Three Blue Jays minor leaguers earned some hardware this past week, taking home Player of the Week awards in their respective leagues. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had a huge week in the Florida State League and Reese McGuire did the same in the Eastern League. Reese McGuire did the same in the Eastern League and Bluefield had another award winner with Kevin Smith taking home some hardware in the Appalachian League.

 

 

For Vlad, the Player of the Week award caps off a week in which he was 12/26 with a .462/.516/.923 slash line, hitting three home runs, a double and a triple while taking four walks. Vlad the Younger has put together a heck of a first full season. After hitting .316/.409/.480 in 71 games in Lansing, he’s hit .336/.456/.492 in 36 games in Dunedin with much of the power numbers coming very recently after an adjustment period. Vlad has a six game hitting streak and has at least two hits in five of those and homered in three straight games last week.

 

 

In the Double-A Eastern League, catcher Reese McGuire has had a rough go overall this season with injuries and a sluggish bat, but he’s turned things around with a monster week of his own to earn the Player of the Week award. In just four games, McGuire was 8/15 with a .533/.588/1.200 slash line, hitting a double and three home runs while taking a couple of walks. Those three home runs came in three consecutive games and, after an 0/5 night last night, he’s hitting .287/.366/.529 with four doubles, a triple and five home runs in just 26 games this season.

 

Kevin Smith, the Jays’ fourth-round draft pick this year, is off to a stellar professional debut and took home the Appalachian League (Advanced-Rookie) Player of the Week award. Smith hit .444/.464/.926 with two doubles, two home runs and a walk in six games. Smith has an active eight-game hitting streak with multi-hit games in six of them and is hitting .268/.311/.477 over 52 games this season with 25 doubles and seven home runs while stealing seven bases in seven attempts.

 

In other news, three Blue Jays made the MLB Pipeline Prospect Team of the Week with Smith, Guerrero and relief pitcher Zach Jackson included. Jackson threw four innings and struck out 10 batters for Dunedin and has allowed just five hits and four walks in his last seven appearances. Jackson had a 3.15 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in Lansing, striking out 25 and walking just eight and has seen his walk rate rise as well as his strikeout rate with a 2.10 ERA and 1.25 WHIP over 25 2/3 innings in Dunedin with 16 walks and 35 strikeouts.

 

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