With Vladimir Guerrero Jr. noticeably absent from the Blue Jays' lineup, after sustaining a strained left oblique on Friday, several other Toronto prospects took center stage in Saturday’s 10-1 win over the Twins at CenturyLink Sports Complex.
Bo Bichette, the Blue Jays’ No. 2 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, opened the game with his third home run of the spring, before leading off the sixth inning with his second long ball of the matchup. The 20-year-old shortstop also doubled in a 3-for-5 day at the plate.
Returning to the Toronto lineup for the first time after being sidelined by a car accident on Wednesday, Blue Jays No. 10 prospect Cavan Biggio hit his second spring home run in the third frame, adding a single and driving in two runs against the Twins.
Rowdy Tellez, ranked the squad’s No. 21 prospect, added a multi-homer game of his own on Sunday, hitting his second and third home runs of Spring Training. He also notched a single and drove in five runs.
The first drive for Bichette went well beyond the left-center-field wall and cleared the stadium, while his second homer left the yard to right field, which was the result of what Bichette has been working on early.
"I try to take spring honestly the same as the season," Bichette said, following the win. "I like to compete, and I can’t play well [if] I don’t compete, so for me every day is about just trying to figure out what I need. I like to go to [the] opposite field, and every once in a while work on pulling the ball, so today I kind of did that a little bit."
With a Spring Training slash line of .400/.444/1.364 and five RBIs out of the leadoff spot in 25 at-bats, Bichette is giving the Blue Jays' brass more to consider as the regular season draws closer.
"I tell everybody I'm here to make the team," the infielder said. "I understand the situation, you know, my situation. But like I said, I like to compete and the only way I'm going to go out there and play well is if I compete. I thought that I would be doing myself a disservice to come in here with a different attitude."
Though Bichette is prepared to start his season at Triple-A Buffalo, he won't stop trying to push for an early entry to the Major Leagues.
"I mean, I’m in big league camp, so last time I wasn’t," he said. "I’m really comfortable out here. The coaching staff has done a really good job of getting me comfortable, the veterans, everybody. So I’m having a good time, I feel good, and definitely I feel ready. ...
"I definitely feel like I’m ready. That’s what I came into camp for, to make sure they know I’m ready. And if something crazy happens and I do break camp, then great. But if not, I’m just trying to let them know that if they need me, I’m ready to go up there and help."
Playing alongside Guerrero Jr. for the entirety of his career, Bichette was as disappointed as anyone to hear the news of his injury. While it is a tough time for his infield partner, Bichette believes it will only make the top prospect stronger when he returns.
"He doesn’t like it, let’s put it that way," Bichette said. "When he’s struggling, he doesn’t like it. And I wouldn’t expect him to. But the thing about him, and all great players, they don’t like it but they figure out a way to make it better the next time. So that’s him; he’s no different than any of us. He gets [upset] when he does bad, he’s happy when he does good, but the thing is, he gets out of his slumps a lot quicker."
Danny Jansen and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. also had multi-hit efforts in the affair. Jansen, Toronto’s No. 3 prospect -- and likely Opening Day catcher -- went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI, while Gurriel Jr. notched two singles and scored a run in the lopsided game.
On the mound, Ryan Borucki threw five scoreless innings in his fourth start of Spring Training. Making a bid for a spot in the Blue Jays' rotation, the 24-year-old left-hander allowed just five hits and two walks, striking out three.