Toronto Blue Jays: 5 realistic expectations for the 2020 season

3) A trio of young players who are here to stay

Guerrero Jr. isn’t the only young player Toronto fans are excited about. Bo Bichette, Cavan Biggio, and Danny Jansen are all 24 or under and figure to man the shortstop, second base, and catcher positions respectively for the team in the foreseeable future.

Bichette, a former top prospect in his own right, was called up in late summer and promptly hit for a .311 average, 11 home runs, and stole four bases in just 46 games. Biggio actually finished higher than Guerrero Jr. in Rookie of the Year voting, hitting 16 home runs and stealing 14 bases in 100 games. Jansen showed pop and defensive poise in his first season as the team’s full time catcher.

Similar to Guerrero Jr., each of these players still have a way to go before reaching their full potential. It’s easy to envision Bichette as one of the top leadoff hitters in the game, Biggio hitting 20 home runs and stealing 20 bases, and Jansen providing strong defence and some pop from behind the plate, but I think 2020 will be a year of highs and lows for this young core.

There will be games where they look playoff ready, but also contests where they are completely over-matched by the opposing pitcher. I expect growth in 2020, meaning over the course of a 162-game season Bichette posting close to 20 home runs and hitting around .280, Biggio with another season around 15 homers and 15 steals but raising his average, and Jansen continuing to improve defensively and at the plate.