INF Otto Lopez. who split time this year between double-A New Hampshire and triple-A Buffalo was voted the best hitter in affiliated ball with Canadian connections, spending his formative years in Montreal.

December 4, 2021

Blue Jays prospect has Montreal connections

By Danny Gallagher

Canadian Baseball Network

Otto Lopez can thank Montreal for helping him on his route to success in pro baseball.

The Dominican Republic native had a pit stop of several years in Montreal with his father and it was there he learned the intricacies of organized ball. It was more official, more than playing catch on a street with friends back home.

“My father moved to Montreal for a better life. He drove a truck,’’ Lopez said in an interview in more than passable English. “I learned a new language (French) and a new culture. People helped me to speak the language.

“Back home in Santo Domingo, all I played was street baseball. Nothing else. It wasn’t organized. I would just throw the ball around with friends. There was no official team.’’

In Montreal, Lopez caught on with an official team. It was the beginning of a journey that has led him to be one of the Toronto Blue Jays’ top prospects.

“When I went to Montreal, it was the very first time I played with a team,’’ Lopez said. “I played all the positions, infield, outfield. That’s how I first learned baseball.’’

His first team may have been in Montreal, but his first organization was the Blue Jays and his 2021 season was one to remember. He led all Canadian hitters in the affiliated minor league ranks, combining to bat .315 with triple-A Buffalo Bisons and double-A New Hampshire. For his efforts, he is the winner of the 13th annual Canadian Baseball Network’s Randy Echlin award, as the best offensive player in the minors with Canadian connections.

The award is named in memory of The Honourable Mr. Justice Echlin, former head of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame selection committee. Lopez received eight first-place votes from our nine voters. INF Edouard Julien (Ancienne-Lorrette, Que.) a Minnesota Twins farmhand had the other first-place vote, while Detroit Tigers OF Jacob Robson (Windsor, Ont.) finished third.

Former ABC Edouard Julien (Ancienne-Lorrette, Que.) was a runner-up to Lopez for the Echlin award.

Lopez led in games played (113), average (.315), hits (142), total bases (197) was second in runs scored (88) and RBIs (64). Julien led in runs scored (93), RBIs (72), was second in games played (112), home runs (18), total bases (189) third in hits (105), and eighth in average (.286) at class-A Cedar Rapids and class-A Ft. Myers. Robson was third in average (.295), fifth in games (96) fifth in hits (90) at triple-A Toledo and double-A Erie.

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When Lopez returned home to the Dominican, he got more serious about baseball and major-league teams began taking interest in him.

“When I went to the academy in the Dominican, I wanted to get better,’’ Lopez said. “Something they practise at the academy is unique to all the academies is that they don’t tell the players how they are doing. They want them to keep working hard and make a good impression. They don’t want players to know if they are interested, just in case they may not work as hard.’’

Near the end of 2015 season, the Blue Jays came to the forefront, met with Lopez and told him they really liked what they saw in him. They told him they wanted to sign him as an international free agent and came to a handshake agreement on a bonus for $60,000 US. He was 17 years old.

Then came even more surprising news the following year when his official contract was signed in the presence of him, his parents and other family members.

“In July, 2016, after the Jays saw me continue to get better and practise more, they added $5,000 more to the signing bonus so I got $65,000,’’ Lopez said.

Slowly, Lopez made his way through the Jays’ system. He started out with the Florida Gulf Coast rookie-league team in 2017 and then split the 2018 season between the Single-A team in Vancouver, B.C. and the rookie-league club in Bluefield, Va.

His breakout season was in 2019 with class-A Lansing. He hit .325, stole 20 bases, hit five home runs and drove in 50 runs for the Lugnuts.

After an aborted 2020 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the lithe, 5-foot-10, 160-pound infielder-outfielder played for New Hampshire Fisher Cats and Buffalo in 2021, combining for five homers, 64 RBI. Impressive.

What Lopez had done was to continue to hit for a high average. In New Hampshire, he hit .331 with three homers and 39 RBIs and with Buffalo, he hit .289 to go with two homers and 25 RBI.

So, when the major-league club was looking to make a roster move after George Springer was placed on the 10-day injury list due to a left-knee sprain, Lopez was summoned from Buffalo and placed on the taxi squad.

On Aug. 17, he was called upon as a pinch-hitter in the fourth inning for his big-league debut against the Nationals in Washington when starting pitcher Alex Manoah was taken out after being whacked for six runs in the third inning.

“I remember when I had my first at-bat, I was so emotional, so excited,’’ Lopez said. “I went into the box. I told the Washington catcher (Riley Adams, the former Blue Jays farmhand who he had shared the Bobby Mattick Complex clubhouse with), ‘Oh boy, it’s my first at-bat. I’m so happy, so nervous.’”

Lopez struck out against Erick Fedde but the learning experience should make him more comfortable when he gets further major-league play, possibly in 2022, if the lockout ends. Lopez is tuning up for possible spring training by playing in the Dominican Winter League with Gigantes del Cibao.

Should the lockout end in time for spring training, Lopez said he has every intention of gaining a major-league roster spot with the Jays.

“Otto’s just an awesome kid to start off with,’’ Joe Sclafani, the Jays’ assistant director of player development, said in an interview. “He’s a grinder every single day. He’s one of our best workers, an excellent teammate. He’s made great strides. I love his athleticism.

“He’s working on his throwing, his footwork, his defensive work. He has good hands and an arm. I love his swing and his arm slot. He has answered every challenge that has been thrown at him. Hopefully, he will be given consideration for big-league contributions (in 2022) and beyond that.’’

When this reporter asked Lopez what player he idolized over the years, he mentioned Alex Rodriquez and fellow Santo Domingo native Manny Ramirez.

“Manny was one of the best,’’ Lopez said. “I liked his swing. He had a sweet swing. He played to have fun.’’

Lopez has plenty of potential and many people are hoping he will at least be a part-time player with the Jays in 2022.

Honour Roll

Affiliated Players

Offensive Player Of The Year

(Starting in 2011 the award was named after the The Honourable Mr. Justice Randall Echlin, former head of the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame selection committee and a man with a baseball-shaped heart the size of a box of new Rawlings.)

2008 _ Tim Smith (Toronto, Ont.) Rangers.

2009 _ Tyson Gillies (Langley, BC) Mariners.

2010 _ Brett Lawrie (Langley, BC) Brewers.

2011 _ Taylor Green (Comox, BC) Brewers and Brett Lawrie (Langley, BC) Jays.

2012 _ Oscar Taveras (Montreal, Que.) Cardinals.

2013 _ Sean Jamieson (Simcoe, Ont.) Diamondbacks.

2014 _ Dalton Pompey (Mississauga, Ont.) Blue Jays.

2015 _ Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, BC) Mariners.

2016 _ Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, BC) Mariners.

2017 _ Tyler O’Neill (Maple Ridge, BC) Mariners/Cardinals and Vladimir Guerrero (Montreal, Que.) Blue Jays.

2018 _ Vladimir Guerrero (Montreal, Que.) Blue Jays.

2019 _ Abraham Toro (Longueuil, Que.) Astros.

2020 _ Minor league seasons cancelled, COVID-19 pandemic.

2021 _ Otto Lopez (Montreal, Que.) Blue Jays.

(Bold indicates played in the majors)

Gallagher: Lopez wins CBN's Echlin award as best hitter in the minors