Toronto Blue Jays Arizona Fall League Update, Week 3

 

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Another week has gone by and it’s time to update our loyal readers on the Blue Jays’ farmhands performances in the Fall and Winter leagues throughout the world.

 

 

Those of you who want to put a shrimp on the barbie and follow along with our four prospects heading to Australia will no have to wait long: the Australian Baseball League will begin on Monday, October 28.

 

The Blue Jays starters had a much better week in the AFL, with Aaron Sanchez and Drew Hutchison each getting a start. Hutchison gave up just one run (on a solo home run) on two hits without walking anyone and striking out four in his four inning stint on Friday. He now sports a nifty 0.84 ERA in 10 2/3 innings, having given up just five hits and one walk with 11 strikeouts.

 

Aaron Sanchez
Aaron Sanchez

 

Sanchez might have silenced a lot of critics with a four-inning, no-hit, one-walk outing on Wednesday in which he struck out four. Reports had him hitting 99-mph although Gameday has his top velocity at 96-mph. His overall stats so far include a much tidier 2.00 ERA, four hits, five walks and six strikeouts in nine innings.

 

Marcus Stroman only got into one game and struggled, giving up three runs on two hits and three walks in an inning and two-thirds on Wednesday. Overall, Stroman’s line is 6.35 ERA, five hits, three walks and six strikeouts in five and two-thirds innings.

 

John Stilson appears to have been pulled from the AFL: He’s no longer listed on the Salt River Rafters roster and his MiLB.com page has him listed as being with the Buffalo Bisons (and not the Fall League team). This makes me worry a bit about a potential injury for Stilson. He has been injury prone in the past although his injury this season was not to his arm.

 

Catcher Derrick Chung got into three games this week and had a very good week overall. He went three for three and two for four in his first two games and followed that up with an oh for three in the third game for a 5/10 week. Overall, Chung is hitting an excellent .381 with one double, three walks, one run and one RBI. He’s only struck out five times in 24 plate appearances for a very respectable rate. He’s also playing very good defense, so all-in-all, Chung is giving us what we could have expected.

 

Andy Burns
Andy Burns

 

Third baseman Andy Burns, in four games this week, went 3 for 15 with three RBI, three runs scored, two walks, one stolen base and three strikeouts. He also made an error yesterday, giving him four for the season. Overall, I think Burns is struggling a bit and while his contact numbers are ok, he’s not hitting for a lot of extra-base power with a .257/.317/.286 line over 35 at bats.

 

Kenny Wilson had a bit of a light week this week, playing in four games and going 4 for 18 with two doubles, one walk, six strikeouts and three stolen bases (he wasn’t caught this week). Overall, Wilson has slowed down from his torrid start to the Fall League and he’s now hitting .294/.368/.353 in 51 at bats with nine stolen bases (caught three times), five walks and 15 strikeouts.