After a couple graduations, T.J. Zeuch stands out in Blue Jays system

It’s been a tough season for the Toronto Blue Jays. Injuries (Josh Donaldson, Troy Tulowitzki and Aaron Sanchez to name a few) and underperforming veterans (like Marcus Stroman, Randall Grichuk and third baseman Russell Martin) have doomed them to the non-Baltimore bottom of a top-heavy American League East.

On the bright side, the Blue Jays have quietly put together one of baseball’s more exciting farm systems.

Injuries have kept 19-year old phenom Vladimir Guerrero Jr. out of the big leagues, Bo Bichette was never a 2018 option and Anthony Alford has had some struggles at Triple-A.

But two of their top pitching prospects have made the jump. Lefty Ryan Borucki was promoted at the end of June and Sean Reid-Foley arrived with top catching prospect Danny Jansen about a week ago.

John’s preseason Blue Jays Top 10 have been accounted for minus infielder Logan Warmoth, catcher Riley Adams and pitchers Nate Pearson and T.J. Zeuch.

Zeuch, the 21st overall pick in 2016 by Toronto, is having himself an excellent season. A longtime admirer of former Blue Jay great Roy Halladay, he turned 23 on the first day of August and has spent most of the season toiling an effective ball for Double-A New Hampshire.

He started 2018 where he finished 2017, in High-A Dunedin, but earned a quick bump to Double-A when he was still just 22.

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The 6 foot 7, University of Pittsburgh product battled back issues last year (being tall presents its difficulties) and topped out at 14 starts. Once healthy, he started to click.

The sinkerballer played in the Arizona Fall League and impressed in roughly 20 innings where he allowed seven runs on just 14 hits.

In New Hampshire this year, he’s set an easy career-high in innings at 141.1 and counting with a minor league career-best 3.38 ERA along with a 1.25 WHIP.

He doesn’t miss a lot of bats (94 strikeouts) but has only walked 34 batters all year and has four outings for the Fisher Cats that went at least six with no runs allowed. On June 14, he threw a two-hitter with one walk over eight scoreless.

Zeuch has eyes on Triple-A next year and by the time he’s 24 next August, especially if he continues to pitch well and be healthy, could join his recently graduated organization mates in a new-look Blue Jays rotation.