Better Know Your Blue Jays 40-man: Lourdes Gurriel Jr.

Back in 2016 the Blue Jays signed Lourdes Gurriel Jr. to a 7-year contract, $22 million contract. He was a top rated international free agent. We figured he’d make it to the Jays quickly.

Before the 2017 season we had him 6th on out prospect list and he was 73th Baseball America’s top 100 prospect list.

A crappy 2017 season (.229/.268/.339 line) had him tumbling down our list, to 18th and off Baseball America’s list. The thought that he would make it to the Jays quickly disappeared.

2018 went much better. He started the season in New Hampshire. About 2 weeks later he was called up to the Jays. His first look at major league pitching didn’t go well (.206/.229/.309 in 20 games) and, May 13th he was sent to Buffalo. He came up for a few days again in June, getting into 1 game. Back to Buffalo.

Up again July 2nd and 2 weeks later he went on the DL, but just for 7 days. At the time Lourdes was 4 games into a multi-hit streak. When he came back he continued it on to 11 games. Unfortunately, in game 11 he had a very scary looking injury. He played 17 games in July and hit .423/.438/648, with 4 doubles and 4 home runs.

He returned from the injury much quicker than anyone who saw the injury, he was back on the field on Auguest 24th. He didn’t do so great, hitting .226/.270/368 in 27 games before going on the DL one more time. Maybe he came back too quick?

His bat looked good, if streaky. It would be nice if he would a walk now and then, but that doesn’t look like it is going to be part of his skill set.

His glove? Well, it wasn’t good. Lourdes seemed to learning on the job. I don’t know if shortstop will be final destination. I thought that he got better as the season went on, but he was still a long ways from good. But it is ok, Freddy Galvis looks to be taking the shortstop job and Gurriel looks to be the utility guy (super utility guy, is this a term we have to use? It seems a little weird).

I expect we’ll see him at short, third, second and the outfield. Or perhaps he’ll be taking the Buffalo/Toronto shuttle. I wonder if he will follow his brother’s path and end up at first base?

PECOTA figures Gurriel to hit .269/.310/.440 with 18 home runs and a 1.5 WAR in 362 PA. That looks pretty good to me. But, if he hits 18 home runs in 362 PA he will get more PA than that.