Why Cavan Biggio could be Blue Jays' secret weapon in MLB playoffs

TORONTO – A few weeks into the 2023 season, Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider pulled Cavan Biggio aside for a conversation. Things were not going well for the 28-year-old utility man, who began his season 4-for-25.

But because Schneider had coached Biggio through the minor leagues and knew how talented he was, the skipper let him know it in the most sincere way possible.

“I just said, ‘Dude, I’m not going to ever give up on you,’” Schneider said.

Schneider and Toronto's front office have always had faith in Biggio after drafting him in the fifth round in 2016. And while the in-game results haven’t always been pristine, Biggio kept getting chances until he found his rhythm. Now, deep into September, Biggio is a regular in the Blue Jays lineup, even occasionally slotting in as the club’s cleanup hitter.

After a dreadful first half saw him bat .197 with a pedestrian 7.3% walk rate, Biggio settled down and sorted it out. Since then, he’s worked walks at a 15.5% clip, jacking his second-half OPS to .753 and pairing his excellent approach with quality defence and very underrated baserunning. Translation: he’s the perfect do-it-all weapon for a Blue Jays playoff run.

Mechanically, Biggio has focused on flattening out his swing. Earlier this season, the left-handed hitter was pulling off of pitches in the zone, meaning he might club a homer once in a while at the cost of consistent contact. That strategy is no more. Now, Biggio focuses on barreling the ball, especially to the opposite field, even at the price of a reduced launch angle.

That marks a massive evolution from Biggio’s days in the minors, Schneider said, when the Houston native hit cleanup behind Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

“It's a credit to his mindset, his work, the kind of guy that he is, the kind of teammate that he is,” Schneider said. “[Biggio] spent that time where he was struggling and not playing a lot making some adjustments with his swing. So you really love to see the results he's getting right now.”

Biggio has always grinded away in the cage. He’s constantly working with assistant hitting coach Hunter Mense before games off flip toss, velocity, tee work — basically whatever is necessary. But, quite impressively, he does all this on a daily basis without compromising his other assets.

First and foremost, Biggio is regarded as one of the team's finest baserunners. On paper, his 77th-percentile sprint speed is impressive, but his baserunning intangibles, such as reading fly balls or getting a sharp secondary lead, set him apart. And then there’s the defensive upgrades. If you’ve tuned into a Jays game over the last month, you might’ve seen a highlight or two.

There was the unassisted double play in Cleveland (shown in the video above). Then a run-saving tag-and-toss play at third base versus Texas. Lately, it was a wicked diving stab at Yankee Stadium.

Luis Rivera, the Blue Jays’ infield coach, credits Biggio’s improvements to a newfound serenity wherever he lines up on defence.

“There's no doubt he's more calm,” Rivera said. “Now he looks forward to facing a challenge, wherever we’re playing him, [he says], ‘Hey, I'm ready to go. Right [field], left, everywhere.’”

And while Biggio’s defensive versatility is a luxury for the Blue Jays, it’s a strain on his pre-game preparation. When Biggio was a bench player, he’d have to warm up at multiple positions (first, second, third, corner outfield) before games. As a more everyday player, he can now isolate one spot per day, but he still must be sharp for in-game position switches.

That flexibility isn’t as easy as it looks.

“It's very hard,” said Rivera, who played shortstop and second base for 11 MLB seasons. “I only played two positions, and it was hard for me to get used to one. [Biggio’s] got to get used to four or five. Give credit to him.”

Defensive analytics aren’t a perfect science, but Biggio has improved tremendously, particularly at corner infielder. Outs Above Average doesn’t love him at second base (-5); however, he’s rated above average at all other spots, where his sound, almost robotic movements and upright throwing motion make him the pinnacle of consistency.

And, with the playoffs just inches away, it’s like the Super Bowl for plug-and-play guys like Biggio. He might not start in a wild-card series, but he’ll be fresh in an instant, either as a platoon hitter, pinch-runner, or defensive replacement. In a big or small moment, Biggio will get his name called during the postseason.

Luckily for Toronto, he’s playing his best ball when it matters most.