Our Minor League Shortstops

by Tom Dakers on May 4, 2010 1:38 PM EDT in Toronto Blue Jays News

So we've checked out our minor league catchers, first basemen and second basemen. Time for shortstops. Of course, the shortstop we are all interested in, Adeiny Hechavarria, is still at extended spring training, so we don't have any numbers that we can understand, compare to others, for him. I see SB Nation's Hechavarria page has his age as just turned 22 in April. If he turns into what we hope he will he force some of the other prospects to different positions.

Las Vegas:

Jesus Merchan has been at SS most games and is hitting pretty decent, .317/.352/.427. He's 29 and not a prospect but a player that could possibly fill in if we were to have a couple of injuries.

New Hampshire:

Jonathan Diaz is getting on base, .292/.452/.385. He's 25 and has never hit well, but often takes as many walks as he gets hits, not something that would be likely to continue if he moves up.

Dunedin:

Justin Jackson played 5 games (4 at second base and 1 at short) before going on the DL. He hit really well in those 5 games, .308/.400/.385. He's just 21.

Tyler Pastornicky been playing short just about every day (likely to end soon when Adeiny joins the team) and is hitting much like he has in the lower levels, .273/.369/.386 with 7 stolen bases.

Lansing:

Ryan Goins, our 4th round pick last year, is hitting .258/.364/.333. This is his first full professional season and hasn't started great. We'll see how things go.

Kevin Nolan has been a utility guy, playing mostly short, in Lansing, he was a 20th round pick last year. He's hitting .170/.267/.264 starting his first full professional year.

Our other shortstop prospect Gustavo Pierre will likely start off at Auburn when their season gets going. He is just 18 years old.

On a totally unrelated issue, I just got a Garfoose drawing as well as Dirk's autograph on a poster. I'm going to be happy for days. Thanks Lee.

Tweet Comment 5 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

good to see Pastornicky continuing to hit and get on base as he moves up

of course some more power would be nice, but he’s got time.

Even though only 5 games, I was excited about Jackson before he got hurt – hope he can get back on the field and pick up where he left off soon.

Kevin Nolan (not the same one, of course) was the other shortstop on my high school team.

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on May 4, 2010 1:53 PM EDT reply actions

Glad...

…you enjoy the poster! Thanks again for helping get the word out for Dirk’s signing.

by El Sargento on May 4, 2010 10:25 PM EDT reply actions

after reading these posts about our upcoming prospects and given that only brett wallace is even remotely close to big-league ready, i have to say ricciardi did one crappy job of scouting.

by WesleyY on May 5, 2010 3:00 PM EDT reply actions

Have you looked at the product on the field?

by Tom Dakers on May 5, 2010 4:31 PM EDT up reply actions

you mean

Aaron Hill, Ricky Romero, Shaun Marcum, Adam Lind, Travis Snider, Marc Rzepczynski, Brett Cecil? those bums Ricciardi drafted?

Our system is heavy on pitching, and Tom hasn’t looked at pitching yet. Besides, we were deep at catcher and have a blue-chipper in Wallace at first. There are some organizational holes, but let’s not overstate things.

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on May 5, 2010 4:56 PM EDT up reply actions