It looks like we’ll be seeing more of The Babe in left field next season. According to TSN’s Scott Mitchell, the Blue Jays are still looking for a right-handed hitting outfielder, “but as of today, Davis Schneider is slated to act as that left field platoon bat against left-handed pitching, pushing either Kevin Kiermaier or Daulton Varsho to the bench.”
The Blue Jays selected Schneider out of high school in the 28th round of the 2017 draft and he spent the first few years of his professional career playing in the infield before getting some reps in the outfield during the 2022 season.
Schneider played 379 2/3 innings in left field between High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A in 2022 and was charged with only two errors while picking up five outfield assists. He didn’t play any outfield for the Buffalo Bisons in 2023 before his call-up to Toronto but played 15 innings in left for the Blue Jays down the stretch, so this won’t be something brand new for Schneider.
All the Blue Jays really need is for Schneider’s glove to be passable in left because they’ll have either Kevin Kiermaier or Daulton Varsho, two Gold Glove-calibre players with elite range, playing in centre field next to him. This move is about finding a way to make it easier for John Schneider and Co. to get Babe Schneider’s bat into the lineup somewhere.
Both Kiermaier and Varsho are glove-first, left-handed hitters, so a big right-handed bat is needed for a platoon role in the outfield. Isiah Kiner-Falefa is a righty who can play all three outfield spots but he doesn’t offer the same offensive upside that Schneider does, as the rookie came up and slashed a .276/.404/.603 line over his first 141 plate appearances at the big-league level.
Nobody really expects Schneider to keep up the legendary start that he had to his Major League career but his results in the minors indicate he can be a very effective hitter for years to come. Before getting called up to the Blue Jays in August, Schneider had a .275/.416/.553 slash line with 21 home runs and nearly as many strikeouts as walks in 87 games with the Bisons. He also posted an .823 OPS playing between three different levels in 2022.
Schneider spent most of his time with the Blue Jays last season at second base and ultimately found himself on the bench for stretches of time so that Cavan Biggio, Santiago Espinal, and Whit Merrifield could get into the lineup. Biggio and Espinal are expected to be back in 2024 and there are other infield prospects, such as Orelvis Martinez and Leo Jimenez, who play second base and will be knocking on the door.
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