Sports

Future MLB Superstar Makes His Debut Friday Night

Arizona Fall League All Star Game

(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Gus Martin Contributor
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It’s not that often we get rookies that are so hyped, the anticipation of their debut overshadows the aura of current MLB stars and the season currently unfolding.

However, Toronto Blue Jays young stud Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is doing just that, and Friday night baseball fans finally get to see this kid in the major leagues in the team’s home game against the Athletics. (RELATED: Here’s What Happens With Kyler Murray’s MLB Contract If He Goes To The NFL)

Guerrero Jr. has been making noise in the minors for some time. As if his first full season wasn’t enough, he garnered major hype in his 2018 minor league campaign when in 95 games he batted .381/.437/.636 with 20 home runs, crushing bombs that spread through social media like wildfire the whole way through, according to mlb.com.

He has such an effortlessly powerful swing – much like his father Vladimir Guerrero Sr. – that is sure to capture the attention of fans across the league, if it hasn’t already.

“This is a big moment for the Toronto Blue Jays,” Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo told reporters earlier this week. “He’s the No. 1 prospect in baseball. It’s coming Friday. It’s a big moment for us. Hopefully, he becomes what everybody thinks he’s going to become. That’s going to be good for all of us. The city of Toronto, the Blue Jays, the organization.”

During his minor league career, Guerrero Jr. won the Baseball America Minor League Player of the Year award in 2018 and posted numbers comparable to the game’s most elite players like Mike Trout, Giancarlo Stanton and Manny Machado. Hopefully for baseball as a whole, he’ll live up to those expectations.

The 20-year-old has also drawn strong comparisons to his father, as both posted similar numbers in the minors and have big-time power hitting capability. However, it might be unfair to compare any young prospect to an eight-time Silver Slugger and Hall of Famer.

The third baseman does need fielding work, however, since transitioning from outfielder to the infield he’s said to have improved every season in the minors thus far. His weaknesses seem to be his first-step quickness and lateral range, but those fundamentals will come in time. His swing and patience at the plate are good enough to immediately be productive on any big league roster.

For a sport that’s seen a decline in both TV ratings and fan attendance recently, everyone associated with the MLB would love to see another up-and-comer take the league by storm. Particularly for the Blue Jays who have seen their attendance drop each of the last three seasons and even more so far in 2019. Hopefully this young man can be the solution.