By: Scott Mitchell

TORONTO — At the major-league level, things have changed.

The Toronto Blue Jays have very clearly shifted from the teardown stage to the process of building, spending and adding, but that doesn’t mean the rebuild is complete.

Far from it.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, a season or one off-season, and that rings true for the Jays.

From Hyun-Jin Ryu a year ago to the coup that is George Springer this winter, the Jays have not yet reached the stage where they’re employing an all-in approach like the San Diego Padres.

But that day will come, maybe as soon as this summer’s trade deadline or possibly next winter, depending how things go.

There are a lot of variables at play.

One thing that hasn’t changed — and won’t — is the focus on drafting, signing and developing young players in order to build a sustainable winner, a year-in, year-out contender that can produce cheap, young talent.

The one thing that will change is what they do with that young talent.

It’s a shift we’ve seen the Padres make and eventually the Jays will start using prospects as trade chips, something GM Ross Atkins & Co. have been hesitant to do up to this point because of the timing.

That day will come, and when it does, the Jays currently have a strong enough pipeline that will allow them to be in on every big name — very likely top-of-the-rotation starters — that hits the trade market.

For the third year in a row, this list runs 50 deep.

Two years ago, it was led off by those kids with the last names everyone couldn’t stop talking about. Last year, it was Nate Pearson at the top.

This project is a labour of love and it seems to grow each and every year thanks to the interest.

A quick shout-out to you, the readers, for making it worth it, as well as the many sources who give me their time in December and January as I talk their ears off about a large group of players that usually runs about 75 deep when I begin.

This list is built with a combination of personal opinion, preference, and the knowledge of many baseball people who are much smarter than I am.

Instead of dropping it all at once like the last two years, this time around we’ll roll out the 50 names in three instalments over the course of three days.

Today it’s 31-50.

Enjoy!

 

31—OF Josh Palacios
Last year’s ranking: 25
2019 ranking: 46
Age: 25 (07/30/95) Acquired: Drafted 132nd overall in 2016
Expected starting affiliate: Triple-A Buffalo

 

32—3B/OF Peniel Brito
Last year’s ranking: 48
2019 ranking: Not eligible
Age: 18 (12/20/02) Acquired: IFA 2019 ($600,000)
Expected starting affiliate: Complex

 

33—LHP Nick Allgeyer
Last year’s ranking: Not ranked
2019 ranking: Not ranked
Age: 25 (02/03/96) Acquired: Drafted 356th overall in 2018
Expected starting affiliate: Double-A New Hampshire

 

34—RHP Elvis Luciano
Last year’s ranking: 23
2019 ranking: 22
Age: 20 (02/15/00) Acquired: Rule 5 Draft 2018
Expected starting affiliate: Double-A New Hampshire

 

35—RHP Jackson Rees
Last year’s ranking: Not ranked
2019 ranking: Not ranked
Age: 26 (07/30/94) Acquired: Undrafted free agent 2018
Expected starting affiliate: Triple-A Buffalo 

 

36—RHP Curtis Taylor
Last year’s ranking: Not ranked
2019 ranking: Not eligible
Age: 25 (07/25/95) Acquired: Trade with Tampa Bay Rays, July 2019
Expected starting affiliate: Triple-A Buffalo

 

37—OF Chavez Young
Last year’s ranking: 37
2019 ranking: 33
Age: 23 (07/08/97) Acquired: Drafted 1,182nd overall in 2016
Expected starting affiliate: Double-A New Hampshire

 

38—2B/OF Samad Taylor
Last year’s ranking: 36
2019 ranking: 45
Age: 22 (07/11/98) Acquired: Trade with Cleveland Indians
Expected starting affiliate: Double-A New Hampshire

 

39—RHP Maximo Castillo
Last year’s ranking: 40
2019 ranking: Not ranked
Age: 21 (05/04/99) Acquired: IFA 2015
Expected starting affiliate: Double-A New Hampshire

 

40—RHP Winder Garcia
Last year’s ranking: Not ranked
2019 ranking: Not ranked
Age: 19 (10/11/01) Acquired: IFA 2018
Expected starting affiliate: Low-A Dunedin

 

41—RHP Roither Hernandez
Last year’s ranking: Not ranked
2019 ranking: Not ranked
Age: 22 (03/05/98) Acquired: IFA 2016
Expected starting affiliate: High-A Vancouver

 

42—LHP Naswell Paulino
Last year’s ranking: Not ranked
2019 ranking: Not ranked
Age: 20 (04/17/00) Acquired: IFA 2016
Expected starting affiliate: Complex

 

43—RHP Alejandro Melean
Last year’s ranking: 31
2019 ranking: 38
Age: 20 (10/11/00) Acquired: IFA 2017 ($750,000)
Expected starting affiliate: Complex

 

44—RHP Edisson Gonzalez
Last year’s ranking: 41
2019 ranking: Not eligible
Age: 21 (10/02/99) Acquired: Trade with Tampa Bay Rays, July 2019
Expected starting affiliate: Low-A Dunedin

 

45—C Javier D’Orazio
Last year’s ranking: 47
2019 ranking: 50
Age: 19 (12/28/01) Acquired: IFA 2018
Expected starting affiliate: Low-A Dunedin

 

46—C Victor Mesia
Last year’s ranking: Not ranked
2019 ranking: Not eligible
Age: 18 (01/18/03) Acquired: IFA 2019
Expected starting affiliate: Complex

 

47—C Philip Clarke
Last year’s ranking: 46
2019 ranking: Not eligible
Age: 22 (03/24/98) Acquired: Drafted 267th overall in 2019
Expected starting affiliate: High-A Vancouver

 

48—C/OF Zach Britton
Last year’s ranking: Not eligible
2019 ranking: Not eligible
Age: 22 (09/09/98) Acquired: Drafted 136th overall in 2020
Expected starting affiliate: Low-A Dunedin

 

49—SS Martin Giménez
Last year’s ranking: Not eligible
2019 ranking: Not eligible
Age: 16 (02/15/04) Acquired: IFA 2021 ($1 million)
Expected starting affiliate: Complex

 

50—OF Yhoangel Aponte
Last year’s ranking: Not eligible
2019 ranking: Not eligible
Age: 16 (02/12/04) Acquired: IFA 2021 ($360,000)
Expected starting affiliate: Complex

 

HONOURABLE MENTION: 1B Spencer Horwitz; RHP Adrian Hernandez; RHP Michael Dominguez; LHP Jimmy Robbins; RHP Hobie Harris; LF/1B Ryan Noda; 2B/SS Logan Warmoth; SS Kevin Vicuna; 3B Cullen Large; RHP Jol Concepcion; RHP Luis Quinones; RHP Anders Tolhurst; OF Robert Robertis; OF Cristian Feliz; RHP Dahian Santos; LHP Zach Logue.


ARMS: RHP Ty Tice; RHP Anthony Castro; RHP Jiorgeny Casimiri; RHP Emanuel Vizcaino; LHP Rafael Monsion; RHP Juan de Paula; RHP Yunior Hinojosa; RHP William Gaston; RHP Kyle Johnston; RHP Justin Maese; RHP Nick Fraze; RHP Troy Watson; RHP Sean Wymer; RHP Andrew Sopko; RHP Mitch McKown; RHP Troy Miller; RHP Fitz Stadler; RHP Jon Harris; RHP Graham Spraker; RHP Alex Nolan; RHP Jackson McClelland; RHP Brad Wilson; LHP Kirby Snead; RHP Bryan Baker; RHP Cre Finfrock; RHP Mike Ellenbest; RHP Connor Law; RHP Maverik Buffo.


BATS: C Christopher Bec; C Ryan Sloniger; C/1B Hagen Danner; C Ryan Gold; 1B PK Morris; 2B L.J. Talley; 2B Adrian Montero; 3B Angel Camacho; 3B Davis Schneider; 3B Rainer Nunez; 3B Johnny Aiello; 3B Nick Podkul; SS Sebastian Espino; SS Glenn Santiago; SS Ronny Brito; SS Rafael Lantigua; SS Cameron Eden; SS Addison Barger; SS Jose Rivas; OF Brock Lundquist; OF Eric Rivera; OF Demi Orimoloye; OF Yhon Perez; OF Justin Ammons; OF Steward Berroa; OF Jhon Solarte; OF Gabriel Martinez; OF Amell Brazoban; OF Mc Gregory Contreras.​