2009 AFL Toronto Blue Jays Part 1

2009 Arizona Fall League Jays P1

The Arizona Fall League is the place for prospects to move up organizational depth charts. Take last season for instance;

Tommy Hanson went from a mid-tier prospect to multiple top 10 lists and the possible 2009 NL ROY. Fellow Braves prospect Tyler Flowers went from organizational depth at the catching position to the key piece in the Javier Vazquez trade.

Today we’ll look at the positional players that the Toronto Blue Jays are sending to this seasons Arizona Fall League. Tomorrow we’ll profile the pitchers.

Brad Emaus (2B)

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Brad had a tough season in 2009. In AA New Hampshire he hit only 10 longballs, along with a meger .248 batting average. His BABIP was fairly low at .271, which may help to explain his low batting average. His LD% of 17.1% wasn’t really anything to write home about, as where his 16 GIDP.

Emaus will be 24 at the start of the 2010 season and in all likelihood will have to repeat AA unless he has a big AFL campaign.

Adam Loewen (OF)

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Callum checked in on Adam Loewen at the start of the season.

Jays GM JP Ricciardi feels that Loewen will need about 1000 minor league at bats to get a gauge on what type of a hitter he really is

Adam has some odd lefty/righty splits. Loewen bats left-handed, yet he has a .813 OPS vs lefties and a .657 OPS vs righties. One hopes that power will develop as he continues to gain experience (4 HR in close to 400 PA). Adam did improve as the season went on, with a .779 OPS after the all-star break, compared to a .584 prior to the break.

Brian Jeroloman (C)

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Jeroloman is in the same boat as Emaus. He’s trying to earn a promotion to AAA after a sub-par 2009 season. His stat line of .217/.330/.316 is hardly AFL material. On the plus side Jeroloman is renowned for his defensive skills and is a left-handed hitting catcher. Last season his plate discipline was his number one batting strength (1:1 K/BB ratio in 2008). This season it slipped to 120K vs 62 BB in only 108 games. Brian’s fastest track to a promotion is via exhibiting patience and strong D in this seasons AFL.

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3 replies on “2009 AFL Toronto Blue Jays Part 1”
  1. says: Callum

    Dustin McGowan went from being a borderline release candidate to a front of the rotation MLB starter after his stint in the AFL.

    Strange about Emaus. He had a terrific spring and all the beat writers we talking up Emaus for a 25 man roster spot. Looks like they know just as much as us bloggers.

    Jeroloman and Arencibia are both chumps.

  2. says: Callum

    Arencibia recently had surgery on his kidney.

    Brian Jeroloman, another another minor league catcher the Blue Jays have high hopes on, is slated to have surgery on his hip in the near future.

    “They were both headed for the Arizona Fall League but now won’t be able to,” Ricciardi said.

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