DUNEDIN, Fla. -- The star of spring is headed to the big leagues. Alan Roden has made the Blue Jays.
The Blue Jays¡¯ No. 5 prospect was singled out by GM Ross Atkins earlier in camp -- a rare move from this front office -- and delivered in every way imaginable. The 25-year-old batted .423 with a 1.287 OPS and did exactly what this organization asks of all its prospects: he made the decision for them.
¡°We trust his skillset, not only on the field but between his ears,¡± manager John Schneider said, ¡°when it comes to being able to process things and slow things down. I think there¡¯s a really good chance he¡¯s an impact player for us, and I think there¡¯s a really good chance he won¡¯t be [up and down] in that time. I think he¡¯s going to be [steady].¡±
Schneider had Blue Jays first-base coach Mark Budzinski and special assistant to player development Devon White in the office with him to break the news to Roden, given how much work they¡¯ve all done together.
¡°It was cool. It was the most emotion I¡¯ve seen out of him yet with a big fist pump,¡± Schneider said. ¡°It was cool to deliver the message because of what he¡¯s done in this organization. He¡¯s the epitome of what we try to instill in our Minor League players, attacking things the right way and working the right way, then also performing. He had a big smile on his face.¡±
Roden¡¯s arrival was only a matter of time, and he¡¯s expected to play across all three outfield spots with the corners coming first. He¡¯ll also DH the odd time and has a shot to permanently entrench himself on this roster, even after Daulton Varsho returns at some point in April.
The impression Roden made on the organization this spring went right to the top.
¡°He¡¯s a winning type of player, there¡¯s no question,¡± Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro said. ¡°He both projects well from a purely objective standpoint, and subjectively has the attributes you want to build a winning environment.¡±
Shapiro also made an interesting point, saying that hitters with high levels of intelligence can often be overly analytical, bogged down by too much happening in their minds. Roden, he feels, balances this very well with the perspective needed to thrive in the big leagues.
¡°You can¡¯t simulate the anxiety, the pressure, the stress that comes with playing at the Major League level,¡± Shapiro said. ¡°The players who have a system, a level of maturity or even a level of ignorance -- whatever it is -- maybe they have an ability to disconnect. Manny Ramirez always used to say, ¡®Sometimes they get me, sometimes I get them.¡¯ Not every player has the ability to take the approach, but if you can do that, it¡¯s a great way to approach it.¡±
Toronto¡¯s outfield could roll out 10 different looks in 10 days as the club chases matchups, but Roden¡¯s offensive upside could be what separates him. There¡¯s some real leadoff potential here long-term, too.
Barger the odd man out
Addison Barger played well enough to make this team. There¡¯s zero debate. Roster construction keeps him off for now, though, as the Blue Jays prioritized outfielders who can play in center.
¡°With Wagner and with Clement at third base, it turned Addison into more of an outfielder, and then what would the playing time look like?¡± Schneider said. ¡°We want him to be playing consistently with the strides he has made.¡±
This leaves the Blue Jays in a great spot with their depth, though, with Barger as an option at any point. He made a great impression in camp and could benefit from Varsho¡¯s return.
Straw, Lukes up first in center
Myles Straw is the likelier option against left-handed pitching while Nathan Lukes could face some righties, but the Blue Jays are high on Straw¡¯s defense and he impressed them at the plate in spring. While Roden could see the odd reps in center, that feels more like something that could come as part of an in-game move.
It¡¯s a big opportunity for Lukes, in particular, who has always held the trust of the organization but hasn¡¯t always had the opening to play consistently in meaningful games. He¡¯s hit .275 with a .762 OPS in the big leagues, and as Varsho¡¯s return approaches, this could be a loose ¡°competition¡± to stay who sticks on the roster long-term.