Top 10 Prospect Watch

[Blue Jays GM]

1. Travis d'Arnaud, C



The No. 9 backstop on the top 10 catching prospects list, d'Arnaud might be a better all-around catcher than Arencibia when all is said and done. He came over with Drabek in the Roy Halladay deal and missed time in his first season in this organization with a back problem. He's got an outstanding arm behind the plate and is more than agile enough to be a stellar defender. He's got a quick bat and should have decent power, even if he hasn't put up huge numbers just yet. He's made the move up to Double-A in 2011.

[Blue Jays GM]

2. Anthony Gose, OF



The Blue Jays are playing a more up-tempo kind of game and Gose's skills should fit perfectly once he gets to the big leagues. He's still raw in some aspects of the game, but he made a very good impression in big league camp this spring, going 9-for-10 in stolen base attempts. He's a plus runner who is a plus defender in center field. As he learns to be more selective and read pitchers better on the bases, he should turn into an outstanding leadoff man. He's moved up to Double-A for the 2011 season.

[Blue Jays GM]

3. Deck McGuire, SP



The No. 11 overall pick in the Draft last June, McGuire was one of the steadiest performers in the college game over the previous two seasons. He's got four pitches, all of which he can throw for strikes. All grade out as average or better, and he was drafted as someone who could move quickly through a system. He might not have the biggest ceiling in the world, but he began the year in Dunedin, made it to New Hampshire by July and could be ready for Toronto soon.

[Blue Jays GM]

4. Carlos Perez, C



That's right, another catching prospect in the system. Perez signed out of Venezuela back in 2008 and has performed well at each stop thus far, most recently as a New York-Penn League All-Star at age 19. He's a solid hitter with a very advanced approach at the plate, as evidenced by his .412 on-base percentage. He's athletic and runs well for a catcher and should be a good defender when all is said and done. He is making his full-season debut with Lansing (Midwest League) this season.

[Blue Jays GM]

5. Jake Marisnick, OF



Taken in the third round of the 2009 Draft and given an over-slot deal, Marisnick made his pro debut in 2010 after signing right at the deadline back in '09. He has the potential to be a five-tool outfielder. Right now, he's got the skills to man center, but there's the chance he'll have to move over to a corner as he matures and fills out. That's no problem because when all is said and done, he's got the throwing arm and the potential with the bat to be a very good right fielder in the future. He has good speed and, as he continues to refine his hitting skills, he should hit for average and power. He earned a full-season assignment and is patrolling the outfield for Class A Lansing in the Midwest League.

[Blue Jays GM]

6. Aaron Sanchez, SP



A SoCal high school product, Sanchez fits the mold of a young, projectable right-handed starter. His fastball, now consistently in the low 90s, might have some more to it as he fills out that 6-foot-4 frame. He's got a very good curve and while his changeup is behind the others, he shows a feel for it. Command has been an issue in the past thanks to some delivery problems, something he's continued to work on, first with Bluefield in the Appy League and then up with Vancouver in the short-season Northwest League.

[Blue Jays GM]

7. Adeiny Hechavarria, SS



The Blue Jays made a splash by signing the Cuban shortstop to a big deal last April. There's no doubt about Hechavarria's ability with the glove. Scouts who saw him during his brief Arizona Fall League stay last fall buzzed about watching him take infield with fellow Cuban defensive wizard Jose Iglesias of the Red Sox. The question is how much he'll hit, though he did bat .273 in Double-A last year and has good speed. That and his glove work should make him a shortstop in the big leagues for a long time.

[Blue Jays GM]

8. Asher Wojciechowski, SP



A 2010 supplemental first-round pick in 2010, Wojciechowski moved up Draft boards last spring with strong performances and high radar readings at The Citadel before becoming the No. 41 overall pick. The big right-hander can touch the mid-90s with his fastball and while some saw him as a future reliever, it wasn't because he couldn't maintain his velocity. He also has an above-average slider and continues to work on his changeup, which he didn't use much in college. With his frame, he's got the chance to be a workhorse for years to come and if that off-speed pitch develops, he could pitch close to the top of a rotation. Watching him and Deck McGuire in the same rotation for Dunedin is a treat for Florida State League fans.

[Blue Jays GM]

9. Drew Hutchison, SP



The 2009 15th-rounder was signed for an over-slot deal, but so far it's looking like it was worth it. The Lakeland, Fla., high school product has been very impressive in his second full season, beginning the year with Class A Lansing and earning a promotion up to Class A Advanced Dunedin after 14 starts. He's got an advanced feel, especially for someone his age, showing the ability to throw three pitches for strikes with very good command. He'll run his fastball up to around 92-93 mph, has a good breaking ball, a slider, and also has made progress with his changeup. He's not a power pitcher, but with his combination of stuff and polish, he could continue to move fairly quickly up Toronto's ladder.

[Blue Jays GM]

10. Justin Nicolino, SP



Though Nicolino was a high school draftee out of Florida in 2010, he's got a feel for pitching that's more often found in college arms. The southpaw is both advanced and projectable. He can run his fastball up into the low 90s and complements it with a breaking ball and a changeup. He made his pro debut in 2011, going straight to the short-season Northwest League at age 19. Facing mostly much older opposition, Nicolino was dominant, earning a late promotion to full-season ball, getting a playoff start and officially putting him on a bit of a faster track. What he does in his first extended taste of full-season ball in 2012 could help determine just how quickly he can move up the ladder.