The Next Crop: June 2013

With June now over we bring you our monthly update on the Jays top prospects and most MLB-ready minor leaguers.

All statistics are as of June 30.

Jim Negrych

Player	POS	Level	AB	HR	BB	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Jim Negrych	2B	AAA	244	3	28	36	2	3	0.332	0.398	0.475	0.873

The window for Negrych appears to have closed. He hit .429 in April, .310 in May and .284 in June. Respectable enough, but not sufficient to earn a journeyman second baseman a call-up to the big club- especially when they have a glut of infielders already on the roster.

Moises Sierra

Player	POS	Level	AB	HR	BB	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Moises Sierra	OF	AAA	280	6	12	76	7	2	0.264	0.317	0.414	0.731

Sierra is another player who has dropped off after a hot start. He had an OPS of just .569 in June and appears to have been passed on the depth chart by Kevin Pillar according to comments made yesterday by Alex Anthopoulos.

A.J. Jimenez

Player	POS	Level	AB	HR	BB	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
A.J. Jimenez	C	AA	103	1	4	16	0	0	0.408	0.427	0.544	0.971

Jimenez also earned a mention from Anthopoulos with defence that reminds the Jays GM of the Molina brothers. That’s high praise and considering he has also put up a .971 OPS in limited action (due to injuries) between New Hampshire and Buffalo. He may be ready for his turn in the revolving door that is the Blue Jays “catcher of the future”. It’s highly unlikely that Jimenez will be ready to make an impact in Toronto this year, but he may factor into the Jays plans at some point in 2014, especially if J.P. Arencibia continues to struggle.

Luis Jimenez

Player	POS	Level	AB	HR	BB	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Luis Jimenez	1B	AAA	274	16	35	50	3	1	0.310	0.384	0.551	0.935

The 31-year-old Jimenez is a career minor-leaguer whose only chance to join the Jays would be as a power bat off the bench or short-term injury replacement.

Andy LaRoche

Player	POS	Level	AB	HR	BB	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Andy LaRoche	3B	AAA	183	8	20	23	3	1	0.284	0.360	0.475	0.836

LaRoche is another depth piece. With Lawrie on the shelf it would take an injury to Maicer Izturis or Mark DeRosa for LaRoche to get a look.

Mauro Gomez

Player	POS	Level	AB	HR	BB	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Mauro Gomez	1B	AAA	266	24	29	87	2	2	0.248	0.322	0.571	0.894

Gomez represents the right-handed version of Luis Jimenez.

Anthony Gose

Player	POS	Level	AB	HR	BB	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Anthony Gose	OF	AAA	238	2	30	79	10	7	0.218	0.315	0.303	0.618

Gose has struggled to get on base since rejoining the Bisons. He struck out 36 times in June with an OBP of just .270.

Kevin Pillar

Player	POS	Level	AB	HR	BB	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Kevin Pillar	OF	AAA	347	7	22	37	16	10	0.323	0.370	0.476	0.845

Pillar hasn’t skipped a beat since being called up from New Hampshire to Buffalo.

Dwight Smith Jr.

Player	POS	Level	AB	HR	BB	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Dwight Smith Jr.	OF	A	214	3	32	47	15	2	0.266	0.360	0.364	0.725

Smith was selected in the first round of the 2011 draft and has acquitted himself fairly well this year in Lansing after splitting last year between Bluefield and Vancouver.

Mitch Nay

Player	POS	Level	AB	HR	BB	SO	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Mitch Nay	3B	A	41	1	6	6	0	1	0.366	0.447	0.488	0.935

Nay was selected in the first round of the 2012 draft and played his first 11 games in the Blue Jays organization in June.

Dave Bush

Player	POS	Level	IP	ERA	HR	BB	SO	WHIP
Dave Bush	P	AAA	72.2	4.33	14	13	48	1.24

Claudio Vargas

Player	POS	Level	IP	ERA	HR	BB	SO	WHIP
Claudio Vargas	P	AAA	73.2	5.38	8	33	51	1.55

Justin Germano

Player	POS	Level	IP	ERA	HR	BB	SO	WHIP
Justin Germano	P	AAA	87.1	5.67	10	22	53	1.67

Ricky Romero

Player	POS	Level	IP	ERA	HR	BB	SO	WHIP
Ricky Romero	P	AAA	47.0	6.17	2	34	27	1.94

Bush, Vargas, Germano, and Romero are all potential spot starters or injury replacements should the need arise. Interestingly, the team opted to forego all 4 in favour of Todd Redmond after designating Chien-Ming Wang for assignment yesterday.

Joel Carreno

Player	POS	Level	IP	ERA	HR	BB	SO	WHIP
Joel Carreno	P	AAA	41.0	2.20	2	11	61	0.80

Carreno spent time with Toronto in both 2011 and 2012 and it is a testament to how well the big club’s bullpen has pitched that he hasn’t yet had a shot in 2013 given his impressive numbers with New Hampshire and now Buffalo.

Sean Nolin

Player	POS	Level	IP	ERA	HR	BB	SO	WHIP
Sean Nolin	P	AA	45.0	3.00	2	10	47	1.18

Nolin got roughed up in his only start with Toronto, but has put up decent numbers in New Hampshire and remains a possibility should the Jays need yet another starter.

Marcus Stroman

Player	POS	Level	IP	ERA	HR	BB	SO	WHIP
Marcus Stroman	P	AA	36.0	3.25	6	11	37	1.22

The Jays selected Stroman 22nd overall in last year’s draft. Some suggested at the time that he could be ready to join the team as a reliever in 2012. The Jays opted instead to try Stroman as a starter and, after serving a PED suspension to start the year, Stroman has performed well in that role. In June he struck out 24, walked 8, and gave up 16 hits over 26 innings while putting up an ERA of 1.38 with New Hampshire.

Aaron Sanchez

Player	POS	Level	IP	ERA	HR	BB	SO	WHIP
Aaron Sanchez	P	A	48.2	2.77	1	18	43	0.92

The Jays top prospect was injured for most of June, but returned June 21st and gave up 2 hits and 2 walks while striking out 6 over six innings of work in his last two starts.

Roberto Osuna

Player	POS	Level	IP	ERA	HR	BB	SO	WHIP
Roberto Osuna	P	A	40.2	4.20	5	11	48	0.98

Osuna also returned from injury in June to make 4 starts despite suggestions that he may eventually require Tommy John surgery.

Brad Lincoln

Player	POS	Level	IP	ERA	HR	BB	SO	WHIP
Brad Lincoln	P	AAA	16.0	3.38	2	6	17	1.44

Lincoln allowed 2 earned runs in 6.1 innings of work with the Bisons after being sent down by the Jays.

Deck McGuire

Player	POS	Level	IP	ERA	HR	BB	SO	WHIP
Deck McGuire	P	AA	89.2	5.52	5	36	84	1.44

McGuire is pitching for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats for the third year in a row. He has yet to realize the potential the Jays saw in him when they selected him 11th overall in 2010.

Daniel Norris

Player	POS	Level	IP	ERA	HR	BB	SO	WHIP
Daniel Norris	P	A	45.0	5.80	4	29	48	1.76

Norris was selected in the second round of the 2011 draft and was ranked 3rd amongst Jays prospects by MLB.com.

John Stilson

Player	POS	Level	IP	ERA	HR	BB	SO	WHIP
John Stilson	P	AAA	21	2.14	1	10	23	1.05

Stilson is another player who merited mention by Alex Anthopoulos who noted that he has “really jumped forward” this year and has reached 98 mph with his fastball as a reliever.

Todd Redmond