have a bit of power, 22 doubles and six home runs in the FSL which is often tough on power hitters. Beltre is average in a lot of things he does, K rate around 20%, walk rate 11%. Fangraphs noted that Beltre doesn't have a stand out tool. He is still young.</p><br><br>That's it for minor league week here on Da Box. we will be back with the minor league updates in April.</p>Blue Jays 2023 Top Prospects: 10 - 1tag:www.battersbox.ca,2024-01-11:/article.php?story=202312281023428322024-01-11T07:00:42-05:002024-01-11T07:00:42-05:00Gerry