In this first instalment, Mason McRae looks at the players who just missed making his T25/U25 list. Look for more players in the next 25 days.
by Mason McRae
Starting today, for the next 25 days (including today). I’ll be releasing one person off my Top 25/Under 25 rankings for the Blue Jays entire organization. Eligibility for the list is simple. You must be under the age of 25 the day I created the rankings (Which is today). So the rankings are based off of my Current/Potential grades of the players and a formula that factors in Age into their current and potential grades. So here are the players that just missed the Top-25!
No. 26 Gabriel Moreno – Catcher, Age 19.5, Current: 20, Potential: 40, Grade: 32.1
Gabriel Moreno is the Blue Jays 9th ranked prospect in the system according to MLB’s prospect watch list. Moreno joins a pretty good catching pipeline in Toronto. He’s got some loud power tools and has 50’s all across the board.
No. 27 Alejandro Kirk – Catcher, Age: 20.8, Current: 20, Potential: 40, Grade: 31.9
Another catcher in Alejandro Kirk, he’s the Jays’ number 13th ranked prospect and has risen since the beginning of the minor league season. He’s been hot for High-A Dunedin and is another young and promising catcher.
No. 28 Forrest Wall – Outfielder, Age: 23.8, Current: 30, Potential: 30, Grade: 28.4
The piece gained in the Seunghwan Oh trade last season, Wall has the potential to be a Kevin Pillar like player. He could be a cheap and affordable 4th/5th outfielder who brings along some defensive help and a pinch runner if need be.
No. 29 Santiago Espinal – Utility, Age: 24.8, Current: 30, Potential: 30, Grade: 28.3
The player in return for the Boston Red Sox’s hero last October. Since being traded for Steve Pearce, Espinal has played short, second, left, and even centrefield in the Jays system. He’s one of my sleeper picks that I haven’t seen anybody talk about. I’ve liked him since seeing him live last year vs the Flying Squirrels. He’s a twitchy athlete with a solid hit tool, but zero game power. Which is ironic, because he drilled a ball 300ft+ to right for a double when I saw him.
No. 30 Philip Clarke – Catcher, Age: 21.4, Current: 20, Potential: 30, Grade: 25.1
The Jays’ tenth round pick in the 2019 draft, Clarke was an overslot pick who could’ve gone in the 4th-6th rounds had he not asked for so much. He’s what you look for in a catcher with a high IQ on the field and coming from Vanderbilt, you know he’s learned alot about calling games from the great Coach Corbin.
