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| Cavan Biggio |
The flow of top prospects to the Blue Jays will continue on Friday with Cavan Biggio getting the call from triple-A Buffalo to make his major-league debut.
After a lacklustre 8-2 loss to the Red Sox on Thursday, the Jays are shaking up the roster by promoting Biggio and welcoming back infielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. while struggling outfielder Billy McKinney and Richard Urena will report to the Bisons.
Biggio, the son of former major-league star Craig, has been lighting it up in triple-A where he’s been hitting .306 with six home runs. The Jays like Biggio for his versatility because he can play the outfield but would also be comfortable at first, second or third base.
Gurriel returns after bolstering his confidence in the minor leagues following a demotion in mid-April. The Cuban infielder had struggled defensively early in the season and was sent to Buffalo to reboot.
The promotion of Biggio will give fans a chance to see another glimpse of the promising young future with the Jays in a three-game series vs. the San Diego Padres.
Gurriel makes his return to the big leagues after a demotion to Triple-A on April 14 that was linked to some poor throwing in first few weeks of the season. Gurriel has since played 30 games for the Bisons, manning his traditional second base and shortstop as well as playing seven games at left field and three at first base as the Jays work to transform him into a more versatile player that better fits with their future.
Toronto’s system has much depth at the middle infield positions, with fewer options in the outfield and at first.
Gurriel, who was hitting .175 when he parted ways with the Jays, was hitting .273 with four home runs and 26 RBIs for the Bisons.
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Biggio, son of baseball hall of famer Craig Biggio, has been linked with Toronto’s other top prospects with distinguished baseball bloodlines, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, since the three started dominating Double-A last year, leading the Fisher Cats to an Eastern League championship.
Guerrero was promoted in late April and has hit .253 with five home runs and 11 RBIs in his first month in the big leagues. When Bichette, the Jays’ No. 2 prospect, was sidelined with a fractured bone in his left hand around the time of Guerrero’s promotion, Biggio was widely regarded as next in line to make the jump to the majors.
“I’d be lying to you if I said I wasn’t thinking about it,” Biggio told The Canadian Press earlier this month. “We’re in Triple-A here, and playing the second-highest level of baseball is amazing but don’t get me wrong — we all want to be in the big leagues.”
Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said Wednesday that Gurriel needed to be more consistent with his throws before he could rejoin Toronto, where he has spent most of his time since last July. Gurriel was charged with three errors in Buffalo, two at second base and one in left field.