A few possible solutions to the Blue Jays corner outfielder problem
So far this season the Blue Jays outfield has been nothing short of dreadful. The club’s outfielders have combined for a .199/.260/.312 line, the worst offensive production from that position group in baseball.
Nothing the team has done from a roster building standpoint has actually been that egregious. They moved Kevin Pillar, who didn’t fit their window, and extended Randal Grichuk, who is off to a slowish start, but not part of the problem.
They took a shot on a high-ceiling guy in Socrates Brito and decided to see what Teoscar Hernandez and Billy McKinney had in a non-competitive year where that roll of the dice wouldn’t hurt them. Meanwhile, they hoped Anthony Alford would force his way up with strong work in Buffalo.
With the information available at the time, all of those decisions were logical, but almost none of them have worked out. McKinney and Hernandez have both been non-factors. Brito has been worse than that by a significant margin. Alen Hanson has been seeing far too much outfield time. Alford has struggled at the Triple-A level.
As a matter of course, you don’t want to overreact to single month performances or get too impatient. At the same time, the guys in the Blue Jays corner outfield mix are in the post-prospect category where they’ve had chances before. When you throw things at the wall to see what sticks, you want something to stick in a hurry.
With that in mind, it’s well worth doubting if the Blue Jays have the right guys to left and right field in the building. Here are a couple of options worth considering:
The internal option: Cavan Biggio
Age: 24
Bats: Left
2019 Stats (AAA): .351/.495/.636 in 101 plate appearances with 6 home runs and 3 steals
Career MLB stats: N/A
Standout Ability: Advanced approach
How it Works: Biggio is off to a Bondsian start in his first tour of Triple-A and it’s becoming clear his bat is MLB-ready. The 24-year-old has an outstanding eye plus emerging power and could give the Blue Jays some left-handed thump - something they currently lack.
Although Biggio has played only 17 games in the outfield professionally, he’s a solid athlete and there’s no reason to believe he couldn’t learn how handle a corner on the job. Because of the Blue Jays competitive standing, there’s no urgency for him to be good from the get-go.
How it Doesn’t: The Blue Jays might be concerned that if he scuffles defensively he’ll bring those struggles to the plate. His track record at Triple-A is pretty thin, and the club may want to ensure that he is too good for the level not just in the midst of an insane hot streak.
The post-hype prospect: Nick Williams
Age: 25
Bats: Left
Organization: Philadelphia Phillies
2019 Stats (MLB): .162/.244/.297 in 41 plate appearances with 1 home run and 0 steals
Career MLB stats: .264/.326/.439 in 832 plate appearances with 30 home run and 4 steals
Standout Ability: Linedrive stroke
How it Works: Williams is coming off two straight seasons with above-average offensive output at the major-league level. Because he’s been relegated to a bit role with the Phillies, it’s hard to imagine he’d cost much in a trade. He’s a lefty bat with a little power and the ability to sustain high BABIP thanks to a linedrive-heavy batted ball profile. Williams is a former big-time prospect and looks like a possible buy-low type.
How it Doesn’t: Defensive metrics have never liked Williams despite his solid speed, and he could remind Blue Jays fans of a left-handed Hernandez but with more of a constant stream of singles and doubles as opposed to a pure power focus.
The truly anonymous man: Yonathan Daza
Age: 25
Bats: Right
Organization: Colorado Rockies
2019 Stats (AAA): .400/.440/.711 in 84 plate appearances with 3 home runs and 3 steals
Career MLB stats: .000/.083/.000 in 12 plate appearances with 0 home runs and 0 steals
Standout Ability: Contact Hitting
How it Works: Daza is absolutely flying in Triple-A, albeit at in the Pacific Coast League, and it’s possible that he’s figured something out. He can clearly put the bat on the ball, as his strikeout rate fell from the mid-teens to 10.5 percent at Double-A last year and sits at 7.1 percent at Triple-A this year. He’s the only guy on this list that can play all three outfield positions. The Rockies feature Charlie Blackmon, David Dahl, Raimel Tapia, and zombie Ian Desmond, so outfield at-bats are hard to come by in Denver.
How it Doesn’t: This could be precisely the wrong moment to try and pry Daza from the Rockies. Projection systems are highly skeptical of his ability to make a difference at the MLB level. Daza has never hit more than four home runs in a pro season and it’s tough to thrive as a corner outfielder with so little power.
The Good Story: Alex Dickerson
Age: 28
Bats: Left
Organization: San Diego Padres
2019 Stats (AAA): .360/.462/.593 in 104 plate appearances with 5 home runs and 0 steals
Career MLB stats: .257/.331/.432 in 293 plate appearances with 10 home runs and 5 steals
Standout Ability: Power
How it Works: Dickerson didn’t play a professional baseball game in 2017 or 2018 due to a litany of injuries, but he’s back and tearing up Triple-A. The outfielder crushed the ball all the way through the minors and looked awfully promising in 2016. For what it’s worth, Steamer projects him for a .266/.332/.432 line in the bigs today. That’ll play, and the Padres don’t have room for him in a crowded outfield or the inclination to give such a wild card a shot in the midst of a competitive season.
How it Doesn’t: There’s no saying how Dickerson will hold up either physically or production-wise. He’s more of a pure left-fielder who never profiled as a strong defender. His age makes him quite a bit less exciting and he’s already arbitration eligible next year.
The GREAT Story: Travis Snider
Age: 31
Bats: Left
Organization: Arizona Diamondbacks
2019 Stats (AAA): .360/.462/.593 in 104 plate appearances with 5 home runs and 0 steals
Career MLB stats: .244/.311/.399 in 1971 plate appearances with 54 home runs and 22 steals
Standout Ability: Power
How it Works: In a season where non-Vladdy fun is in short supply, a reunion with Snider would definitely qualify. There is a chance, however remote, that Snider rediscovered his stroke during his year in non-affiliated ball. There’s no way he’d be worse than Brito has been.
How it Doesn’t: Snider has proven again and again he can rake at the Triple-A level. He’s too old to have much future upside. Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins don’t seem like the types to make transactions to maximize whimsy.
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