ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Vladimir Guerrero Jr., takes the kind of batting practice that demands attention. This spring, when the Toronto Blue Jays’ top prospect showed up at minor-league camp looking thicker in his upper body and hitting the ball even harder, everyone around him noticed and word quickly spread.
“I gained a little bit of weight,” says the Dominican slugger listed at six-foot-one and 200 pounds, “but it’s because I’m working with the strength and conditioning coach and following the program.”
Given that the word stocky is often used to describe his body, you can understand why Guerrero is quick to explain the source of the new pounds. He’s worked hard on his body since signing for $3.9 million, the second richest signing bonus in team history, two years ago.
And given the awe his power often generates, you can also understand why teammate Yeltsin Gudino, kindly serving as an interpreter between Guerrero and three reporters, translates the reply and then adds, unsolicited, “More power, too.”
“I saw him playing and I can see,” Gudino continues. “He’s got more power.”
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Impressive as that is, it’s the other gains in his game that have the third baseman starting the season with the low-A Lansing Lugnuts less than a month after turning 18, a young age for full-season pro ball.
Guerrero’s physical improvements have helped him acclimate better to the hot corner, where he’s becoming more comfortable after initially being projected as a right-fielder. The Blue Jays believe he’s got a chance to stay at third and be an average, perhaps better, defender there.
But his bat will be his most important tool, and in his first season of pro ball last year, he showed the kind of plate discipline his superstar father never did, walking 33 times against 35 strikeouts while slashing .271/.359/.449 in 62 games with short-season Bluefield.
“I’ve been working on my offence, trying to hit the ball to the middle of the field and just be focused and consistent on my good swing,” he says.
Gudino, a slick infielder, will be among Guerrero’s teammates at Lansing, as will another prospect quickly demanding attention, shortstop Bo Bichette. The duo give the Blue Jays a potential left side of the infield they can dream about years from now for a post-Josh Donaldson and Troy Tulowitzki roster.
But that’s getting ahead of things – years of development await first, starting with a big jump at Lansing.
“Keep working hard, that’s the key,” says Guerrero.
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A quick look at the Blue Jays system as the minor-league season opens:
Triple-A Buffalo Bisons
Top Prospects: 1B Rowdy Tellez
Keep An Eye On: RHP Chris Smith, RHP Danny Barnes, LHP Chad Girodo, OF Dalton Pompey
Potential Depth Players: SP Mat Latos, SP Casey Lawrence, SP Mike Bolsinger, C Mike Ohlman, INF Gregorio Petit, UT Jake Elmore, UT Chris Coghlan, OF Darrell Ceciliani
Double-A New Hampshire Fisher-Cats
Top Prospects: SP Sean Reid-Foley, SP Conner Greene, SP Jon Harris, C Reese McGuire, SS Richard Urena, OF Anthony Alford, OF Harold Ramirez
Keep An Eye On: SP Francisco Rios, SP Shane Dawson, RP Tim Mayza, RP John Stilson
Potential Depth Players: INF Jonathan Diaz
Advanced-A Dunedin Blue Jays
Top Prospects: SP T.J. Zeuch, SP Ryan Borucki, INF Lourdes Gurriel Jr., C Max Pentecost
Keep An Eye On: SP Jordan Romano, SP Angel Perdomo, RP Adonys Cardona, C Dan Jansen, 2B Cavan Biggio
Low-A Lansing Lugnuts
Top Prospects: 3B Vladimir Guerrero Jr., SS Bo Bichette, SP Justin Maese, OF J.B. Woodman
Keep An Eye On: SP Patrick Murphy, RP Zach Jackson, INF Yeltsin Gudino, OF Edward Olivares
