'Half-robot' Kasevich emerging as prospect to watch in Blue Jays camp

DUNEDIN, Fla. -- Each camp has its darling, a tradition stretching back a half-century in Dunedin. Some years, a star is born. Other years, fool’s gold is dug up from the dirt and soon forgotten.

Addison Barger had his breakthrough spring coming up as a prospect that February and March where it all seemed to come together. Last year, it was Alan Roden, who forced his way onto the Opening Day roster with a spectacular camp. This year, it’s Josh Kasevich’s turn.

Kasevich has long been a favorite among the Blue Jays’ player development staff and front office, and we’re finally seeing why. Back from a 2025 season defined by injuries and delayed momentum, Toronto’s No. 13 prospect is producing in camp and taking advantage of the Blue Jays’ entire MLB infield being out of town at the World Baseball Classic. Now, the Blue Jays’ coaching staff loves what they see, too.

“He knows that. We’ve talked to him at length throughout camp,” manager John Schneider said. “He’s fully healthy, which is great, and he’s definitely been the one guy who … I don’t want to say has ‘opened my eyes,’ but he’s definitely made it hard to miss him with his offense and defense, for sure. He’s on a good trajectory.”

The conversations we have publicly about prospects are so different than the ones teams and front offices have. From the outside, it’s fun to dream of the next big thing and superhuman traits. On the inside, though, big league clubs dream of big leaguers, and when people talk about Kasevich, they’re talking about a big leaguer.

Before they get to the baseball part, everyone always has the same comment off the top.

“He’s half-robot,” Schneider said. “He’s so meticulous with everything he does and says.”

You won’t find many players in this organization as widely praised as Kasevich for his work ethic and approach to the game. He is, by every definition, a serious baseball player. World Series contenders need serious baseball players.

The on-field production needs to back that up, though. Back and wrist injuries limited Kasevich to 42 games a year ago, and he never found a groove. The year prior, in 2024, Kasevich hit .296 with six home runs, a .733 OPS and solid defense across the infield. The Blue Jays see more power in there, which he’s flashed this spring, and an ability to hit lefties well, so he’s beginning to create some real pathways to a big league roster.

Schneider and the Blue Jays’ staff don’t have much time to care about young prospects who might someday, theoretically, help them in Toronto. Kasevich feels realistic, though, and as Schneider describes how Kasevich could fit this roster down the road -- however short that road might be -- you hear all of the right words coming from the manager.

“He’s a guy you trust to make routine plays and to be smart on the bases,” Schneider said. “He’s very aware of what he’s good at. He’s very aware that he can control the zone and control the barrel. There’s room for some slug in there, too. He’s put himself in a good spot. He can handle multiple pitchers and pitch types, whether it’s lefty or righty. When you’re here and making an impression, it’s not just the average or the routine plays, but where are you on certain plays? What’s your game clock? What’s your baseball IQ? He’s shown it’s really good.”

There’s no logjam in front of Kasevich. Leo Jiménez is first in line, given that he’s on the 40-man roster and out of options, but Jiménez is away playing with Panama at the WBC and the Blue Jays still need to see more from him. Right now, Toronto could choose to open the season with a thin infield, relying on Addison Barger and Davis Schneider to slide in and out, balancing their roster.

Kasevich could easily position himself as next in line, though, if the Blue Jays would prefer to carry a more traditional reserve infielder. It’s already happening. Some time to reestablish himself in Triple-A will be useful, but at 25 and with all of the praise Kasevich earns for his intangibles, the “person” side of this will be ready when the baseball side lines up.

This is what Spring Training can do. Each spring, the big league staff finally sees what they’ve been hearing about, and it feels like this spring belongs to Kasevich.

“He’s closer than he thinks,” Schneider said.