MORENO TO MAKE MLB DEBUT AGAINST DETROIT:

MLB / Baseball

Written by Gus Cousins

Ahead of Toronto’s weekend series against the Tigers in Detroit, the Blue Jays have officially announced top prospect Gabriel Moreno’s call-up to the big club.

It was bound to happen sooner or later - the 22-year-old catcher has smashed the ball during his time in Buffalo, hitting .323 with 43 hits over just 35 games. Similar to the hot-hitting Alejandro Kirk, Moreno doesn’t strike out; only 25 times in 146 plate appearances thus far in 2022. The youngster will certainly get his fair share of playing time with Danny Jansen having landed on the IL, although Kirk’s fantastic play recently has led many to believe that with or without Moreno, the Blue Jays have one of the best catching duos across the entire league.

Gabriel Moreno blocks a pitch in the dirt while catching for the Buffalo Bisons, Toronto’s AAA affiliate | Source (Background photo): Getty Images

Beyond his offensive prowess, Moreno also possesses a unique ability for a catcher - to play multiple positions. Think Isiah Kiner-Falefa-esque during his days with Texas, when he would routinely bounce back and forth between catching and the left side of the infield but with less experience. Plus, he hasn’t made an error through 248 defensive innings this year.

While Moreno hasn’t drawn the league-wide attention that Guerrero Jr. received when he was called up, he is ranked as MLB’s #4 overall prospect, and #2 catching prospect - right behind the recently-debuted Adley Rutschman for Baltimore. He’s the highest-ranked Blue Jay since Guerrero Jr. (#1 in 2019), with Nate Pearson (#6 in 2020) being the only other Top-10 prospect since 2019.

Although it’s a good problem to have in theory, the ever-intimidating roster crunch is hovering on the horizon in a number of ways with Moreno’s call-up. The way it stands right now, Toronto is carrying two catchers on the active roster - Kirk and Collins. When Moreno is activated, someone will have to be DFA’d or sent down to create room…and this is where the chaos begins.

For now, a one-for-one of Moreno to Toronto and Collins to Buffalo could make sense. It would allow for more playing time (a two-way split instead of a three-way), and for Collins to continue playing in Buffalo. But when Jansen returns, what then? Neither he nor Kirk will be going anywhere, and if Moreno does hit then the age-old debate of ‘should you carry three catchers?’ returns once more. And if that is the case, who goes? Zimmer? Hopefully, although then you’re relying on Biggio as the team’s fifth outfielder. Merryweather? It’d be tough to see, purely because this team relies on the bullpen so heavily - and it has to be someone’s job to eat innings during a blowout. Vasquez or Gage? Not only arms, but the only two lefty relievers Toronto has at the moment.

Once signed for just $25,000, Moreno has quickly turned himself into a very important part of this Blue Jays organization.

It is expected that Moreno will make his big-league debut on Friday when Toronto faces off against struggling Tigers’ righty Elvin Rodriguez.