Baseball America released its 2017 mid-season rankings of the top 100 MLB prospects on Friday, and a young member Toronto Blue Jays organization is near the top.
The list features Blue Jays prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the No. 2 spot, a jump all the way up from 16th in the pre-season rankings.
Chicago White Sox second base prospect Yoan Moncada tops the list, maintaining the No. 1 position he held in the pre-season rankings.
Signed by the Blue Jays as an international free agent in 2015, the six-foot-one, 200-pound Montreal-born third baseman has been posting strong numbers all year with the Low-A Lansing Lugnuts in his first full season playing in the Midwest League.
Guerrero Jr. has a batting average of .312 to go with his seven home runs, 45 RBIs and .406 on-base percentage through 71 games.
He spent the 2016 season with the Blue Jays’ Rookie-class Minor League Baseball affiliate in Bluefield.
The son of retired major-leaguer Vladimir Guerrero also had a pretty impressive showing at the Midwest League home run derby last month, finishing in second place behind Dodgers prospect Carlos Rincon.
Toronto’s top prospect recently earned himself a promotion as, according to Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi, the 18-year-old is heading to Dunedin along with Bo Bichette to suit up for the High-A Blue Jays.
Bichette also made a big jump in Baseball America’s rankings, jumping from 98th in the pre-season to No. 44 on the revised mid-season list.
In addition to Guerrero and Bichette, two other Blue Jays prospects also cracked the top 100: Outfielder Anthony Alford is ranked No. 38 (previously 34) and shortstop Lourdes Gurriel sits No. 90 (from 68).
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