Future #6: The Toronto Blue Jays

Why they're ranked 6th

Toronto has a lot of raw talent. The lineup could be very powerful, and the pitching could be lights out. The future of this team is built around Lawrie and Morrow, two guys with great ceilings. The Jays have shaved all their long-term liabilities and they've been known to push payroll in the past. The biggest advantage for Toronto: Alex Anthopoulos. I think he's one of the best GMs in baseball, and with his trade savvy he propels the Blue Jays to the 6th spot.

TEAM: Toronto Blue Jays

LEAGUE: American League
DIVISION: East

Top Pitching Prospect: Kyle Drabek

Top Hitting Prospect: Brett Lawrie

Marquee Player: Brandon Morrow

Future Lineup

Lineup Number. Name: Position, Bats- Best Tools

1. Anthony Gose: Centerfield, LH- Speed/ Defense

2. Travis D’Arnaud: Catcher, RH- Power/Contact

3. Brett Lawrie: 3^rd Base, RH- 5-tools

4. Travis Snider: Righftield, LH- Power/Contact

5. Adeiny Hechavarria: Shortstop, RH- 5-tools

6. Aaron Hill: 2^nd Base, RH- Power/Defense

7. Adam Lind: Leftfield, LH- Power

8. J.P. Arencibia: DH, RH- Power

9. Yunel Escobar: 1^st Base, RH- Defense

Future Rotation

Name, Throws

1. Brandon Morrow, RHP

2. Ricky Romero, LHP

3. Kyle Drabek, RHP

4. Deck McGuire, RHP

5. Brett Cecil, LHP

Closer: Zach Stewart

Overall Evaluation

Areas of Improvement:

The biggest areas of improvement actually lie in the stacked offense. They’re pretty right-handed heavy. They’re stacked around certain positions, and could stand to thin out and find a real first baseman. With the free agent market looking to heat up in a couple years we could see Toronto make a splash and go after Prince Fielder. They lack a bit in the defense department, and working on fundamentals could help back the pitchers.

Outfield:

Lind and Snider are slow, but Anthony Gose has great speed and defensive potential in Center. Travis Snider has huge power and patience and has a lot of time to develop into a complete hitter. Adam Lind had a rough 2010, but his ’09 was so good I believe he can bounce back.

Infield:

The infield can be a real strength for the Jays. Aaron Hill suffered from rough luck in ’09, but he’s versatile, plays good D, and has 25-30 homerun power; in other words, he’ll bounce back. Brett Lawrie (one of the biggest steals this winter) has a great swing and a 25-25 ceiling; he could crack the team this year and be a mainstay for seasons to come. Hechavarria is a wildcard. He was a Cuban defector who signed in 2010. His tools could be raw, but early reports have drawn Hanley Ramirez comparisons, so the ceiling is huge.

Rotation:

Brandon Morrow is developing into a fantastic ace. With better luck in 2010 he could have had an ERA closer to 3.00, and his k/9 of 10.95 was best amongst starters. With a better defense and a little better control he could be one of the best right-handers in the AL. Ricky Romero and Kyle Drabek each have ace stuff and it’s just a matter of time before he breaks out.

The mastermind

Intangibles:

When they traded Halladay everyone thought they were dead in the water, but Toronto is already showing signs of life. They have a deep system with a lot of guys ready to break in. They’re also young without a lot of long-term liabilities.

The Blue Jays have Alex Anthopoulos in their corner and he has done a great job since taking over. He traded Halladay, flipped Taylor (part of that trade) for Brett Wallace, and then flipped Wallace for top centerfield prospect Anthony Gose. He also moved Vernon Wells, one of the most unmovable contracts in baseball. As long as he’s their GM they’ve got a bright future.