Blue Jays prospect has all eyes on him this spring

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DUNEDIN, Fla. -- Each Spring Training has its darling, and it’s Alan Roden’s turn.

The 25-year-old outfielder has been an organizational favorite among players and executives since he was selected in the third round of the 2022 MLB Draft, but GM Ross Atkins took it one step further with a surprising answer to open camp.

Atkins is asked the same question each spring: Are there any prospects in camp you’re particularly excited to see? Atkins, like clockwork, rattles off a long list of names, just enough to keep everyone involved and keep the spotlight off any one prospect. That is … until Thursday.

“I’ll single out and put some pressure on Alan Roden,” Atkins said.

For someone who’s held a microphone up to Atkins 100-plus times, it was a jarring answer, but a great one. Instead, Atkins saved his list for what he liked about Roden.

“He’s just done so much to put himself in a position to move through the system quickly,” Atkins said, “with the way he goes about his job, the contact rates, the shape of his offense, the fact that [he’s valuable] on both sides of the ball, his baserunning, stealing bases, he plays defense at a solid level, he’s very physical with upside, the power. He’s an exciting piece.”

Count the manager in, too.

“I’m in the same boat there with Alan,” John Schneider said. “[Roden] has adjusted and he’s getting better at everything really quickly. I’m looking forward to seeing him play. He’s obviously a really bright kid, and everything we’ve asked him to tackle, he’s done a really good job of. It’s cool to watch a guy go through the system, take everything that’s thrown at him and apply it really quickly. I’m excited to see him play on both sides of the ball, but especially in the box.”

Roden represents everything the Blue Jays like in a hitter. He’s an on-base machine who posted a .391 on-base percentage between Double-A and Triple-A last season and makes a ton of contact when he does swing. Roden’s 16 home runs in 125 games last season give you an accurate read on his power potential, and while he’s not about to hit 30, he started to drive the ball more consistently in 2024. Roden isn’t a slap hitter who’s just trying to get to first base.

He’s built to handle any pressure Atkins might have added, too.

“Obviously, that was cool and it means a lot to me,” Roden said. “To be recognized by anyone in the front office is a big deal. I don’t take it lightly. I see it as an opportunity. It’s a chance to do what everyone wants to do, which is to play at the highest level.”

Like Schneider says, Roden’s ability to quickly digest information and put it to action is what excites the Blue Jays the most. It’s why they believe he’ll handle the jump to big league pitching and all of the game planning that comes along with it.

Barring a major injury, Roden is unlikely to crack the Opening Day roster, but this is about mid-2025. By then, Roden could turn himself into an option for the Blue Jays’ leadoff spot, too, especially if George Springer loses his grip on the job.

Either way, Roden is surrounded by the right people. He’s in full control of his own offensive identity, but defensively, he can turn to Gold Glove Award winner Daulton Varsho and now Kevin Kiermaier, one of the game’s best defenders for a decade-plus who is now in camp with the Blue Jays as a special assistant. Even if a little more patience is needed, Roden has every resource a player his age could ask for.

“There’s so much experience. It’s hard to not take advantage of that. It would be shameful if you didn’t,” Roden said. “It’s two ears open, one mouth closed. Maybe I’ll have the occasional question, and I feel like I’m at the stage of my playing career where I do have some things to say and have a perspective, but especially with those guys, it’s about me trying to learn as much as possible.”

Get used to seeing Roden in Grapefruit League games, too. The Blue Jays need to find playing time for the rest of their young outfielders, but they don’t need to ride Anthony Santander or Springer too hard in February and March, so there should be plenty of room for Roden and the Blue Jays already love what they see.