Under-the-radar Blue Jays to watch at spring training

If it weren’t for spring training surprises, the lead up to the baseball season would be a boring couple of months.

Seeing the return of the sport in any form is always refreshing, but the lengthy spring training slate is hardly a fan’s dream. Whether it’s Grapefruit League or Cactus League, the games are simultaneously sleepy and choppy with inconsistent effort levels and constant substitutions.

The saving grace of the run-up to the Major League Baseball season is that it opens the door for players to force their way onto teams with unexpected performances. While spring training excellence is often a red herring, it can also foretell breakout years.

The Toronto Blue Jays have certainly seen that recently. In 2015, the exceedingly young duo of Roberto Osuna and Miguel Castro emerged from the reeds to break camp with the team, and last year Aaron Sanchez established himself as a starting option with his outstanding spring.

Pitchers and catchers will report for the club on Tuesday, and while the Blue Jays’ veteran-laded roster is fairly set, the door is always open for a dark horse to emerge. Here are some long-shot names to watch at Blue Jays spring training:

Jose Tabata

Age: 28
Position: Left Field
Bats: Right
2016 Stats: 1 HR, 18 RBI, .244/.340/.333 in 30 games (Triple-A)

Analysis: Tabata had a rough season in 2016, opening with the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate, getting cut, and finishing his year in the Mexican League. He hits right-handed which isn’t ideal considering the presence of Melvin Upton Jr., and he hasn’t been an effective big-league regular since 2013.

All of that is what makes him a long shot. What makes him interesting is that he has very strong bat-to-ball skills, he’s young enough to have a career bounceback in him, and the Blue Jays’ pencilled-in primary left fielder is Ezequiel Carrera. Tabata was a highly-touted prospect and has been an above-average offensive contributor at the big-league level. Neither could be said of Carrera.

Normally, far too much ink is spilled on athletes’ physiques, but in Tabata’s case bulking up over the years certainly contributed to his decline. If he inspires any “best shape of his life” type buzz this spring, the Blue Jays might be on to something interesting.

Juan Graterol

Age: 27 (turns 28 on Tuesday)
Position: Catcher
Bats: Right
2016 Stats: 2 HR, 23 RBI, .300/.340/.370 in 68 games (Triple-A)

Analysis: Very little was made about Graterol’s presence on the Blue Jays’ roster until the club decided to keep him in favour of former prized prospect A.J. Jimenez when they added J.P. Howell on Thursday.

The Venezuelan backstop got a brief cup of coffee with the Los Angeles Angels last season, but it amounted to 15 plate appearances. Beyond that, he’s parlayed a strong ability to make contact into a .270/.335/.320 line across 11 minor-league seasons.

There is no offensive upside here whatsoever, but Graterol will put the ball in play and throw out base runners – something he did at a 38 percent clip in the minors – so the tools are there for him to be a catch-and-throw backup. Also, with Jarrod Saltalamacchia coming to camp as a non-roster invitee, Graterol is currently the only catcher on the 40-man not named Russell Martin.

Chris Smith

Age: 28
Position: Reliever
Throws: Right
2016 Stats: 1-3, 1.93 ERA, 12.0 K/9, 3.3 BB/9, in 60.2 IP (Double-A and Triple-A)

Analysis: Smith got a brief call up to the major leagues last season, but never got a chance to pitch at the highest level. As it stands, the Blue Jays need a fifth right-hander behind Roberto Osuna, Jason Grilli, Joe Biagini, and Joe Smith, and that job is probably more up for grabs than any on the roster.

The 28-year-old is obscure and lacks any kind of prospect shine, but he throws hard and his numbers in the high minors last year were beyond reproach. Interestingly, he also has a little bit of multi-inning potential as he logged his 60.2 innings in 2016 over just 47 appearances.

The Blue Jays bullpen currently lacks power arms, so there’s a chance they go with Smith to add that element.

Gavin Floyd

Age: 34
Position: Reliever
Throws: Right
2016 Stats: 2-4, 4.06 ERA, 8.71 K/9, 2.3 BB/9 in 31 IP

Analysis: Because he missed the second half of the season due to injury, and his ERA wasn’t dazzling, people forget how useful Floyd was to the Blue Jays in 2016. The big right-hander threw harder than he ever had before last year, his curveball was a legitimate strikeout weapon, and he offered a little length from time to time.

If he’s healthy and Floyd can bring the same solid repertoire to bear in spring training, there’s very little reason to believe he couldn’t be a strong candidate for one of the bullpen’s final spots. His health will be the biggest question as he hasn’t made it through a full season since 2012. Even so, he could be worth a shot at the beginning of the year – even if the odds of him making it to the end are on the longer side.

Rowdy Tellez

Age: 21
Position: First Base
Bats: Left
2016 Stats: 23 HR, 81 RBI, .297/.387/.530 in 124 games (Double-A)

Analysis: For Tellez to crack the team he will need to hit so well he forces a recently-extended Justin Smoak out of town, which makes the prospect unlikely – but certainly not impossible. Smoak’s limitations are well-documented, and the Blue Jays were already willing to jettison him to bring back Edwin Encarnacion if it came to that.

Theoretically, the smart move would be to stash Tellez at Triple-A and make sure he continues to develop while running out a Smoak/Steve Pearce platoon at first base. That said, there is a sense of urgency for the Blue Jays to compete in 2017, and if Tellez’s bat looks more mature than expected during spring training, he’d be worth another look for a team lacking left-handed pop.

Bumping up his timetable would be a high-risk move, but with below-average in-house options, the idea will certainly be tabled if he tears up the Grapefruit League.