(Dunedin) Davis Schneider is getting a taste of his first training camp in major league baseball, even though he is no longer a rookie.
The infielder had a memorable debut with the Blue Jays last August. He hit a home run in his first at-bat after being called up from Buffalo, at the AAA level.
Schneider excelled for a month, before a serious drop in performance.
Now the 25-year-old is fighting for a job at second base or as a reserve, in the infield or outfield.
“He wasn’t even invited last year so he’s still a new guy,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said.
“ [Mais] he has proven himself: he can play at this level and perform very well. What he experienced, the good and the bad, it really helped him understand what kind of player he is. »
Drafted by Toronto at 28e tower – 849e overall – in 2017, Schneider had solid offensive numbers in give or take two years with the Bisons.
He made an immediate impact in his first series in the big leagues, in Boston. He quickly found himself in the middle of the batting order.
A heavy slide followed, but Schneider still finished with eight home runs and 20 RBIs. In 35 games, he had a .276 batting average.
“Baseball is unique in that you can hit the highest peak and then the lowest low,” Schneider said.
“I went through an 0-for-31 streak, and it was weird. My friends were texting me asking if I was okay. If you had told me [il y a un an] that I would be 0 for 31 in the major leagues, I would have said without hesitation that I’m fine with that. It’s all a question of perspective. »
Shortstop Bo Bichette and first baseman Vladimir Guerrero are the safe bets in the infield.
Cavan Biggio, Santiago Espinal and Schneider could be considered for second cushion.
Isiah Kiner-Falefa will likely see most of the action at third base after Matt Chapman leaves as a free agent.
Justin Turner could play either corner. Eduardo Escobar and Daniel Vogelbach have signed minor league deals, and some prospects could come into their own as well.
The Jays’ Grapefruit League schedule begins Saturday, against Philadelphia.
Their regular season will begin March 28 in St. Petersburg.