Toronto Blue Jays spring training: 3 non-roster invitees to watch

Toronto Blue Jays: Simeon Woods Richardson looking to forge path to MLB roster

Aside from Nate Pearson and the aforementioned Martin, Simeon Woods Richardson is the highest ranked prospect in the Blue Jays’ system, according to FanGraphs.

Acquired in the trade that sent Marcus Stroman to the New York Mets, Woods Richardson was the long play in the deal. With an ETA of 2023, he doesn’t project to be toeing the Rogers Centre rubber anytime soon. However, the team clearly feels that he can hang with the big boys now, so how he stacks up against bona fide big leaguers will be an interesting story to follow all spring.

Woods Richardson’s potential role on this team takes on new light due to the fact that he fills a massive need. For years, Toronto’s top prospect board was filled with position players while their pitching pipeline (outside of Pearson) languished. The prospect list is still light on arms, but the much maligned Stroman trade grows to look better and better each day.

While this is Woods Richardson’s first spring training with the Blue Jays, he is no stranger to Dunedin. After coming over from the Mets, he tore up the Florida State League, starting six games for the Dunedin Blue Jays and earning a minuscule 2.54 ERA. This was a massive jump from his previous stats in the South Atlantic League with the Columbia Fireflies, where he went 3-8 with a 4.25 ERA.

Given that he’s inextricably linked to Stroman, Woods Richardson comes with some expectations. He is also returning to the location where he played the best professional baseball of his life in 2019. Though he may not be joining the Jays anytime soon, his climb up the ladder begins now.