September is upon us and while the Jays are not playing the meaningful September baseball that many had hoped for, these final weeks of the season will still be important. Since the Jays traded away veteran players like Justin Turner, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and Kevin Kiermaier, there have been more opportunities for the young players to show what they can do. Guys like Spencer Horwitz, Ernie Clement, and Addison Barger, who have been with the team for most of the season but might not have had consistent playing time, are finding themselves in the lineup more often than not. Plus, Joey Loperfido and Will Wagner, both of whom were acquired from the Astros for Yusei Kikuchi, have gotten substantial playing time since joining the Jays. This last month of the season is significant for these players as they get adjusted to majors and try to prove that they belong.
For me, Horwitz is a guy who has shown he belongs and can be a good player. After playing in only 15 games at the end of last season, he started 2024 in the minors and was playing well. Since being called up in early June, he has continued to impress both with the bat and the glove. First base is his natural position, but since the Jays have a pretty good first baseman already, they decided to move Spencer to second. He may not win a gold glove at second, but he has held his own and shown to be a capable defender at the position. He’s contributed offensively as well and hasn’t looked overmatched by big-league pitching. He’s hitting .263/.353/.422 coming into September and while he cooled off in July after a hot start in June, he slugged a lot more in August and hit 5 of his 10 homeruns last month as well. He may not hit for a lot or power, but he has a good eye for the strike zone and has a knack for getting on base.
Ernie Clement is an interesting player to me because he has had a good season, but I also feel like I don’t know what kind of player he is. He is a versatile player who can play 2B, 3B, and SS, and has elite bat-to-ball skills. He does not swing-and-miss, which means he hardly ever strikes out, but he will also swing at everything and not walk. He is in the 99th percentile of strikeout percentage, but in the 1st percentile in walk percentage. He’s definitely a valuable player because he can play multiple positions, but it remains to be seen if he will be an everyday player. Although, even if he isn’t playing every day, he is a great guy to have on the bench because he has the ability to come into a game late and have good at-bats.
Coming into the season, Addison Barger was the Jays’ 6th ranked prospect and many thought that if he played well in Triple-A, he could force his way onto the major-league roster sometime this season. He got called up in the end of April, but only played in 5 games before being sent back to the minors. He was called up again in early June, struggled, and was sent back to Triple A in the first week of July. However, since being recalled at the end of July, he has gotten more playing time and has been able to show off some of his strengths. His biggest strength is his power, both with the bat and with his arm. He’s got one of the best arms in the game as his arm strength is averaging 96.3mph, which puts him in the 99th percentile in that category. He’s played mostly 3B and RF in his career and both are positions where his arm will be an asset. He’s been hitting much better lately than he did during his first two stints with the team, and he’s doing it with more power. Since July 20th, he’s been slugging .533 with 6 homeruns and 8 doubles. His max exit velocity is about 110mph, meaning when he is able to barrel up baseballs, he can hit them very hard and only good things can come from hitting balls that hard. Overall, Barger is still a work in progress, but the talent is there, and now it’s about putting it together.
Unlike Horwitz, Clement, and Barger all of whom have been in the Jays’ organization the entire year, Loperfido and Wagner have only been here since July 30th when they were acquired at the trade deadline. Obviously, the Jays scouted these two prior to acquiring them, so they know what they are about, but it’s still different when you can watch them firsthand and coach them yourself. Of the two, Loperfido likely has the higher ceiling, but Wagner has impressed since he got called up.
Loperfido struggled mightily to start his Blue Jays career as he started 5-39 with 18 strikeouts in his first 10 games. However, since Aug. 16th, he’s hitting .273/.304/.568 with a wRC+ 141 – this means he’s 41 points better than the average big leaguer. Along with his hitting, he’s also played very good defence in both left and centre field. Whether he becomes an everyday player for the Jays remains to be seen, but he should almost be a lock to be the fourth outfielder at minimum in 2025.
Will Wagner was the third player named when the trade was made, and was almost looked at as an afterthought. However, he’s done nothing but hit since he made his debut; in the 15 games he played in August, he hit .385 with a 1.022 OPS. He capped off August with a 5-hit game and became the first rookie in Blue Jays history to get 5 hits in a single game. Don’t expect him to keep pace the rest of the way, but if he can finish strong, he can make a case to come to spring training and attempt to be the starting second baseman.
Another player worth mentioning is Leo Jiménez. He’s gotten a lot of playing time due to Bo Bichette being out with an injury that he otherwise wouldn’t have gotten. He’s not tearing the cover off the ball, but has played nice defence and has been able to contribute at times. He’s only 23 years old, so there is still time for him to figure things out and I expect him to be in the minors next year. This is good experience for him though, and he is a good depth piece to have on your roster.
This isn’t the September the Jays, and their fans were hoping for this year, but these young guys aren’t letting the organization’s failures ruin their seasons. They are going out there and making the most of each opportunity. Giving these guys significant playing time down the stretch is not just about allowing the Jays a chance to see what they have on their hands, it is also a possible audition for 29 other teams as the Jays could look to flip a couple of them for other impact players in the offseason. None of these guys are “locks” to make the team next season, but I think Horwitz, Clement, and Loperfido have the highest chances to be on the 2025 opening day roster. We are still a ways away from the 2025 season, but if this September is a glimpse of what could be the future of the Jays, there are some exciting players to look forward to.