Organizational report: Blue Jays upgrade, but holes remain

Ben Nicholson-Smith | Special for USA TODAY Sports

Sports Weekly takes an in-depth look at each major league organization during the offseason, from the major leagues to the farm system. We start with teams with the worst records and move up.

***

The Toronto Blue Jays made major upgrades in the offseason, but they weren't the ones anyone expected.

By trading with the Oakland Athletics for Josh Donaldson and signing Russell Martin to a five-year, $82 million contract, general manager Alex Anthopoulos added two All-Star-caliber players. Donaldson ranks among the game's top third basemen with an average of 27 home runs a season and an on-base-plus-slugging percentage (OPS) of .840 since 2013.

While Martin hasn't historically hit for that kind of power (his career high in homers is 21), the Blue Jays expect him to hold his own at the plate at hitter-friendly Rogers Centre while impacting the game defensively with his throwing arm and catching skills.

"He's a total package as far as I'm concerned," Anthopoulos says of Martin. "There are no holes in his game."

However, there are holes elsewhere on the roster. The weak spots that existed entering the offseason are still there. The Blue Jays bullpen had a poor showing in 2014, and manager John Gibbons has a lack of established late-inning options at his disposal.

Second base remains a potential concern for a team that has lacked steady production at the position in recent years. The Blue Jays have options, but none of the candidates for regular playing time offers much certainty.

And while the starting outfield features plenty of upside, the Blue Jays don't have an established center fielder or much in the way of reliable depth after losing 2014 starters Melky Cabrera and Colby Rasmus to free agency. Dalton Pompey will get the chance to win the job in center after an impressive rise through Toronto's minor league system, but the 22-year-old has limited experience against major league pitchers.

Newcomer Michael Saunders provides upside and a much-needed left-handed bat, but he has battled injuries in recent years.

Still, the Blue Jays should score plenty of runs thanks to a lineup anchored by Jose Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Reyes, Donaldson and Martin.

Their starting rotation — a major concern this time a year ago — looks solid thanks to durable R.A. Dickey and Mark Buehrle and promising young right-handers Drew Hutchison, Marcus Stroman and Aaron Sanchez.

Add it all up, and the Blue Jays have a talented roster with a realistic shot at surpassing last year's total of 83 wins and competing for the playoffs in the two-team wild-card era. The Blue Jays might own the longest current playoff drought in baseball (since 1993), but after a busy winter they have reason to hope it won't stay that way for long.

***

POSITION-BY-POSITION (*prospect):

Catcher: The addition of Martin gives Toronto enviable depth behind the plate. He provides above-average offense for the position (combined 26 homers the last two seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates) while adding plenty of value with his glove. Dioner Navarro drew trade interest after Martin signed, but the Blue Jays held on to the switch-hitting catcher in the hope that he'll hit in a part-time role. The duo should provide plenty of offense in Toronto. The Blue Jays are expecting 21-year-old Kennesaw State University product Max Pentecost to continue his progression in 2015.

Depth chart: Martin, Navarro, Josh Thole, *A.J. Jimenez, *Pentecost.

First base: With three consecutive 30-home run, .900 OPS seasons, Encarnacion deserves to be considered one of the league's best power hitters. Justin Smoak adds intrigue at first base, though he had a down year in 2014. If the switch-hitting 28-year-old can convert his potential into results, the Blue Jays are certain to find him everyday playing time while shifting Encarnacion to the designated hitter spot. Smoak hit 20 home runs as recently as 2013, so the Blue Jays know the power's there, though he has never quite lived up to his billing as a top Texas Rangers prospect several years ago.

Depth chart: Encarnacion, Smoak, Danny Valencia, Bautista, Daric Barton.

Second base: There's no bigger question mark in Toronto's lineup. While Maicer Izturis has a history of production, he missed most of the 2014 season because of a knee injury. Ryan Goins has a great glove but limited offensive upside. And Devon Travis has yet to play above Class AA. All told, there's a lot of uncertainty at second and it looks like a weak spot in an otherwise strong lineup.

Depth chart: Izturis, Goins, *Travis, Jonathan Diaz, Steve Tolleson.

Third base: Donaldson has finished in the top 10 in AL MVP voting in each of the last two seasons, so he immediately becomes a fixture in Toronto's potent lineup. He hit a career-best 29 home runs in 2014, and moving from Oakland's spacious park to homer-friendly Rogers Centre could allow him to build on that total. The Blue Jays also like the fact that Donaldson has been durable since his 2013 breakout, playing 158 games in each of the last two seasons.

Depth chart: Donaldson, Valencia, Izturis, Tolleson, Matt Hague.

Shortstop: At his best, Reyes remains a dynamic leadoff hitter. He stole 30 bases while posting a .726 OPS last year, and he'll lead off again in 2015. Even so, the Blue Jays must find ways of providing him with the occasional reprieve from Toronto's unforgiving artificial playing surface to ensure he stays healthy. Still, Reyes played in 143 games last season, his second-highest total for a season since 2008. Izturis offers experience, and Goins might be Toronto's best defensive shortstop.

Depth chart: Reyes, Goins, Izturis, Diaz, *Kevin Nolan.

Left field: The Blue Jays acquired Saunders to play every day with the hope he can stay healthy and build on the success he had in Seattle (career-high .273 batting average and .791 OPS last season). While he strikes out often, he has power and the ability to play all three outfield positions. Replacing Melky Cabrera won't be easy, but the Blue Jays like what Saunders offers. He has hit as many as 19 home runs in a season (2012).

Depth chart: Saunders, Kevin Pillar, Ezequiel Carrera, Caleb Gindl, *Pompey.

Center field: Pompey was impressive with the Blue Jays in September, showing advanced plate discipline and hitting a home run off Felix Hernandez. If he beats out Pillar and Carrera for the everyday center-field job, the Blue Jays would have three Canadians in their starting lineup (Martin and Saunders also are expected to start for Toronto). But the question of Pompey's citizenship is secondary to his performance. He had a breakout 2014, rising from Class A to Toronto while posting a .861 OPS in the minors. Starting this spring, he'll get the chance to prove himself at the highest level.

Depth chart: Pompey, Saunders, Pillar, Carrera, Bautista.

Right field: Bautista anchors Toronto's lineup as one of the game's best right-handed batters. The five-time All-Star hit 35 home runs in 2014, earning a top-six MVP finish for the third time in five seasons. With Reyes and Martin hitting ahead of him in the order, he'll have plenty of chances to do more damage in 2015.

Depth chart: Bautista, Pillar, Carrera, Saunders, Gindl.

Designated hitter: By trading Adam Lind to the Milwaukee Brewers, the Blue Jays opened up their DH spot and created the possibility of rotating in numerous players. Encarnacion figures to DH often, and Navarro and Valencia also could be mixed in given their success against left-handed pitching. The newfound flexibility even could allow Reyes and Bautista to DH occasionally and stay fresh.

Depth chart: Navarro, Encarnacion, Bautista, Valencia, Reyes.

Starting pitchers: Thanks to big seasons from Stroman and Hutchison, Toronto's rotation held its own in 2015. The top four starters are returning, and prospects Sanchez and Daniel Norris will compete with Marco Estrada for the final rotation spot. (Sanchez got into 24 games last season, and Norris appears ready for more extended MLB action.) Beyond that group, Toronto's starting depth starts to fall off because of offseason trades of J.A. Happ, Kendall Graveman and Sean Nolin. Still, this group looks more than capable of keeping the Blue Jays in contention.

Depth chart: RHP Dickey, LHP Buehrle, RHP Stroman, RHP Hutchison, *RHP Sanchez, *LHP Norris, RHP Estrada, LHP Andrew Albers, RHP Todd Redmond, RHP Chad Jenkins.

Bullpen: Toronto's bullpen ranked 25th in the major leagues with a 4.09 ERA last year, and there's no question a turnaround is needed. The Blue Jays haven't landed any elite free agents, focusing on trade candidates. But early trade talks didn't lead to moves, so the Blue Jays bullpen looks thin. Unless they make a late-winter addition or two, they'll be leaving their most glaring weakness unaddressed. The Blue Jays view Sanchez as a starter long term, but it might be tempting to use him in relief after a dominant debut in the bullpen. Now it's just a question of whether he's starting or pitching high-leverage relief innings.

Depth chart: LHP Brett Cecil, LHP Aaron Loup, RHP Redmond, RHP Jenkins, *RHP Sanchez, RHP Estrada, LHP Rob Rasmussen, RHP Steve Delabar.

***

PROSPECTS TO WATCH

CF Dalton Pompey: Pompey established himself as a top prospect with a 2014 season in which he posted a .861 on-base-plus-slugging percentage with 43stolen bases across three minor league levels. Pompey, 22, is positioned to earn Toronto's starting center-field job with a strong spring. The Blue Jays are about to find out if their switch-hitting prospect can replicate his minor league success at the major league level.

LHP Daniel Norris: A season that began in the Florida State League ended in the big leagues for Norris, who established himself as one of Toronto's top young arms along the way. The 21-year-old left-hander struck out a remarkable 163 batters in 1242/3 innings across three minor league levels while going 12-2 with a 2.53 ERA. He'll likely compete for the No. 5 starter's job in spring training, or the Blue Jays could use him in relief.

C Max Pentecost: When the Blue Jays selected Pentecost in the first round of the 2014 draft, they knew they were getting a skilled catcher with the potential to advance rapidly through the minor leagues. A wrist injury ended his debut season prematurely, but not before he batted .324 with three home runs in 25 minor league games. On the cusp of his first full season as a professional, Pentecost has the athleticism to make big strides in Toronto's system.

RHP Aaron Sanchez: The 22-year-old posted a 1.09 ERA in 33 major league innings, striking out more than three times as many batters as he walked and generating a steady stream of ground balls. He even picked up three saves, showing the Blue Jays he's capable of handling a late-inning relief role. One way or another, the Blue Jays will be relying on Sanchez in a big way in 2015.