Snider delivers in Triple-A debut

The Blue Jays' top prospect went 2-for-3 with a go-ahead two-run double in the second inning to lead the Syracuse Chiefs past the visiting Charlotte Knights, 2-0, on Thursday.

The 20-year-old Snider -- one of the youngest players in Triple-A -- was promoted by Toronto after batting .262 with 17 homers and 67 RBIs in 98 games for the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats of the Eastern League.

The outfielder singled in the seventh after striking out in his second at-bat.

Snider, who hit .313 last year, has rocketed through the Jays system this summer, a season that started in Florida with Class A Advanced Dunedin.

The Everett, Wash. native was Toronto's first-round pick in 2006 and has quickly established himself as one of the top prospects in baseball. He was named Appalachian League Player of the Year in 2006 after batting .325 with 11 home runs and 41 RBIs in 54 games for Pulaski. He was a Midwest League All-Star and was named Toronto's Minor League Player of the Year for Class A Lansing in 2007.

After just two seasons, Snider is a phone call away from the Majors. Once rumored to get a look in September, it appears Snider will finish out the year in the Minors.

"He's not going to come up [in September]," Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi told the National Post. "We're just going to let him get a month in Triple-A and get his feet wet there."

Toronto may opt to again showcase Snider in the annual Arizona Fall League this fall, a prospect-laden circuit where Snider hit .311 with 11 RBIs in 26 games last year.

Snider's promotion also opened the door for Brian Dopirak, who was promoted from Dunedin to New Hampshire after he hit .308 with 27 homers and 88 RBIs in 106 games for the Blue Jays.

A former second-round pick for the Chicago Cubs, Dopirak batted .417 in his last 10 games and has posted big numbers in the Florida State League this summer. He hit .301 with 11 homers and 42 RBIs in 26 July games and earned an All-Star selection. The Florida native was batting .556 in seven August starts before the promotion.