Dunedin, Fla. — Orelves Martinez and Gabriel Moreno never got a chance to make the Blue Jays’ Day 1 roster, but they did have a chance to make an impression.
Of the two, Martinez was the only one to take advantage of this opportunity. A wave of cuts sent two top contenders and 13 others to minor league camp on Monday as the Blue Jays continued to trim their roster ahead of Opening Day.
Four players who appeared in the 2021 Blue Jays tournament – Thomas Hatch, Anthony Kay, Josh Palacios and Otto Lopez – were also selected with the 40-player roster of Hagen Danner, Bowden Francis and Leo Jimenez. Meanwhile, Chris Beck, Max Castillo, Adrian Hernandez, Casey Lawrence, Fitz Stadler and Chavez Young have all been reset, along with Martinez (all 40 players must be selected while non-40 players can simply be reset). ).
Martinez has impressed in eight games in the Grapefruit League, collecting four hits including two at home. Along the way, the future 75th-ranked American baseball player impressed viewers with his strength and composure. As director Charlie Montoyo said, “He got it. »
Once the minor league season begins, Martinez could be assigned to Vancouver, where he hit nine homers in 27 games late last year, twice in New Hampshire. In the meantime, he’s still eligible to play in spring training games, as are everyone else who lost their spots at big league camp on Monday.
As for Moreno, who ranked seventh out of all possibilities on the U.S. baseball roster, visa issues delayed his arrival at Camp Geez, preventing him from making the same kind of impression as Martinez.
Instead, he will continue to work behind the scenes in preparation for a mission at the Supreme Palace – perhaps reaching Serie A, where he finished the 2021 season. In 37 Minor League games last year, Moreno scored .367 with a 1,060 OPS, impressing the team makers with his athletic performance and skill on the court.
A converted player, Moreno also played third base in the Arizona Volleyball League to increase his versatility. With the same goal in mind, the Blue Jays intend to continue onboarding the 22-year-old reps, whose path to big business could be accelerated if he can handle other positions. With Danny Jansen, Alejandro Kirk and Reese McGuire all potential candidates for the MLB roster, the catcher is an area of organizational depth.
