Advertisement

You should know: Kevin Pillar, the Skydome Spider-Man

Mike Oz

From time to time, The Stew will highlight an under-the-radar player making noise in MLB. Maybe it’s an upstart star, a rookie coming into the league or player having a breakout season.

Today, we tell you all about Kevin Pillar, the Toronto Blue Jays’ backup outfielder turned early-season highlight machine.

WHY YOU SHOULD KNOW HIM NOW
Pillar made one of the best catches you’ll see this season, scaling the wall at Rogers Centre on Wednesday night to steal a homer from Tim Beckham of the Tampa Bay Rays. Our own Jeff Passan coined him the Skydome Spider-Man afterward. The great catch punctuates a strong week for Pillar, who has made a few fantastic plays in left field for the Jays. In nine games this season, he’s also hitting .314 with a homer and four RBIs.

[Yahoo Sports Fantasy Baseball: Sign up and join a league today!]

HOW YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD OF HIM BEFORE
During spring training, Pillar was on the weird-injury report after he hurt himself sneezing. He then wore a shirt making fun of himself. Points for being able to laugh at himself.

WHERE DID THIS DUDE COME FROM?
Straight out of the Blue Jays' farm system. Pillar was picked in the 32nd round of the 2011 draft out of Cal State-Dominquez Hills. Pillar, 26, debuted in the big leagues in 2013, playing 36 games, then he played 52 in 2014. He started 2015 with the big club after Jays starting left field Michael Saunders tore his meniscus in spring training.

HIGH PRAISE
It's still April, but Blue Jays pitcher Mark Buehrle wants to give Pillar a Gold Glove already.

TRIVIA TIME!
Impressive your friends with this factoid: Pillar had a 54-game hitting streak in college in 2011. It set a Division II record.

(Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

WHAT’S HIS LONG-TERM OUTLOOK?
The Blue Jays like Pillar enough to keep him around and give him a chance in the outfield when they need an extra body, but he’s not a waiting-in-the-wings star. His playing time will take a hit when Saunders returns from injury, but if Pillar can keep hitting and making great catches, the Blue Jays are going to have to find a place for him.

For the glorious GIF potential, if nothing else.

More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports:

- - - - - - -

Mike Oz is the editor of Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at mikeozstew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!