Occasionally a minor league team is loaded with prospects. Sea Dogs fans remember 2014 when youngsters named Mookie Betts, Blake Swihart, Brian Johnson, Travis Shaw and others suited up at Hadlock Field.
The New Hampshire Fisher Cats are enjoying a prospect-rich season with a bit of a twist.
The names on the back of three players:
Guerrero Jr.
Bichette.
Biggio.
Sons of three big leaguers – all All-Stars, and two elected to the Hall of Fame – are among the Fisher Cats that give their parent club in Toronto hope for the future.
“You can tell all three have been around big league locker rooms,” Fisher Cats hitting coach Hunter Mense said. “They understand how to conduct themselves and fit in, and integrate themselves in a team.”
And they can play.
Vlad Guerrero Jr., 19, is considered the best prospect in baseball, according to mlb.com. He was hitting .407 (1.124 OPS) with 11 home runs in 53 games before landing on the disabled list last month with a strained knee. He wasn’t with the Fisher Cats this weekend.
Cavan Biggio of New Hampshire knows just where to go when he needs baseball advice. His father, Craig Biggio, entered the Hall of Fame in 2015.
Bo Bichette, 20, is the No. 7 prospect in baseball after leading minor leaguers in hitting last year (.362). He’s come down to earth this season (.272). He played two games in Portland before heading to Washington for the MLB Futures Game.
Cavan Biggio, 23, is considered Toronto’s ninth-best prospect, according to MLB, and has a .946 OPS with 19 home runs. Biggio had the game-winning hit Sunday, an RBI triple in New Hampshire’s 3-1 win over the Sea Dogs.
This Fisher Cats team, like that 2014 Portland squad, is a playoff contender with a 51-40 record. At one point the roster contained nine of the Blue Jays’ top 30 prospects. Two have been promoted to Triple-A.
“I’ve been able to play with a lot of good players,” said Biggio, a second baseman who plays a little third. “Being on a team like this, it allows you to learn from your teammates.”
Before the Sea Dogs’ game Friday, Biggio took batting practice. When he wasn’t swinging the bat, he encouraged teammates.
“He’s one of the better guys to have on the team from a leadership standpoint,” Mense said. “And he always gives you a good at-bat. One of the leaders in home runs, and he leads the league in walks (66).
“As a hitting coach you just want guys you can rely on and know what you’re going to get on a daily basis. You know he’s going to play his tail off.”
Just like his dad, Astros second baseman Craig Biggio, a seven-time All-Star who entered the Hall of Fame in 2015. Craig Biggio retired after the 2007 season, when Cavan was 12.
“I grew up around the game at the highest level,” Cavan Biggio said. “My dad being one of the best players of all time, he’s a great resource to have. I’m trying to do the same thing with my life and my career.”
Large shoes to fill.
“They’re certainly big expectations,” he said. “You’ve got to know what’s best for you. Can’t worry about what people think or expect. My own expectations are higher than anybody else’s.”
Expectations are also part of Bichette’s game, especially after his gaudy numbers in Class A last year. Double-A has been a little tougher.
“When he looks back on his career, this will probably be the best year for him,” Mense said. “He’s had to struggle through some times and not get results he’s used to … Everybody’s looking at you and wondering what’s wrong … He’s had to work through it. He’s learning how to make adjustments.”
Bichette knows it’s a process.
“Minor league is about learning about yourself and continuing to get better,” Bichette said. Numbers are “obviously on everyone’s mind. I just try to worry about how I’m progressing and how I’m taking my at-bats.”
Bichette is a shortstop, generously listed at 6 feet, 200 pounds. His father, Dante Bichette (6-3, 215 pounds) was a four-time All-Star outfielder.
Vlad Guerrero Sr. was also an All-Star outfielder (nine times) and will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this summer. His son is a third baseman and has similar star qualities.
“He’s just playing at a different speed than everyone else,” Mense said.
When Guerrero comes off the DL, he’s expected to be promoted to Triple-A and possibly to Toronto by September.
The Blue Jays aren’t strong this year, but they have pieces to put together a contender.
Kevin Thomas can be reached at 791-7411 or:
kthomas@pressherald.com
Twitter: @ClearTheBases
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