At this point, the word on 19-year-old shortstop JoJo Parker is potential. Drafted 8th overall in last year’s draft, both Parker and the Jays believe that he can be a consistent power hitter. His power is his biggest draw, but he will need time to develop. At 6’2 200 pounds, he is going to be a beast.

Having just lost Bo Bichette to the New York Mets in free agency, some in the organization believe that Parker could be that kind of player, but at this point, JoJo is seen as an average defender at short, so he may profile better at third base long term, due to the fact that he possesses plus arm strength. Additionally, Toronto has another Top 100 shortstop prospect in Arjun Nimmala that appears to have similar tools and be a year ahead of Parker. Parker projects as the better overall hitter than Nimmala, having impressive command of the strike zone for his age.

The Blue Jays can afford to be patient with the young Parker, as they are built for now, coming off of an American League title. If they give him time and at-bats, JoJo could develop into a power hitting prospect with multiple plus tools. Time will tell, as he hasn’t gotten any pro at-bats under his belt yet. I suspect that Parker will reach AA quickly, then be given the opportunity to refine his hit tools and play multiple positions defensively at that level for a full season or two. It’s all about potential and projection with Parker.

Looking at the limited tape there is on Parker, he has a sound motion and smooth lefty swing that looks similar to a young Bryce Harper. Much like Sebastian Walcott, I’m not saying he’ll turn into Harper, just that there are similar visual cues at the plate. In terms of an actual comp, I’ve seen a lot of Alex Bregman thrown around. Parker will need work to reach Bregman’s level defensively, but Bregman was also an early first round pick that started as a shortstop before finding a new home. But again, luckily for JoJo Parker and the Toronto Blue Jays, they have the luxury of time to see what they have.