The Toronto Blue Jays have a new scouting director.
On Tuesday evening, Joe DeMayo of SportsNet New York reported that the Blue Jays have hired Marc Tramuta as their new scouting director.
Source: Marc Tramuta to be named Blue Jays scouting director
He was the Mets scouting director for six years before departing for a role in Toronto’s front office last October
— Joe DeMayo (@PSLToFlushing) November 12, 2024
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The 53-year-old’s playing career was short, playing just a season in the Dodgers’ organization in 1991. This isn’t Tramuta’s first stint with the Jays in a front office capacity though, as he held various roles with the team before joining the New York Mets in 2012. Eventually, he became the director of amateur scouting, a role he held for six seasons.
Tramuta isn’t a new hire either, as he joined the Blue Jays last October as a special assistant for player personnel, he is replacing Shane Farrell as the scouting director after Farrell departed last month.
Under his watch as the Mets’ amateur scouting director, the Mets’ first-round picks have been Jarred Kelenic (2018), Brett Baty (2019), Pete Crow-Armston (2020), Kumar Rocker (2021, didn’t sign), Kevin Parada and Jett Williams (2022) and Colin Houck (2023).
Of course, the Mets had some hits later in the draft. Simeon Woods Richardson was selected in the second round of the 2018 draft and was used to acquire Marcus Stroman at the 2019 trade deadline, while Tylor Megill is a part of the Mets’ rotation.
Moreover, the Mets signed Francisco Álvarez under Tramuta’s watch as well. The 22-year-old is one of the best young catchers in the big leagues, as he slashed .237/307/.403 with 11 home runs in 342 plate appearances last season, but hit a career-high 25 home runs with strong defence in 2023.
Trauma joins a Blue Jays’ farm system that has struggled to produce players from the draft. Aside from Alek Manoah in 2019, the team hasn’t developed a first-round pick who has done anything of note in the big leagues since Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins took over after the 2015 season. The Blue Jays had the 24th-ranked farm system in MLB Pipeline’s mid-season update.
Toronto has found value in the latter rounds, Spencer Horwitz, Addison Barger, and Davis Schneider are good examples, but there’s been a ton of talent taken after the Blue Jays’ first-round pick. It’s something that will need to improve regardless of whether or not they want to contend in 2025 and beyond or rebuild in the upcoming seasons.
As always, you can follow me on Twitter @Ryley_L_D.