Today, it’s a quartet of bats with questions but paths to useful utility roles.
2025: Full List and Index | 29-32 | 33-36 | 37-40
2024: Full List and Index | 1-4 | 5-8 | 9-12 | 13-16 | 17-20 | 21-24 | 25-28 | 29-32 | 33-36 | 37-40
32. RJ Schreck, OF, age 24 (DOB: 7/12/2000), grade: 35+, 2024: Mariners system
Schreck spent five years in college, the first four with Duke and the last with Vanderbilt. The Mariners took him in the ninth round in 2023. He put up pedestrian numbers in A ball that season before breaking out at A+ Everett in 2024 and then being traded to the Jays as the return for Justin Turner. He continued to tear it up with AA New Hampshire after the trade, finishing the season with 17 total home runs and a .251/.388/.462 line that was 42% above average.
The reason that I specifically mention Everett and New Hampshire is that both their stadiums have notably short porches in right field. Schreck’s short, crouched left handed swing is designed to maximize lift and pull, allowing him to way outproduce his below average raw power. The parks that he played in this year caricatured his likely production. That said, he has terrific feel for the barrel and makes excellent swing decisions, so it’s possible that he’s able to continue to produce game results that outstrip his raw as his continues to climb the ladder.
In the outfield, he has good reads and routes and an average arm that’s allowed him to acquit himself well in both corner spots. He’s also filled in in centre, but he’s a below average runner who probably can’t handle more than emergency duty there in the big leagues. He’s a solid base runner, again overcoming that below average speed with good instincts.
Schreck’s profile is a risky one. Lacking standout physical tools, he has to make the absolute most of his feel to produce. It’s also one the Jays have had success with lately, particularly in the form of Spencer Horwitz. If it keeps working, he could be an OBP oriented low end everyday left fielder. It’s a fairly fine line to walk, though, and if it doesn’t all come together he’s probably not an MLB player at all.
31. Eddinson Paulino, INF, age 22 (DOB: 7/2/2002), grade: 35+, 2024: Red Sox system
Paulino signed with the Red Sox out of the Dominican Republic in 2018. He hit his way as far as AA by the middle of last season before getting hurt and then traded to Toronto as part of the Danny Jansen deal. He made his way back to New Hampshire before the end of the season, then got some extra work in the Arizona Fall League
At 5’10 and 155 lbs, Paulino isn’t imposing in the box. His simple left handed swing is geared for loft, though, and he’s consistently racked up a significant number of extra base hits on his way up the minor league chain. He controls the zone well and makes good swing decisions and a solid amount of contact. It’s more of a solid all around hitting profile than one that’s likely to lead to a lot of impact, but he’s produced at every stop while consistently being young for the level.
Defensively, he’s best suited for second base but can handle third or short with limited range but good hands and actions. He’s racked up stolen bases in the minors but is just a fringe average runner.
Paulino looks like a solid left handed utility player who can give you professional at bats and hold his own wherever you need him to. It’s not a thrilling profile, but it’s one that’s fairly likely to have at least some major league value.
30. Cutter Coffey, INF, age 21 (DOB: 5/21/2004), grade: 35+, 2024: Red Sox system
Coffey was the Red Sox’ second round pick out of his California high school in 2022. He hit reasonably well in A ball in 2023 and was showing a power surge in A+ last year before being traded to Toronto as the third part of the return for Danny Jansen. He scuffled down the stretch with Vancouver after the trade.
Coffey’s an athletic 6’1” and 190 lbs. His swing involves a small leg kick and strong rotation through his hips, which generates good bat speed and potentially solid average raw power. He walks and strikes out a fair bit due to an approach that sometimes edges from selective into passive, but his contact rates are just a little below average. Defensively, he’s moved around between second, third, and short. He has good footwork and an easily plus arm (he was also a significant prospect as a pitcher before the draft) but his hands and range aren’t ideal and he’s probably not a shortstop long term.
Overall, it’s kind of a tweener profile. Unless he finds a way to consistently maximize his power output, he doesn’t really have the offensive upside to be an everyday third baseman but defensively he probably can’t stick full time at short. On the other hand, we’ve seen him perform at High A at just 20, and the athletic ability that got him drafted in the second round is still there. If he performs like he did with Boston last year, and especially if he does so while working his way up to New Hampshire, he has significant room to move up. If he doesn’t, he may just be a guy who doesn’t do any one thing well enough to carve out a role.
29. Cade Doughty, 2B/3B, age 24 (DOB: 3/26/2001), grade: 35+, 2024: 16th
Doughty was a second round comp pick in 2022 (78th overall) after a three year career as a starter with LSU. In college, Doughty was noted for his feel for contact and solid average power. The power carried over to pro ball, with his 18 home runs ranking second in the 2023 A+ Northwest League. The contact didn’t, though, as he chased too often and ran a strikeout rate just under 30% in his first full season.
His 2024 was derailed by a shoulder injury, which kept him mostly sidelined until late June. When he was able to play, his contact rates ticked up slightly but he still struck out too much and rarely walked while the injury sapped his power.
Doughty hits from a slight crouch, with no leg kick and a simple swing. He has an aggressive approach, with swing rates in the mid-50s percent that would be among the highest in the major leagues, and as a result he bites too often on breaking balls out of the zone. Defensively, he’s a solid athlete with good instincts but not great hands, making more errors than you’d like. Still, he should be able to hold his own at either second or, assuming his arm comes all the way back after the shoulder injury, third.
2025 will be a big year for Doughty. He needs to both stay healthy and address his approach as he repeats AA. He stays on the list for now because above average power from a legitimate infielder isn’t easy to find. If it all comes together he could be a bat-first utility guy or possibly a low end regular at second base in the Roughned Odor mould.