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TORONTO — With Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s arrival and subsequent struggles overshadowing just about everything else going on lately, Danny Jansen’s cold start has gone mostly unnoticed.

As he’s struggled to find any sort of groove at the plate, the 24-year-old Toronto Blue Jays catcher will openly admit it’s been a frustrating few weeks of trying to work out the kinks.

“I know I can be so much better and I know I can help the team with the bat,” Jansen said. “There’s nobody that’s harder on myself than me. This is a game of failure and I understand that. I’ve started a season 4-for-4 and I’ve started a season 0-for-27, so I’ve been kind of everywhere. I know I’m going to get myself out of this and my teammates pick me up.”

In a 31-game cameo to end last season, Jansen was productive, slashing .247/.347/.432 with three homers across 95 plate appearances.

That performance was in line with the scouting reports and minor-league numbers, which suggested his ability to make contact and get on base at a high clip from a position that’s usually an offensive black hole would make him an exciting part of the ongoing rebuild.

But in almost the exact same sample size to begin 2019, Jansen has looked completely lost at times at the plate, and he’s struggled to a .183/.261/.232 slash line.

Given back-to-back breathers on Tuesday and Wednesday, Jays hitting coach Guillermo Martinez believes it’s all mental with Jansen right now.

“More of a mindset thing and being ready to hit the fastball,” Martinez said as he watched Jansen in the batting cage. “He’s been behind and he’s getting beat up inside and that’s why you see those balls being pounded into the ground. But he recognizes that and we’ve been on that fastball machine over the last week. He’s been having better at-bats, he’s been seeing better pitches to hit, and he’s not chasing as much this past week. Again, squaring up that baseball is very key and being on time with it.”

Pounding the ball into the ground has been the big problem.

After hitting 32.3 per cent ground balls and 47.7 per cent fly balls last year, those numbers have completely flipped.

Jansen’s ground-ball rate is an extreme 52.5 per cent, and he’s only hit 25.4 per cent of his balls in the air.

It’s the same problem Guerrero is dealing with, as his small sample size ground-ball rate is a sky high 73.1 per cent.

Having two key young players struggling may not seem like a positive, but they’ve been relying on each other through their respective slumps.

Bending Justin Smoak, Eric Sogard or Freddy Galvis’ ear is one resource, but going to a familiar face that came up through the system is another.

“With having peers, I was just talking with Rowdy (Tellez) and I said, ‘Hey, Rowdy, does that look like me from last year?’ because I’m trying to find that comfortability again and get back to being me and he’s seen it,” Jansen said.

“Vladdy, too. I played with Vladdy for a month (in the minors) and he knows what I look like and I know what he looks like, so there’s a sense of comfort that we’re going to get out of this and we’re going to get out of it together.”

John Schneider, who’s been tasked with working with the catchers in his first season on the big-league coaching staff, is very familiar with both players from his time as a minor-league manager, so he’s been a sounding board, as well.

“I think I’m a friendly voice, a familiar voice,” Schneider said. “I’ve seen them when they’ve been really, really good. Elite, at times, with Vladdy. Or a lot of times with Vladdy. I think I’m just a set of eyes that knows what it looks like when it’s right and I can offer suggestions to Guillermo, Charlie (Montoyo), (bench coach Dave) Hudgens, whoever it may be.

“This is the big leagues. Vladdy’s getting pitched like a big boy right now. He’s got a lot of hype around him, a lot pressure around him, but he’s going to be fine. Jano’s going to be fine. I think it’s just a matter of letting the dust settle a little bit and getting into the big league routine. These guys are good for a reason. Vladdy’s the No. 1 prospect for a reason. He’s the most gifted hitter I’ve ever seen.”

Like Jansen, Guerrero was given a day off Wednesday, but Montoyo said it was a scheduled physical break and not any sort of mental recharge for the top prospect in baseball, one who’s hitting .161 in his first 10 games.

“I think to judge him in 30 at-bats (is unfair), and I know it’s natural because I’m kind of doing the same thing, kind of like, ‘I’ve seen him crush those pitches before,’ but it happens, this is the big leagues,” Schneider said of Vlad. “When it’s all said and done, I think, the numbers are going to be there.”​