The Blue Jays plan to add No. 5 overall draft pick Austin Martin to their 60-man player pool, per Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith. He’ll first need to pass through intake testing for COVID-19 before he’s able to join the club in Canada. Martin is hoping to be in Toronto this weekend, tweets TSN’s Scott Mitchell.
As polished a hitter as Martin is, it seems unlikely that he’d actually be considered as a Major League option in 2020. Still, getting in some work with the Jays coaching staff and the team’s growing young core makes plenty of sense from a developmental standpoint. Martin revealed not long after being drafted that he and Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette played on the same team when they were younger, so his arrival in Jays camp will bring about a reunion for the childhood teammates.
Martin’s ultimate position on the diamond is yet to be determined. He played all over the field at Vanderbilt, with extensive time at third base and second base. Scouting reports on him leading up to the draft also suggested that he’s equipped to handle center field at the big league level. The Jays have Bichette at shortstop and Cavan Biggio penciled in at second base, although Biggio has worked in the outfield as well. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. currently lines up at third base, but many expect him to eventually move to first base and designated hitter. That could pave a path for Martin or perhaps fellow top prospect Jordan Groshans at the hot corner. Further down the pipeline, Orelvis Martinez is quite well-regarded as an infield prospect himself, though he’s yet to play above Rookie ball.
Suffice it to say, the Jays have amassed an impressive stockpile of exciting young position players. Even if Martin won’t be expected to step into the lineup alongside Bichette, Guerrero, Biggio and others in 2020, he could still force his way into the picture in relatively quick fashion. The 21-year-old logged a .368/.474/.532 slash in his NCAA career — including a ridiculous .392/.486/.604 line in 2019 and an even better .377/.507/.660 line in 69 plate appearances before the 2020 season was shut down. Baseball America already lists Martin as the No. 16 prospect in all of baseball.
The Jays initially announced 58 players in their pool, but they’ve also had several positive COVID-19 tests, leading to several placements on the COVID-19 injured list. Such players don’t count against the player pool until they’re medically cleared to return to the team. The Jays already added four new players to their pool. It’s possible that at some point, the Jays will be over the limit and need to jettison a player via release, outright waivers, trade, etc. — but for the time being it seems they have the space to add Martin to the Summer Camp roster.
With even a modicum of good fortune, the Jays could be scary in a year or two.
I don’t follow the lead up to the draft closely at all, but I enjoy going to watch footage of the first rounders. What I saw of Martin looked pretty amazing. He could be a LOT of fun to watch – hope it all works out for him.
As a Jays fan I really hope so but remember the mid 90’s when Delgado, Alex Gonzalez, Shawn Green, Shannon Stewart, Chris Carpenter, and Roy Halladay all came up about the same time (within a few years of each other), then they traded to get Jose Cruz Jr, and signed Clemens (2 pitcher triple crowns) and still couldn’t win 90 games, let alone reach the playoffs.
Now we have kids at 3B/SS/2B who are all very good already. Plus potential at CA (2 kids), 1B (Tellez). Mix in Martin and others in the OF and Groshans at 3B (moving Vlad to 1B and Tellez to DH or traded elsewhere) and it looks good especially with the pitching starting to reach. I just hope we don’t get an Expos 94 situation where it all clicks and a strike hits (sadly a big possibility, I’m expecting 2022 to be a disaster).
Yes, they didn’t make the playoffs. However, with the way wild card rules are now, they would have made the playoffs in 1998 and they would have been in the hunt in 1999, which could have prompted a trade to get them there.
At the trade deadline in 1999 the Jays were the WC leader over Boston by half a game. They needed a starting pitcher and a DH. They got David Segui. Perhaps they would have pushed harder for a SP.
Given Ash was GM it is best they didn’t do more – In 2000 on the trade deadline they sent Michael Young and others for Esteban Loaiza. Ugh. Also got Mark Guthrie and Steve Trachsel for Brent Abernathy (good trade even if those 2 didn’t do much). So he basically went for ‘meh’ pitchers and got meh results. After 2000 he traded David Wells (off a 20 win season 123 ERA+) for an injured pitcher. I think he was so excited to be offered a good young pitcher he forgot to check why he was being offered that. I imagine an alternate universe where the Jays signed Davy Johnson as manager for 1998 and beyond then went to the playoffs in a few of those years.
Yes I remember. A 5th wild card would have changed things for more teams, so it’s hard to speculate if the Jays were going to take full advantage. The move that bit the Jays was not going to the AL Central in 1998, allowing Detroit to go instead. I’m sure the Jays could have contended many times over the last 20+ years.
Don’t think the AL Central was an option in 1998 – Detroit is closer physically to the AL Central teams (Chicago/etc.) thus made the most sense to move. I do recall the Jays saying how much they liked having the Yankees and Red Sox in their division due to the bigger crowds/TV ratings they both generated. A very short sighted way of looking at it as contention jumps attendance and viewership more than any visiting team can.
It was. MLB wanted Detroit in the East to keep the old rivalries with NY and Bos. Jays fought it thanks to Beeston’s relationship with Selig. Jays wanted the NY and Bos gate revenue. Local sports people talked about it for a day or two and then suddenly Detroit was announced.
Jays are set up nicely. Good for Shapiro and the Jays. Who’s their top young arm?
Big Nate Pearson, He’s ranked as the Between #5 to #10 prospect league wide.according to every top 100 list. He possesses an 80 grade fast ball, which he’s been known to ramp up to 104 MPH. He’s also the #1 or #2 RHP prospect in the game (some sites put Mize ahead of him, some sites have Nate ahead). I’m pretty sure he’s one of the highest ranked pitching prospect in team history as well. We are very excited about this dude, he pitched this spring and was the best pitcher on the team and he hasn’t even cracked the majors. We also have Simeon Woods-Richardson and Alex Manoah who are very highly regarded prospects.
I personally thought Martin should have went first overall.
agreed. i frankly dont see the appeal of Torkelson
Really? Tork was by far the best bat in the draft and the Tigers believe they can move him to 3rd where he can be average to above average defensively. Seems like an appealing and easy pick.
I think that Torkelson was by far the best hitter in the draft, so picking him at 1 was the safe move.
But there’s a massive risk in picking bat-only guys at the top of the draft, and he’s more athletic than you’d think but it still remains to be seen if he can play third base (or anywhere but first) full time. It’s how I felt about Andrew Vaughn too, but I don’t mean that as a slight against either because they can both mash. There’s just a lot more risk involved than there probably should be with bat-only amateurs. For every Torkelson, there are about 30 Jon Singletons or AJ Reeds.
So to make a long story short, Torkelson probably should have been the first pick because he’s such a rare hitter. But I would have had no problems seeing Martin go first because he combines elite offense with versatility.
In a year or two, the Blue Jay’s are could have a scary lineup. Vlad at first, Martin at third with Biggio and Bichette up the middle with Gurrirel in left?
Don’t forget Groshen’s at 3B shifting Martin to CF or Biggio to CF and Martin to 2B. Plus more coming. Tellez has a good bat at 1B/DH potentially, and Danny Jansen looked like an all bat guy until he reached and they told him to forget the bat for a year and focus only on defense (getting him a GG nomination) and Reese McGuire who was seen as all glove had an 872 OPS last year (only 105 PA) as a catcher too. The next few years, baring a horrid strike/more COVID should be a lot of fun here in Toronto. Plus we have Nate Pearson, Simeon Woods Richardson and other top pitchers working their way up. Feels a lot like the early/mid 80’s when a ton of kids made it (Stieb, Key, Bell/Moseby/Barfield, Fernandez, McGriff, Gruber, etc.) and the Jays started a decade of 500+ where they were in contention most years.
Thank you for the info/rundown, you answered my question I had about young arms.
Blue Jays have a lineup, but defense and pitching? That is going to be the question in years to come. You don’t have to have the greatest pithing staff, but a pretty good Rotation and excellent bullpen to win a championship. Nationals are a testament of a good rotation and pretty darn good bullpen. Most teams with A rotation that can go 6+ innings before having the pen close out the game, is the key to winning the World Series. With a solid offense and good defense, all they need is 4-5 runs per game while the rotation allows 3 or fewer runs each outing, it usually generates a W. Yankees are built just the same as the Blue Jays, plenty of offense, but uncertainty defensively and lack pitching. Sure yanks added Cole, but what are they going to get out of the rest of the rotation and from the pen. Chapman can be a bust this year and he seems to be the guy Yankees will be leaning on.
Firstly, after your first sentence the following three are redundant.
Secondly, and onto baseball, the Jays defence will be ok. Vlad Jr. DH/1B, Cav or Martin at Second, Groshans at Third, Bo at SS, Lourdes in LF, the other one at second in the OF. Defence will be ok within the next few years. Pitching there’s a lot of really good prospects coming, Kay, Zuech, Kloff, Pearson, SWR, there’s a few others I’m forgetting at the moment, plus there addition of Ryu will provide a young, but exciting rotation to watch. Additionally, not all the starting prospects will be starters in the bigs, so where do they go? into the ‘pen. Defensively and pitching should not be as big of a hole as you’re making it sound.
I’m a Jay’s fan, I think zuech and kay are iffy if they make a real impact. SWF now I believe could be our future closer if they put him in the pen where he belongs. This year that should happen
Zeuch and Kay are very iffy.
Neat, grammar police or an intellectual proving his massive brain power!!
Pitching will depend on health.
Defense was supposed to be answered in a full 162 game 2020 season. Unfortunately we don’t have that. Question marks surround CF, Vlad at 3B, Bo at SS, if Tellez can take the next step, same with Jansen behind the plate. Also discussion over Cavan being moved to CF, a position he’s never played. Martin draft may have thwarted that idea except he might be the SS if Bo can’t hold it down.
This shortened season with no minor leagues definitely hurts the Jays. Not crippling but it slows the progression.
Jays have such a weird team over the next couple of years, really old pitching staff and bullpen and a really young line-up.
The pitching staff is going to get younger quick.
Pearson debuting this year. Anthony Kay, Thornton or Borucki maybe showing they deserve a spot. Alek Manoah and Simeon Woods-Richardson popping up on top 100 prospect lists. Thomas Hatch looking better than anticipated and ready for an audition. Kloffenstein, Van Eyk and Kendall Williams behind them.
They will look dramatically different on the mound in a couple years.
Before Covid, I would have said ,”Bring Pearson, Martin , etc .along slowly.” Obviously, the traditional player development principles have to be adapted to the present circumstances.
I say bring them ahead as quickly as possible! For one thing, you have no Minor Leagues to to test the mettle of these young men. Put their feet to the fire!
And burn their feet? Why?
Because sitting around won’t help them.
Not advocating bringing up Martin by Pearson should absolutely be up by Game 10. Experience matters. Coddling and “protecting” Pearson will not help him grow.
I really like Biggio and want him a Jay for a long time but something tells me he will be traded. Jay’s went after didi and moose this off season and now they have Martin.
Biggio offers flexibility at multiple positions. It may not be is sticking at Second, the Jays could be viewing him to fill a spot in their weak OF.
Yeah, Biggio is going to be their Zobrist/Figgins when the team is at their best.
Yeah, and Biggio bats left! Martin, Vlad ,Bo, and Gurriel are all righties.
I want him to stay, but what was the play if didi signed? I still think he should try center
I remember Montoyo saying Bichette reached out to him saying he’d move to CF if the team signed Didi. But who knows.
Didi was -10 DRS in 2019 with deteriorating range. He would probably start at 2B, back up SS, with Biggio moving to the OF.
He was also coming off TJ surgery. 2019 was a write off season. My point wasn’t to sign DiDi, it was what Bo said to his manager. Says more about Bo’s willingness to help the team.
If you care to look up numbers, check Bo’s career at SS in the minors. Then come back and tell us why he’s a pure lock. Newsflash: he isn’t a lock yet.
Good idea to add Martin. Let him be around the major leaguers, let him learn and develop as best as he can.
Austin Martin’s wrists better not be as weak as that little boy Bichette’s!
#scoutseyes
Oh man, that’s a funny recollection of an old comment
That was hilarious, only a scouts eyes can determine the strength of a young mans wrists through the tv screen. I wonder where he came up with that theory, likely just basing his theory on Bo’s size, meanwhile he’s got 2 inches and 10 pounds on Mookie Betts. Id say he’s played pretty well for a smaller dude. How ever did he win the MVP with those skinny wrists?
Even if everything works out amazingly with all these young players, a lot of Jays fans will still find reason to complain about the FO and how they’ve been operating the organization.
Take the good with the bad. Draft and development is still in-progress and there’s a lot to be hopeful for. There have been misses too. Good with bad. I’m sure you can rationalize that.
Future CF.
Jansen-Vlad-Biggio-Bichette-Groshans around in INF. Gurriel-Martin in CF with RF and DH appearing vacant at this point.
Kirk DH. RF could be Wall, Conine or a bat to be named later.