It hasn't taken long for undersized outfielder Brett Bateman to become a fan favourite in Toronto.
The 24-year-old was acquired from the Chicago Cubs ahead of MLB's Aug. 3 trade deadline as part of the return for Kevin Gausman, and played two games for Toronto's triple-A affiliate, the Bisons, before making his MLB debut Aug. 7.
Bateman smacked a double off former Cy Young finalist Zack Wheeler in his first major-league at-bat and hasn't looked back, recording a hit in seven of nine games since while also endearing himself to Toronto fans with his affable demeanour.
"It's been pretty crazy, but nothing short of unbelievable," Bateman told Sportsnet's Sho Alli on Jays Talk Plus on Monday. "Just absolutely blessed to have this opportunity ... I've been absolutely meshed straight into this org., by fans, by teammates, by coaches, and I'm excited for hopefully a few more weeks as we make a final push here."
Bateman had played only 84 triple-A games before getting the call-up, but didn't rank as a top prospect, ranking Nos. 17 and 21 in the Blue Jays and Cubs systems, respectively, according to MLB Pipeline.
Bateman hit for contact and also drew plenty of walks in the minors, posting a .312 average and .430 on-base percentage over 82 games with the Iowa Cubs. However, he lacked power, hitting for just three home runs and a .421 slugging percentage.
In MLB today, sluggers like Kyle Schwarber, James Wood and Shohei Ohtani often occupy the leadoff spot in the lineup. Bateman fits the mould of a more traditional leadoff hitter, using bat-to-ball skills, speed and the ability to grind out discerning plate appearances to set the table for his teammates.
Bateman has 92nd percentile sprint speed, which he used to swipe 20 bags in the minors this season, and he can go and get it in the outfield, too.
The small, speedy outfielder may not have the same muscle as some superstars, but he feels he's always had an advantage in the finer details. Something his dad, Keith Bateman, head coach of the NCAA Division III Augsburg University baseball team for over 20 years, helped instill.
"I think the one thing that's really helped me throughout my career is just having some sort of edge when it comes to the deeper level of baseball," Bateman said. "Being able to talk with him growing up about certain plays or pitches, and how people are going to pitch to you, definitely helps."
Meanwhile, Bateman has been part of an influx of youth that has seemingly sparked the Blue Jays' 7-3 run, putting them back in the thick of the American League wild-card race. Toronto sits one game back of the Baltimore Orioles for the final spot entering play Monday.
He's still learning about his new home city, but Bateman has been impressed by the way baseball fans in Toronto show up for the Blue Jays.
"To be completely honest, the most I knew about Toronto was the Jose Bautista home run," Bateman said. "But now, it's totally different, right? It's pretty much (a) packed house every game. Even on the Monday game, I was kind of like, 'Wow, this is how we get down here in Toronto?'
"There's people on the streets always wearing Blue Jays gear, whether you're playing that night or not. It's amazing to see the support, and all the fans, and how they want you to succeed and want to cheer you on. So it's pretty cool."
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