7 Blue Jays on Baseball America's Top 100 Prospects List
Don't let the present distract you from the future.
While the Blue Jays mull 2021 Trade Deadline decisions, their farm system recently ranked as one of the best prospect pools in baseball in Baseball America's midseason Top 100 Prospects list, published Monday.
The biggest riser on the list was, once again, catcher Gabriel Moreno. Despite missing weeks with a thumb injury, Moreno has jumped Austin Martin as Toronto's best prospect and ranks as one of the best young hitters in baseball. Though he'll graduate from prospect status soon, starter Alek Manoah jumped up to 13th on the midseason rankings and is Toronto's top pitching prospect.
The full list of Toronto's Top 100 Baseball America prospects is as follows:
12. C Gabriel Moreno
Statline: 32 AA Games - .373/.441/.651 - 8 HR, 45 RBI, 1 SB
After jumping to 36th in Baseball America's June edition of the Top Prospects List, Moreno traverses the rankings once again. While Orelvis Martinez (58th) is smacking dingers in Single-A and drawing eyes, Moreno is still Toronto's best prospect story of 2021.
The former shortstop had thumb surgery in early July and was miss "weeks," but dominated Double-A prior to the injury. Baseball America's report on Moreno said his swing adjustments and added strength have "helped his power show up more in games," this season. With another young catcher on this list and Danny Jansen in the majors, the Blue Jays have some future catching questions to address.
13. SP Alek Manoah
Statline: 8 MLB Starts - 2.90 ERA, 4.24 FIP, 11.6 K/9, 3.3 BB/9
Manoah is days away from aging out of prospect status and graduating from this list, but he is now solidly viewed as Toronto's top pitching prospect until that day comes. BA's rankings hyped up his slider as a large impetus for his rise from 37 in the June rankings.
21. SS/CF Austin Martin
Statline: 53 AA Games - .274/.417/.374 - 2 HR, 16 RBI, 8 SB
Martin was Toronto's top-ranked hitting prospect and representative at the 2021 Futures Game, but he's been passed by some of the top prospects in baseball.
Martin has missed time with hand and concussion injuries, and his lack of 2021 power may be attributed to the former. The infielder/outfielder has received mixed scouting reports from some of the industry's top prospect rankers, with some critiquing his swing, but he undeniably flashes one of the best eyes in the minors.
55. SP Nate Pearson
Statline: 6 AAA Games - 4.74 ERA, 13.1 K.9, 4.0 BB/9
It's been a tough year for Toronto's top prospect. With control issues, and injuries questions throughout the season, Pearson and the Jays seem to have a plan to navigate the rest of his season.
Returning from a now diagnosed sports hernia, Pearson will move to the bullpen for the remainder of 2021. The injury diagnosis was a "huge relief," per Toronto GM Ross Atkins, and can be "managed in the short term." The future plans with Pearson still remain at starter, but registering any kind of productive innings this season will be a great step to stop the fall on the righty's prospect stock.
58. SS/3B Orelvis Martinez
Statline: 65 A Games - .291/.378/.601 - 18 HR, 63 RBI, 3 SB
If you don't know who this 19-year-old Dominican is yet, you should now. Ranking 96th in the preseason list, Martinez has pushed into the top 60 with a strong power showing in 2021.
In the month of July, Martinez has 12 home runs, including a three-dinger showing in Clearwater. He's been held off base just four times this month and has three four-hit games.
83. 3B/SS Jordan Groshans
Statline: 47 AA Games - .298/.375/.461 - 5 HR, 29 RBI, 0 SB
A puzzling fall for the Toronto infield prospect, Groshans was ranked 56th in Baseball America's early-June list. Groshans has flashed batted ball skills, the ability to take a walk, and solid extra-base power, but finds himself on the fringes of BA's Top 100, a far fall from his ranking at 34 on the Pre-2021 list.
85. C Alejandro Kirk
Statline: 19 MLB Games - .255/.340/.489 - 3 HR, 8 RBI, 0 SB
Despite being around the Major League level, and in the Blue Jays conversation, for almost a year, Kirk has still only played 28 MLB games. The bat and plate vision continue to be solid in the big leagues, and Blue Jays pitches have said nothing but good things about the 22-year-old on his work behind the plate.
"We have an awesome crop of young catchers who are learning with me, and I'm learning with them," Ross Stripling said after his last start, throwing five innings to Kirk against the Mets.
Find Baseball America's full updated list with scouting reports here.
Mitch Bannon is a baseball reporter for Sports Illustrated covering the Toronto Blue Jays and their minor league affiliates.Twitter: @MitchBannon