2020 Envisioning: The Lugnuts' Next Outfield
Part I - click here to read it - was a look at which of the Blue Jays' current Top 30 prospects could play in Lansing in 2020, the 25th season of Lugnuts baseball.Part II featured a closer look at the Lugnuts' potential catchers and infielders.Today, we move to the outfield.*
Part I - click here to read it - was a look at which of the Blue Jays' current Top 30 prospects could play in Lansing in 2020, the 25th season of Lugnuts baseball.
Part II featured a closer look at the Lugnuts' potential catchers and infielders.
Today, we move to the outfield.
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The 2019 Lugnuts outfield had Reggie Pruitt, Griffin Conine and Otto Lopez, each of whom is highly likely (as close to 100% as you could get, barring injury, trade, etc.) to start next year in A-Adv. Dunedin; DJ Neal and Hunter Steinmetz, who are candidates to return; and Dominic Abbadessa and Mc Gregory Contreras, who are interesting: Neither one hit in Lansing (Abbadessa hit .189 with a .571 OPS, Contreras hit .211 with a .593 OPS), and then after they were both transferred to Vancouver, neither one hit for the Canadians (Abbadessa - .184 with a .468 OPS, Contreras - .211 with a .579 OPS).
So Neal could be back, Steinmetz could be back, Abbadessa could be back and Contreras could be back. Four outfielders is pretty much the max - three starters, and one getting a breather before entering the lineup tomorrow.
But there are some other names you should know:
- RF Will Robertson came up in the prospect preview as the Jays' No. 19 prospect. He was taken in the fourth round in June from Creighton, learning that he had been drafted at 32,000 feet above the ground, which meant that he went from the Bluejays to the Blue Jays. Fangraphs rated him the 61st best player in the draft, but Toronto got him at pick 117. He spent his pro debut in Vancouver putting up adequate stats overall thanks to a hot finish (.268, 11 2B, 6 HR, .769 OPS), which you would hope bodes well for next year.
- CF Cameron Eden was drafted in the sixth round in June from California, where he had played shortstop as a freshman and sophomore before switching to center field as a junior. He had a strong offensive season for the Bears, too, slashing .370/.442/.560 with 20 steals and eight home runs, but it didn't translate in Vancouver: he batted .220 with one homer, eight steals and a .576 OPS. Looking from the outside in, Eden might just break through under the radar as his pro career goes along, the same way he improved each year in college.
Vancouver's other outfielders were Abbadessa, Contreras and Adrian Ramos (.104 avg., 12-for-115, nine steals).
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Down in Adv. Rookie Bluefield...
- Justin Ammons played left field (seven games) center field (11 games) and right field (five games) and he hit. He was signed as an undrafted free agent on July 16th from the University of Tennessee, where he had been the Volunteers' leadoff hitter and starting right fielder. With the Vols, he hit .254 with 54 hits in 54 games. With the Bluefield Blue Jays, he hit .382/.442/.490 with 39 hits (including 11 doubles) in 25 games. That's the kind of year that gets a guy jumped up the ladder to Lansing.
- Spencer Horwitz came up in the infield preview, so not much more is needed here. He hit .330 in 51 games for Bluefield before he was sent up to Vancouver, and he played significant time at first base and left field. He's very likely to be a Lugnut, and placed wherever he can fit in defensively to get his bat into the lineup.
- Eric Rivera was Bluefield's 2019 leadoff hitter and might just become Lansing's 2020 leadoff hitter. He played in 33 games in center field and 20 games in left field for the Blue Jays after being taken in the 14th round this past June from Florida Atlantic (where he was helped significantly by a Tampa Bay Rays second-rounder). Rivera is another hit guy, just like Ammons and Horwitz: he hit .284 with a .378 on-base percentage in the Appy League, walked (30) more than he struck out (28), and went 7-for-7 in steals.
- It's probably not yet Steward Berroa's or D.J. Daniels's time to make Lansing out of spring training, but we might see at least one as the season proceeds. The switch-hitting Berroa has played in the Crosstown Showdown against Michigan State each of the last two years, batting leadoff in the Lugnuts' order in the exhibition. In his first season in Bluefield, he hit .236 with a .349 OBP and stole 14 bases; he's likely heading to Vancouver in 2020. The power-hitting Daniels spent 2016 and 2017 in the Gulf Coast League and each of the last two years in the Appy League, so he too is likely ticketed for Vancouver. A sixth-rounder in 2016, he set career highs in every category in 2019, including nine doubles and seven home runs.
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There are two outfielders who are worth remembering even if they're not likely to be Lugnuts in 2020.
- Jhon Solarte, pictured above this article, is a switch-hitting center fielder who's 18 years old, was signed as an international free agent from hit .275 with four doubles, two triples, three homers, and a .373 OBP in the Gulf Coast League, stole 27 bags in 2018 and 11 in 2019, and asked for us to have the public address announcer introduce him as "Jhon 'The Panther' Solarte." Then he quickly corrected himself: "Jhon 'The Black Panther' Solarte." The soundtrack to "Black Panther" was his walk-up music. Charisma for days! Fangraphs rates Solarte as the Blue Jays' No. 36 prospect.
- Dasan Brown, drafted in the third round in June and considered the Jays' No. 18 prospect by MLB Pipeline and No. 20 prospect by Fangraphs. He didn't play too much in his pro debut - 14 games in the Gulf Coast League. I recommend you read Laura Armstrong's profile of Brown.
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A hypothetical 2020 Lugnuts offense:
C Philip Clarke
1B Spencer Horwitz
2B Miguel Hiraldo
SS Jordan Groshans
3B Trevor Schwecke
LF Justin Ammons
CF Cameron Eden
RF Will Robertson
DH Mc Gregory Contreras
A completely different hypothetical 2020 Lugnuts offense:
C Ryan Sloniger (or Hagen Danner)
1B PK Morris
2B Tanner Morris
SS Leonardo Jimenez
3B Ronny Brito
LF Dominic Abbadessa
CF Eric Rivera
RF DJ Neal
DH Angel Camacho
We have a basic understanding as to who will be Nuts next year, yet we don't really have a clear picture -- which makes the work the players put in this offseason matter all that much more to their initial assignments and how successful they will be in the coming year. (A constant guarantee: Hard work pays off.)
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Part IV, the final part:The 2020 Pitchers!
Four former Lugnuts named MLB All-Stars
Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson, Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. and catcher Alejandro Kirk and Chicago Cubs pitcher Matthew Boyd will take part in the 2025 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, taking place on Tuesday, July 15, at Truist Park in Atlanta. Wilson, who played 23 games for
Avant provides encore, triumphant Nuts enter All-Star Break
MIDLAND, Mich. – Corey Avant fired six shutout innings for the second time in a six-day span, and the Lansing Lugnuts (11-10, 47-40) used a three-run fifth inning to top the Great Lakes Loons (10-11, 44-42), 3-1, in a Sunday matinee at Dow Diamond. The Lugnuts won each of the
Nuts enjoy 9-2 rout in Midland
MIDLAND, Mich. – Grant Judkins struck out seven over five scoreless innings, Ryan Lasko and Davis Diaz homered, and the Lansing Lugnuts (10-10, 46-40) thrashed the Great Lakes Loons (10-10, 44-41), 9-2, on Saturday night at Dow Diamond. The Nuts were playing without third baseman Tommy White while the Loons
Patient Lugs outpace Loons, 6-3
MIDLAND, Mich. – The Lansing Lugnuts (9-10, 54-40) drew eight walks from Dodgers prospect Maddux Bruns in 2 1/3 innings, jumped out to a 5-1 lead, and topped the Great Lakes Loons (10-9, 44-40) on Friday night at Dow Diamond. Bruns, the Dodgers’ No. 20 prospect, hit Joshua Kuroda-Grauer with
Nuts split two in Great Lakes
MIDLAND, Mich. – The Lansing Lugnuts (8-10, 44-40) enjoyed a 10-1 rout of the Great Lakes Loons (10-8, 44-39) before dropping the nightcap 4-1, splitting a Thursday night doubleheader at Dow Diamond. In Game 1, Jared Dickey stole home in the first inning, Jonny Butler homered in the second inning,
Lugnuts/Loons postponed, doubleheader Thursday
MIDLAND, Mich. – The scheduled Wednesday evening game at Dow Diamond between the Lansing Lugnuts (7-9, 43-39) and the Great Lakes Loons (9-7, 43-38) was postponed due to wet grounds and inclement weather. The game will be made up as part of a Thursday doubleheader beginning at 6:05 p.m. and
Decker HR spoils Avant gem, lifts Loons past Lugs
MIDLAND, Mich. – Corey Avant struck out six in six scoreless innings, but Cam Decker homered off Jack Mahoney to power the Great Lakes Loons (9-7, 43-38) past the Lansing Lugnuts (7-9, 43-39), 3-2, on Tuesday night at Dow Diamond. The opener of the six-game series was completed in a
White blasts Lugnuts past Caps, 5-2
LANSING, Mich. – Tommy White broke a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the eighth inning with a three-run homer to left, and the Lansing Lugnuts (7-8, 43-38) clinched a series split with the Fort Wayne TinCaps (9-6, 40-40), winning 5-2 on Sunday afternoon at Jackson® Field™. Jared Dickey led
Sha, Locos dice up Fort Wayne
LANSING, Mich. – Pitching in front of his father and brother, Tzu-Chen Sha pitched two-hit ball over five innings to earn his first High-A win, and the Lansing Locos (6-8, 42-38) beat las Manzanas Luchadoras de Fort Wayne (9-5, 40-39), 5-1, on a Copa de la Diversión Saturday night at
Lugnuts draw 10,527 in 4th of July loss to TinCaps
LANSING, Mich. – The Fort Wayne TinCaps (9-4, 40-38) jumped out to an early lead and doubled up the Lansing Lugnuts (5-8, 41-38), 6-3, in front of a Friday night Independence Day crowd of 10,527 at Jackson® Field™ – the largest single game crowd of the season in High-A and
Tommy White, Gage Jump to play in All-Star Futures Game
NEW YORK, NY – Lansing Lugnuts third baseman Tommy White and Opening Day starter Gage Jump will represent the Athletics’ organization at the 2025 All-Star Futures Game, with the rosters announced this morning on MLB Network. The 26th Futures Game will be played at 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 12,
Mendez, TinCaps two-hit Lugs
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Miguel Mendez struck out nine batters in six scoreless innings, and the Fort Wayne TinCaps (8-4, 39-38) silenced the Lansing Lugnuts (5-6, 41-36), 2-0, on a sold-out Thursday night at Parkview Field. The Lugnuts were held two hits – a Jonny Butler double in the second
Nuts overwhelm TinCaps, 8-2
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Jared Dickey smoked a pair of doubles, Casey Yamauchi and Tommy White collected three hits apiece, and the Lansing Lugnuts (5-6, 41-36) used a five-run sixth inning to cruise past the Fort Wayne TinCaps (7-4, 38-38), 8-2, on Wednesday night at Parkview Field. The Nuts and
Koenig, Fort Wayne take opener, 7-2
FORT WAYNE, Ind. – In a special all-Copa match-up, las Manzanas Luchadoras de Fort Wayne (7-3, 38-37) pinned the Lansing Locos (4-6, 40-36), 7-2, on Tuesday night at Parkview Field. Fort Wayne starter Ian Koenig allowed only two hits in 6 1/3 innings – a Rodney Green, Jr. single and
Schofield-Sam promoted to Midland, Montero returns
The Lansing Lugnuts (4-5, 40-35) announced the following roster changes, in conjunction with the Athletics: - First baseman T.J. Schofield-Sam promoted to Double-A Midland - First baseman Darlyn Montero completes rehab assignment and reinstated from the 7-day Injured List The updated Lansing roster now has 29 active players. Schofield-Sam, 24,
Six-run 7th swings Nuts into series split
LANSING, Mich. – Three huge swings in the bottom of the seventh – a Ryan Lasko leadoff home run, T.J. Schofield-Sam three-run double and Tommy White two-run blast – propelled the Lansing Lugnuts (4-5, 40-35) to a 6-1 win over the Dayton Dragons (4-5, 25-49) on a sweltering Sunday afternoon
Dickey dinger dooms Dayton, 4-3
LANSING, Mich. – In the bottom of the eighth inning, Jared Dickey lifted a dramatic two-out, go-ahead two-run homer over the 23-foot right field wall, carrying the Lansing Lugnuts (3-5, 39-35) past the Dayton Dragons (4-4, 25-48), 4-3, in front of a Saturday night crowd of 6,614 at Jackson® Field™.
Dragons drum Lugs, 19-4
LANSING, Mich. – Victor Acosta and Leo Balcazar homered amid a 19-hit attack, and the Dayton Dragons (4-3, 25-47) scalded the Lansing Lugnuts (2-5, 38-35), 19-4, on Friday night at Jackson® Field™. The Dragons have collected 56 hits and scored 48 runs in winning three of the first four games
Six-run 1st boosts Nuts to 9-7 win
LANSING, Mich. – Jared Dickey homered in a six-run first inning, and the Lansing Lugnuts (2-4, 38-34) held off the Dayton Dragons (3-3, 24-47), 9-7, on Thursday night at Jackson® Field™. The Nuts halted Dayton’s three-game winning streak, capturing their first win after two straight losses in the six-game series.
Dragons soar past Lugnuts, 9-4
LANSING, Mich. – Carlos Sanchez tagged a three-run homer and Jose Montero pitched into the seventh inning, helping the Dayton Dragons (3-2, 24-46) beat the Lansing Lugnuts (1-4, 37-34), 9-4, on Wednesday night at Jackson® Field™. Joshua Kuroda-Grauer went 4-for-4 with three singles, a double and a HBP for the
Locos hit three homers, lose slugfest to Dayton
LANSING, Mich. – CJ Rodriguez, Casey Yamauchi and Tommy White homered – an inside-the-park home run for Yamauchi – but it was not enough to overcome a 17-hit barrage from the Dayton Dragons (2-2, 23-46), who defeated the Lansing Locos (1-3, 37-33), 13-8, on Tuesday evening at Jackson® Field™. Coming
Nuts welcome prospect tandem Lin and Sha
The Lansing Lugnuts (1-2, 37-32) announced the following roster changes, in conjunction with the Athletics: - Pitcher Nathan Dettmer is transferred to Stockton (Single-A – California League), - Pitchers Wei-En Lin and Tzu-Chen Sha received from Stockton. The updated Lansing roster now has 28 active players. A native of Kueishan,
Nuts romp behind Quad Cities' quintet of errors
DAVENPORT, IA – Jake Garland went seven innings, Davis Diaz slugged his first professional home run, and the Lansing Lugnuts (1-2, 37-32) took advantage of five errors to roll the Quad Cities River Bandits (2-1, 41-28), 10-3, on Sunday afternoon at Modern Woodmen Park. The Lugnuts piled up 16 base
Avant excels, but Bandits best Lugs in 10
DAVENPORT, IA – Corey Avant set a professional high with seven strong innings, but the Quad Cities River Bandits (2-0, 41-27) scored three runs in the bottom of the 10th inning to rally past the Lansing Lugnuts (0-2, 36-32), 4-3, on Saturday night at Modern Woodmen Park. Avant, drafted in
Green homers, Lugs drop 2nd half opener
DAVENPORT, IA – Rodney Green, Jr. ended a homerless drought with a towering roundtripper toward the Mississippi River, but the Quad Cities River Bandits (1-0, 40-27) quieted the Lansing Lugnuts (0-1, 36-31) otherwise, 8-2, on Friday night at Modern Woodmen Park. The game marked the official start to the 66-game