1 GABRIEL MORENO C
Hitting: 70 Power: 45 Speed: 40 Fielding: 60 Arm: 60 BA Grade: 65 Risk: Medium
Born: Feb. 14, 2000. B-T: R-R. HT: 5-11. WT: 195.
Signed: Venezuela, 2016.
Signed by: Francisco Plasencia.
TRACK RECORD: The Blue Jays signed Moreno in 2016 for just $25,000 at the age of 16 out of Venezuela. Since then, he has blossomed into one of the top prospects in baseball. Moreno progressed steadily over his first few seasons in the organization, first displaying advanced plate discipline and defense in consecutive seasons in the Dominican Summer League and the Gulf Coast League. He made adjustments to his swing to tap into more power before his 2019 season with Low-A Lansing, and the changes and resulting production helped cement him as one of the top catching prospects in the low minors. He made further adjustments at Double-A New Hampshire in 2021 to produce additional power and was on his way to a banner season before a fractured thumb in late June put him on the injured list for two months. He returned to finish the year at Triple-A Buffalo and further enhanced his standing with a strong showing in the Arizona Fall League. Moreno began 2022 at Triple-A Buffalo and continued to impress offensively. He hit .315/.386/.420 over 62 games and made his major league debut on June 11. He hit .315/.356/.377 in 25 games with the Blue Jays and made their American League Wild Card Series roster.
Always an elite hitter, Moreno continues to make contact at one of the highest rates of any prospect. He possesses superior hand-eye coordination and a discerning eye that he uses to identify spin quickly out of the pitcher’s hand. His swing plane has flattened out, and he is naturally comfortable shooting pitches on the outer half of the plate to the opposite field. After showing increased power and more aggressiveness in two-strike counts in previous seasons, Moreno has become a more conservative hitter as he’s moved up the ladder. His two-strike swing has become more subdued, leading to an increase in line drives and ground balls and a corresponding decrease in fly balls and exit velocity numbers. His power production has dropped as a result, but he has the bat control,
