Toronto thought it had a glove-first backup; Valenzuela's been much more

TORONTO -- What a night, what a story, what a catcher.

Brandon Valenzuela has kicked the door down. Tuesday’s walk-off single in the Blue Jays’ 3-2 win over the Phillies at Rogers Centre was his finest moment yet. But the 25-year-old rookie is showing that he’s ready to be Alejandro Kirk’s tandem mate already, with Kirk expected to return later this week.

What a find, too, for the Blue Jays, with one of their savviest trades in years.

Behind the breakout: Valenzuela’s bat
Manager John Schneider’s recent scouting report captures what has happened here.

“We all knew he could catch,” Schneider said, “but the offensive part ...”

As a prospect, Valenzuela profiled as a defense-first backup in the big leagues. He came to the Blue Jays in the Will Wagner deal a year ago with a reputation as a good blocker and framer who could control the run game, and maybe -- just maybe -- he could tap into some more power. That “maybe” so rarely comes true in the world of prospects, but this is what it looks like.

Through 45 games, Valenzuela is batting .252 with seven home runs and a .799 OPS. This won’t last forever and the league will adjust, but a strong defensive catcher with some pop can live a long, happy life in the big leagues.

Valenzuela has worked tirelessly with the Blue Jays’ hitting staff since arriving, some of it mechanical but some of it also more philosophical. Valenzuela is a big, strong individual, so there’s no sense trying to slap a single the other way. Toronto’s staff has urged Valenzuela to “be more physical” and take chances. The combination of Valenzuela’s confidence -- which is never short -- and the momentum of his on-field production is a dangerous thing.

What Valenzuela’s teammates are saying
Inside the clubhouse, veteran and rookie teammates alike have gone from being impressed with the new guy to being excited that there’s something greater here. Pitchers love Valenzuela, who came up with an excellent defensive reputation, but he has the hitters talking, too:

Ernie Clement: “I love the way he’s swinging the bat. It looks like he’s looking to do damage on every single swing. Unlike me, he has a lot of thump to the middle of the field. When he’s being aggressive and swinging the bat like he is, even when he swings and misses, you hear it in the dugout. Everyone’s like, ‘Whoa’. Nobody does that when I swing. He’s awesome. Behind the plate, he’s advanced. I think he is, by far, the most improved player, and we’re lucky to have him on our team.”

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: “He’s been there for us since he got here. He’s been playing good. It’s like [Yohendrick] Piñango, too. They’re free to play. They’re not afraid to miss, you know? When you’re like that, good things happen.”

Dylan Cease: “Oh, man. He’s been great. The cool thing is that he’s just continued to get better and better. Offensively, he’s been doing amazing. Defensively, he’s calling great games, blocking, just doing everything. It’s really cool and promising to see that growth and development as the season goes. That’s what you want to see.”

What happens when Kirk returns?
Let’s not waste any time on the debate here. Valenzuela is far outplaying veteran Tyler Heineman. Valenzuela has options while Heineman doesn’t, which is a factor to consider, but the Blue Jays need to be winning as many games as possible, right here and right now.

Schneider has also called carrying three catchers “not ideal.”

“The honesty of it is that there’s not a whole lot of depth behind Valenzuela,” Schneider said. “There are guys who are on the [40-man] roster, but you look at who’s doing what. Are you going to lose a guy if you move a guy? Valenzuela, either way at this point, if he’s playing a couple of times a week, that’s OK. If he’s playing every day, that’s obviously beneficial.”

Valenzuela wouldn’t be thrust into a once-a-week backup role, though. Kirk still needs to be eased in and, in turn, that can help ease Valenzuela into a new role. Players returning from broken bones in their hand don’t typically go on a tear the moment they return, either, so Valenzuela’s bat will hold value. There’s even an argument to get him the odd rep at DH or first base, where he spent some time in the Minor Leagues.

What a luxury this could be for the Blue Jays. They’ve become a catching factory, stretching back to Danny Jansen and Gabriel Moreno, who came up alongside Kirk.

It feels like the tandem of Kirk and Valenzuela has already arrived. It’s ahead of schedule, but Valenzuela has become undeniable.