The Blue Jays announced they’ve claimed right-hander Shaun Anderson off waivers from the Padres. Additionally, Toronto selected right-handers Hagen Danner and Bowden Francis, lefty Zach Logue and infielder Leo Jimenez to the 40-man roster to keep them from selection in the Rule 5 draft.
Now best known for his inclusion in a lopsided swap that sent LaMonte Wade Jr. from Minnesota to San Francisco, Anderson possesses a big slider and plenty of velocity that have piqued the interest of several clubs. Despite being torched for an 8.49 ERA in 23 2/3 innings this season, Anderson spent time with four different teams. He’s now failed to clear waivers four times in the past six months, demonstrating the quality of his raw arsenal. The 27-year-old still has a minor league option remaining, and the Jays will hope to tap into his raw talent and coax out some better results in 2022.
The 20-year-old Jimenez ranks 11th among Jays prospects at MLB.com and posted one of the more ludicrous lines fans will see, hitting .320/.523/.392 on the season. That’s not exactly a tiny sample, either; Jimenez tallied 262 plate appearances and reached base a comical 137 times. In addition to a ridiculous 20.6% walk rate, Jimenez was also plunked 25 times. He can play both middle infield positions but won’t realistically be an option until at least 2023, as he’s yet to even reach the Double-A level.
Bogh Francis and Logue rank on the back end of MLB.com’s Jays Top 30 and both posted sub-4.00 ERAs with promising strikeout rates. Francis joined the organization in the trade that sent Rowdy Tellez to the Brewers. Logue is a a former ninth-rounder who turned in an eye-opening 28.2% strikeout rate against a minuscule 5.2% walk rate.
As for Danner, he’s 2017 second-rounder who moved from catcher to the mound this season and posted a brilliant 2.02 ERA, 29.4% strikeout rate and 8.4% walk rate through 35 2/3 innings in High-A — his first pro experience on the mound. He’s still new to pitching, but with a debut like that, it’s understandable that Toronto had no interest in potentially losing him in the Rule 5 Draft.
Danner’s still a fascinating prospect
I never realized he had switched over to become a relief pitcher in the minors this past year. That addition just became a lot more intriguing.
he was a pitcher and catcher in HS, part of why I liked him in the 2nd round.
Don’t suppose a team could make a switch in an inning where the pitcher suits up to go behind the plate, then switches back out at another time to go to mound? Seems impossibly unlikely but who’s to say when the impossible becomes possible?
Of course the DH spot would be lost, which wouldn’t make sense usually if the pitcher hits like … Danner does, where he hits like a normal pitcher would. But there could be a scenario where it becomes useful.
Don’t know how I feel about Joey Murray and Miguel Hiraldo not being added. Hopefully their injury and age respectively scare other teams off from adding them via Rule 5.
You sure Pardinho doesnt get claimed? Looks like a reverse Luciano situation.
Pardinho was a big name international signing and has appeared in some of the top 100 prospects list in the past, but he’s been so inactive that I can’t see how a team will be able to carry him on the major league roster and get his development back on track. Luciano had at least pitched the year Toronto took him.
Pardinho is a perfect candidate for a team like the Orioles or Pirates to claim, stash in the bullpen where he only gets used in blowouts, and then put on the disabled list for most of the year making some rehab starts in the minors.
Lot of upside but he’s definitely a forgotten name in our prospect rankings. He has the combination of both injury and age where he might not get picked even with his former prospect status.
@darkside
Pardinho is really interesting prospect and kind of a forgotten one. Enjoy your posts
Shaun Anderson is starting to collect a lot of location stickers on his metaphorical suitcase.
The real one to watch is Zach Logue. Happy for him and can’t wait to see what he does.
I believe that Jimenez is the real deal, He has no power but can hit even with a slightly long swing. He’ll cut it down to hold the average and be a good on base and glove guy.
Anderson and Tanner aren’t likely to make the bigs and stick.
Logue and Francis are interesting but not overwelming, Can they help win a championship in 2022? Not likely. Logue is years away as a big league starter and is John Cerutti like.
Francis is the one that has a shot to do something depending on the improvement of the off speed stuff. It has got to improve or he’ll get hammered as a starter. He is tall but not a flamethrower and has a decent slider. Once the big league hitters learn his stuff he’ll be forced to adjust and he can’t right now because his off speed isn’t good enough.
Pete Walker’s next project.
Hmmmmmm do you need to have had 40 on the 40 man before 6pm