Pre-deadline prospects show promise

Shortstop Kasevich, outfielder Roden have spent past two years rapidly climbing farm system

- MIKE WILNER

Josh Kasevich has been in Buffalo for less than a month, but his .293 batting average there is higher than he's posted at any other pro level.

When the Blue Jays turned the page on their attempt for a third straight trip to the post-season at the July 30 trade deadline, they added 13 prospects to an organization that, to this point, has failed miserably at fulfilling club president Mark Shapiro’s early promise of “wave after wave” of talent coming through to bolster the bigleague club.

Deadline acquisitions Joey Loperfido and Will Wagner have made a solid impression, with Wagner already in the Jays rookie record book with hits in each of his first three big-league at-bats as well as a five-hit game in Saturday’s 15-0 win in Minnesota.

Outfielder Jonatan Clase, who last year became the first minor-leaguer since at least 1961 to hit 20 home runs and steal more than 70 bases in the same season, and pitcher Jake Bloss, with a 2.33 ERA over 17 starts at three levels of the minors this year, will be called up soon.

Not to be lost among the shiny new toys, though, are two young players who have spent the last couple of years working their way up through the system and could each wind up playing a big role in any future success: shortstop Josh Kasevich, the Jays’ second-round pick in 2022 out of the University of Oregon, and outfielder Alan Roden, selected one round later from Creighton University (where the teams are called Bluejays).