Blaze Jordan quietly put collectively probably the greatest seasons within the Purple Sox minor league system this 12 months. Overshadowed by greater profile prospects equivalent to Roman Anthony, Marcelo Mayer, and Ceddanne Rafaela, the 20-year-old nook infielder slashed .296/.351/.481 with a 124 wRC+ and 18 house runs between Excessive-A Greenville and Double-A Portland. Furthermore, his 141 hits and 32 doubles have been each tops amongst Boston farmhands. That he fanned in simply 14.3% of his 525 plate appearances can also be notable, though that does include a caveat: His 7.6% stroll charge was lower than splendid.
Jordan’s profile coming into professional ball was that of a slugger. As our lead prospect analyst Eric Longenhagen wrote after the Purple Sox chosen him within the third spherical of the 2020 draft out of Southaven, Mississippi’s DeSoto Central Excessive Faculty, “Jordan had a number of the finest energy within the class.” That might be an understatement. The now 6-foot-2, 210-pound right-handed hitter gained the Excessive Faculty Dwelling Run Derby in Cleveland on the 2019 All-Star Recreation, and he was reportedly known as “a younger Bob Horner” by a scout who had seen him punish baseballs in a prep match.
That Jordan’s energy output in professional ball — 36 dingers in 1,160 PAs — has been comparatively modest is without delay regarding and an indication of age-appropriate developmental targets. Simply shy of the authorized ingesting age, he doesn’t aspire to be an all-or-nothing basher.
“I wish to classify myself as only a good general hitter,” Jordan stated following his mid-summer promotion to Portland. “I don’t actually need to put myself in a class like ‘energy hitter,’ or no matter it is perhaps. One thing I’ve actually labored on, particularly this season, is making numerous contact. I do get out of my zone at occasions, however that comes with expertise. It’s all concerning the course of, and whereas I’m not the place I need to be, I’m on target.”
The teenager additionally looks like he’s on target by way of his physicality. Jordan informed me that he’s gotten his physique “in higher form than it was final 12 months,” with one of many targets being to proceed taking part in at each infield corners. Projected by many as a future first baseman, Jordan was stationed at that place 65 occasions this season, however he additionally manned third on 51 events.
No matter the place he finally ends up defensively — ditto how he chooses to establish as a hitter — plus uncooked energy will all the time be a calling card. Requested how far he has hit a baseball with a wooden bat, he owned as much as some moonshot distances.
“Fairly far,” admitted Jordan. “In rookie ball, I hit one about 460 toes. Final 12 months, I hit one about 450. So yeah, I suppose you could possibly contemplate me an influence hitter. However once more, I don’t like taking a look at myself that approach.”
Which brings us to his stroll charge and the pitch choice points that include it. As Eric wrote in June when assigning him a 40 FV, Jordan’s plate self-discipline “dilutes his manufacturing in a significant approach.” To be able to take full benefit of plus pop, a hitter must assault what he can drive, and, till he will get to 2 strikes, spit on what he can’t.
Portland hitting coach Doug Clark highlighted that time after I informed him towards the season’s finish that Jordan’s strikeout charge was decrease than I’d have guessed.
“I didn’t know the place it was going to be when he received right here [in mid-July], however after I did see it, it was attention-grabbing,” stated Clark. “You’ll be able to normally join the dots, proper? When it’s not as excessive, a hitter is normally swinging fairly early within the depend, and at occasions at pitches he can’t do injury on. You need to have the power to work deep in counts and take your walks. Blaze is exhibiting glimpses of doing that, but it surely’s not a simple process to ask a participant to carry again his aggressiveness when that’s one thing he’s been doing for almost all of his profession.
“What you need is a affected person aggressiveness,” continued Clark, whose personal skilled profession noticed him get cups of espresso with the San Francisco Giants and the Oakland Athletics from 2005-06. “It’s virtually such as you’re a sniper on the plate, versus being an M16. There are occasions when you are able to do that, and there are occasions you possibly can’t, particularly once you’re in what I’d name the filet mignon a part of a lineup.”
The meat of Portland’s lineup included nearly all of Boston’s prime prospects over the course of the season, certainly one of whom ranks no. 1 within the system. With that in thoughts, I requested Clark about any similarities Jordan may share with Mayer, the fourth general choose within the 2021 draft who’s seven days older than his Sea Canine teammate.
“They’re related in that they’re going to place stress on the pitcher,” stated the hitting coach. “That pitcher goes to know that if he makes a mistake the ball may very well be put in locations the place it’s going to harm his ERA proper off the bat. It’s not, ‘If I miss right here, he’s going to hit a single,’ as a result of each guys can affect a baseball. It’s a matter of how disciplined they are often, that any hitter could be, as a result of you possibly can’t simply go up there and swing. It’s important to make the pitcher earn your swing.”
There are causes to imagine that Jordan will go on to do exactly that as he continues to mature. He already possesses the power to deal with excessive velocity and acknowledge spin — attributes he cited once we spoke this summer season — and simply as importantly, he is aware of that he must proceed to get higher in all elements of the sport. Rely Clark amongst these standing firmly in his nook.
“He’s fearless,” stated Clark. “It’s thrilling to see him get to this stage this early. It’s one thing the Purple Sox must take numerous credit score for — everyone who has labored with him on the decrease ranges — and the identical goes for his assist system. The grit and dedication he has proven to get so far is spectacular.”