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Blue Jays need ‘Pony’ Pompey to be a thoroughbred in 2015

Toronto Blue Jays left fielder Dalton Pompey (45) gets congratulated after a win over the Baltimore Orioles at Rogers Centre. Toronto defeated Baltimore 4-2. (John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports)
Toronto Blue Jays left fielder Dalton Pompey (45) gets congratulated after a win over the Baltimore Orioles at Rogers Centre. Toronto defeated Baltimore 4-2. (John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports)

DUNEDIN, Fla. -- When Steve Springer first met Dalton Pompey in 2010 he was a “little, gangly kid.” He was 17 years old. On that very first day, Springer - the Toronto Blue Jays' minor league hitting instructor - nicknamed Pompey "Pony," a name he still goes by around the Blue Jays clubhouse.

"I told him I'd let him know when he could be called a ‘thoroughbred,’ " Springer said.

The Blue Jays are hoping that time is now. Barring something unforeseen Pompey, just 22 today, should be the team's everyday centre fielder this season. It's a pressure-packed role for the Mississauga native who has all of 43 plate appearances in the majors. But if you ask those who know or have coached Pompey, he's ready.

“If he can play every game like it’s Opening Day, then he’s going to be in good shape,” Springer said. “No player has ever walked up to the plate on Opening Day with no confidence.”

According to Springer, and Pompey himself, the only thing standing between the Canadian kid and stardom is his own head.

“I feel like [the mental aspect] is an ongoing thing, I constantly have to work on it,” Pompey said. “It’s easy to say things to yourself but it’s another thing to do them. I’ve learned a lot over the years mentally and I’m going to continue to learn from the past experiences and the ones that are about to come.

Springer is much more than just a hitting coach. The former journeyman minor leaguer – and minor-league teammate of Blue Jays manager John Gibbons – is something of a guru: Part hitting instructor, part motivational speaker. He's blunt in his assessment of Pompey's mental approach.

“Trust me, he’s got two players in him: He’s got Confident Pony, who’s a really good player, and he’s got Non-Confident Pony, who sucks. So how do we get the Confident Pony to show up is what we work on. He’s a good player but he doesn’t always show up. He’s getting better at showing up.”

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If Pompey becomes the Blue Jays' everyday centre fielder he'll be in rare company for a player his age. Since 1980 only 58 22-year-olds have played at least 100 games in the outfield in a single season. The performances have been a mixed bag. Many of the ones who did it well went on to become superstars (Rickey Henderson, Ken Griffey, Barry Bonds). Success at 22 appears to be an arbiter of future success.

Recently the early success of someone like the Angels' Mike Trout has helped open the door for young players with pedigree.

“I think it’s good because the only way you get better is from playing and getting game experience,” Pompey said. “A young guy like me being able to come in and compete for a job and eventually win that job is huge for our development and overall confidence.”

The last 22-year-old outfielder to start for the Jays was Shawn Green. He had a mediocre rookie year in 1995, posting a wins above replacement rate of just 0.5. That was on a 55-win, last-place team. In 1982 the Blue Jays started a pair of 22-year-olds side-by-side in the outfield, Lloyd Moseby and Jesse Barfield. That was another last-place Jays team but they became part of the foundation of the team’s first playoff appearance in 1985.

The 2015 Blue Jays view themselves as contenders in the American League. Their lineup one-through-five is among the most potent in the majors, but it has an obvious lack of outfield depth. They will be put to the test even further early in the year while left fielder Michael Saunders recovers from surgery on his meniscus. That leaves Jose Bautista as the only outfielder with significant major league experience. On Sunday the Blue Jays signed former White Sox outfielder Dayan Viciedo to a minor-league deal. He will compete for the left-field job with Kevin Pillar (218 big league at-bats), Ezequiel Carrera (435 big league at-bats), and other non-roster spring training invites.

That leaves Pompey in centre. The Blue Jays need above replacement level play from him to stay afloat and hope to end the longest playoff drought in major professional sports. Despite the lack of established big-league outfielders, a slow start by Pompey could land him back in Triple-A once Saunders returns.

Pompey shone in minimal at-bats at the big-league level last year but whether it's sustainable over a full season remains to be seen. What might keep him in the majors, even if he struggles at the plate, are his other tools.

“He has a chance to be a plus-defender, he has plus-speed, he’s a switch hitter, he’s got good plate recognition,” Springer said. “The big leagues are a different game. The pitching’s better, the scouting’s better. Part of the whole thing is believing you can play there.”

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Pompey was not a highly touted prospect. As a 16th round draft pick in 2010, Pompey seemingly came out of nowhere. After three years in the minors in rookie and A ball he caught fire in 2014. He hit .319 in the A+ Florida State League, .295 at Double-A, then had 53 at-bats in Triple-A (hitting .358) before getting the call to the majors last September.

Despite his perceived lack of pedigree there are some who knew he was destined for the majors years ago. As early as 11 years old he showed signs of being a professional player.

“I don’t know about major leagues, but even at that young age I told his dad he would be a pro,” said Sean Traverse, the director of player development for the Ontario Blue Jays and a former coach of Pompey. “The athleticism, his swing, he’s very athletic. He was also training in track, so I knew he would be a good runner.”

[Baseball is back! Check out Yahoo For Spring Training for great spring training pics.]

Through his teens Pompey continued to grow into his body and show the tools that gave him big-league potential. Mike Swinton coached him with the under-16 Oakville Royals and saw what he was capable of doing.

“Dalton was a kid who had all the tools. The only thing he was lacking was his body developing. He just needed to grow and fill in. At his age and given what he’s done, he’s proven himself, for sure. In terms of his development that’s up to the Blue Jays to decide. Given what I’ve seen since he was drafted, he’s just a very mature 21-year-old. Sometimes talking to him you think he’s older than he actually is.”

The baseball world has taken notice. Pompey started making a name for himself in 2014 by being named to the All-Star Futures Game. At the start of 2014 he was not on Baseball America’s list of top 100 prospects, and was No. 88 on the MLB list. After his stellar season he shot up to No. 30 on the Baseball America list, and No. 43 on the MLB list.

It’s not a surprise to Swinton.

“He just needed that opportunity to prove himself. He’s battled through injuries, a lot of athletes would use that as an excuse, but he learned from that. Any obstacle you put in his way he’s going to overcome it. Everything is positive right now.

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Pompey has mixed emotions this spring as his first Opening Day in the big leagues approaches.

“I’m nervous because I want to do well, but also excited to hopefully play a full year in the big leagues and get that opportunity and run with it,” he said. “I feel pretty confident, I feel as prepared as I’m ever going to be. I think I’m ready for the challenge.”

Springer, the hitting instructor and motivator, agrees he’s ready as long as he can redefine success and put the team first.

“I told him if I see entitlement, if I see an it’s-all-about-me mentality, then I’m going come slap him on the neck – and he gave me permission to,” Springer said. “It’s not about him. It’s about him helping his team. I don’t look for three hours of perfection; I look for three hours of focus. I give him permission not to be perfect, not to get three hits. However, I need him to be the best competitor on the field.

“He’s a really good kid, and Toronto should be excited about him. He’s a good person and now he just needs to continue to be a good person and treat people right and get great at showing up to help his team win.”

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Ian Denomme is an editor and writer for Yahoo Sports. Email him at denomme@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter.