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When the general public thinks of top hitters for the Toronto Blue Jays, the names of Josh Donaldson, Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion are usually the first ones mentioned. This is understandable especially since all three players have contributed a lot of great offense for Toronto over the years. However, there is a player who has been overlooked this season and it’s a bit surprising, especially since he’s a product of the country that he plays for. Let’s take a look at what makes Michael Saunders, a native of British Columbia, the most underrated player for the Blue Jays so far in 2016.
Saunders had an unfortunate first year with Toronto in 2015 and played in only nine games due to an injury. Therefore, it’s easy to understand why his production has been overlooked this season. However, the numbers don’t lie. He is the team leader in AVG, SLG and OPS with percentages of .308, .594 and .977 respectively. He is also tied for first on his team in doubles with 18.
Most people wouldn’t have guessed Saunders’ name if they were asked who they thought was leading the Blue Jays in the aforementioned categories. He is also third on the team with 15 HRs and tied for second in hits with 72. On top of what was already mentioned, Saunders’ OPS of .977 has him ranked third in the AL and fourth in the MLB. Additionally his SLG of .594 has him ranked third in the AL and the entire league. He may not have the most HRs or RBIs, but Saunders has clearly been the best overall hitter for Toronto so far. He’s been extremely consistent and his name was never mentioned when the offense of the Blue Jays was sputtering early on. As a result, the lack of attention that he has received is disappointing.
What’s even more disappointing with the lack of attention that Saunders receives is that he’s homegrown talent. Canada, along with any other country, has a lot of pride in their athletes. The pride is even greater when those athletes play for professional teams located in their home country. However, it seems that Russell Martin‘s name is mentioned significantly more in terms of being homegrown talent than Saunders is. This shouldn’t be the case, especially when Saunders has been one of the best hitters in baseball so far this season.
A good case can be made for Aaron Sanchez as Toronto’s most overlooked player and an even stronger case can be made for Marco Estrada. However, due to the lack of attention that he has been receiving so far, Michael Saunders is easily the most underrated Blue Jay so far in 2016.
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