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With wins in five consecutive games, the Blue Jays are playing far better baseball of late. George Springer’s back, the bullpen appears to be stabilizing a little and the Blue Jays are doing what they should against the lesser competition they’re now facing: winning games.
Of course, wins against the likes of the Orioles and Marlins are necessary but not sufficient for a Blue Jays team that’s been hovering around the .500 mark for too long. At some point, a substantial run will be required, and that will mean beating up on some better teams, too.
On that front, some reinforcements would certainly help — ideally multiple relievers, a starter and a left-handed bat. And at this point, the Blue Jays are expecting to add. But since every addition comes at a price, I’ve started wondering: Who might go the other way?
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In theory, the Blue Jays could part with a top prospect this summer, using their reserve of catching and infield talent in the minor leagues to bolster the big-league team. Yet the front office would undoubtedly prefer to acquire help without trading away the likes of Gabriel Moreno, Austin Martin and Jordan Groshans.
With that in mind, we arrive at four prospects who will all be Rule 5 eligible over the winter, meaning the Blue Jays will have to add them to their 40-man roster or leave them exposed. The combination of their roster status and their current performances suggests they’re likely to draw interest from rival teams in the weeks ahead.
LHP Zach Logue, 25
In his first start at triple-A, the left-hander struck out eight over seven scoreless innings while allowing just one hit. Before that, he’d struck out 51 while walking just seven in 35.2 innings at double-A. Is he a top prospect? No, and at 25 years old he probably never will be. But that doesn’t mean he’s without value, either for the Blue Jays or a seller looking to add young pitching.
IF Kevin Smith, 24
For Smith, the last four years have been a roller coaster. In 2018 he broke out with a 25-homer season at Class A, but he struggled badly the following season, and his prospect stock tumbled as a result. But after the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, he’s putting up big numbers through his first 40 games at triple-A. With 10 home runs, 10 stolen bases, a .284 average and a .982 OPS, he’s pushing closer to the majors every day. But will the Blue Jays keep him? Or, knowing infield prospects like Martin and Groshans are also on the way, could they dangle Smith in trades?
OF Logan Warmoth, 25
When the Blue Jays drafted Warmoth in the first round four years ago, he was a shortstop. Since then he’s transitioned to the outfield, mostly centre and right, while posting a .752 OPS with seven stolen bases at triple-A. It’s not a skillset or statline that necessarily jumps off the page, but beauty is often in the eye of the beholder this time of year, and he’s likely expendable for the Blue Jays.
Of note: Steve Sanders, now the assistant GM of the Pirates, was the Blue Jays’ amateur scouting director when Logue, Smith and Warmoth were drafted, among many others. That should make it easier to get on the same page as the Pirates, who have many interesting big-leaguers including Richard Rodriguez, Colin Moran and Adam Frazier.
IF Samad Taylor, 22
Over the winter, the Blue Jays left Taylor off their 40-man roster ahead of the Rule 5 draft — a sign they were prepared to lose him. Yet he went unclaimed and now ranks among the double-A leaders with 12 home runs, 17 stolen bases and a 1.008 OPS.
Suddenly the guy who appeared to be an afterthought in the 2017 trade that sent Joe Smith to Cleveland appears to have far more trade value. With numbers like that at age 22, it’s likely fair to assume the Blue Jays would have to get something substantial back in any deal for Taylor.
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