Report: Blue Jays calling up top prospect Bichette
Bo Bichette finally got the call he was waiting for.
The Toronto Blue Jays are calling up Bichette - the organization's No. 1 prospect and baseball's eighth-best prospect as ranked by MLB Pipeline - from Triple-A Buffalo, a source told Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.
Bichette was pulled from Buffalo's game in Durham partway through the third inning Sunday and left the field amid hugs and handshakes from his Bisons teammates.
(Courtesy: MiLB.com)
He'll presumably join the Blue Jays in Kansas City, where they're set to begin a series against the Royals on Monday.
Drafted 66th overall by the Blue Jays in 2016, the 21-year-old shortstop has rocketed through Toronto's system. He's slashed .287/.343/.503 with seven homers, 24 RBIs, and 12 steals since returning from a broken hand on June 13.
Bichette, the son of former All-Star slugger Dante Bichette, recently vocalized frustration over not being called up despite delivering what he felt was big-league-worthy production.
"I've done everything they asked me to do," he said earlier in July. "I've performed, I've put up numbers. I've gotten better offensively, defensively, baserunning, as an athlete, as a teammate. ... So, if I'm not ready in their mind, there's something new that they need to tell me I need to get better at."
Toronto will need to add Bichette to the 40-man roster before Monday's game. In all likelihood, he'll simply take the spot vacated by veteran infielder Eric Sogard, who was traded to the Tampa Bay Rays earlier Sunday.
The young infielder might not be alone on his flight to Kansas City. Bisons starter Sean Reid-Foley was also pulled from Sunday's game after just one inning, according to Mike Harrington of The Buffalo News. If Reid-Foley is indeed recalled, he'll be a candidate to start Tuesday in place of Marcus Stroman, who was dealt to the New York Mets on Sunday.
Bichette is the latest top prospect - and progeny of a former All-Star - to be called up by the Blue Jays. Rookie infielders Cavan Biggio and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. both reached the majors earlier this year and are now established members of the rebuilding team's lineup.