Cavan Biggio’s ability to play virtually anywhere on the diamond was invaluable to the Blue Jays last season, but the potential of finding a permanent home at third base has the third-year infielder excited for 2021.
Biggio currently sits atop the Blue Jays' depth chart at the hot corner, and although Charlie Montoyo knows he can deploy the 25-year-old in a number of positions, the manager plans to give Biggio the majority of his playing time at third base this spring.
“First of all, you’ve got to want it -- and he wants it,” Montoyo said Thursday from Dunedin, Fla. “He’ll be OK moving around, but it’s important for him to take more reps at third base because he hasn’t played there in a while.”
Biggio played 10 of his 59 games at third base last season, his first action at the position since making his big-league debut in May 2019.
“I'm really excited to see how good I can get at that position,” Biggio said. “I think what I showed last year is just kind of scratching the surface on what I can do there, so I’m looking forward to the rest of spring with that.”
He plans to spend a lot of time focusing on his footwork with third-base coach Luis Rivera as he prepares to be the team’s regular third baseman when the season begins in April.
“When it comes to third base, things are a lot more reactionary,” Biggio said. “Last year, I was trying to rely on my hands a little bit too much versus getting my footwork on cue at that position in general.”
“You can hit somebody as many ground balls as you want, but it's not the same in the game,” Montoyo said. “I think he's going to get comfortable the more games he plays.”
Biggio credited general manager Ross Atkins for keeping the lines of communication open throughout the offseason, giving him an idea of what the team’s additions -- George Springer and Marcus Semien, specifically -- would mean for Biggio in 2021.
With Semien set to play second base and Springer joining a loaded outfield, Biggio’s path to regular playing time involves becoming an everyday third baseman. Injuries could always alter that plan, as they did in 2020, so whatever situations the Blue Jays are faced with, Biggio will be ready to do anything the team needs.
“Individually, in a perfect world, maybe playing second base every single day or whatever position it is, I can get really good at it,” Biggio said. “But I don't think that that value is as high as me moving around for the team and whatever Charlie wants me to do that particular night.”
Despite hitting leadoff in 46 of his 57 starts last year, Biggio doesn’t know where he’ll land in this year’s lineup. Whether it’s first, second or ninth, he doesn’t plan on changing his plan at the plate -- though he hopes to improve his approach with two strikes after slashing .142/.302/.221 with 61 strikeouts in 139 such plate appearances a year ago.
“The main thing with two strikes just putting the ball in play give myself a chance,” Biggio said. “Any way I can get on base with our lineup that we have is going to be key.”
Nobody in the Blue Jays' clubhouse is more familiar with George Springer than Biggio, who spent a lot of time with his Hall of Fame father around the Astros during Springer’s early years in Houston. When he learned that Springer was signing with Toronto, it got Biggio excited not only for what the All-Star will bring to the lineup, but also to the clubhouse.
“I think our locker room, we were missing a guy like George,” Biggio said. “When questions come up in the middle of the year and we don't necessarily have the answer to it, he can provide insight and help us, guide us along the way. Just being around a guy like that, you just learn so much.”
Biggio is one of the youngsters who has taken on a leadership role in the Blue Jays’ clubhouse since arriving on the scene, but Montoyo believes the additions of Springer and Semien will help Biggio, Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. mature into those roles moving forward.
“Even if we didn't have George, they were going to continue to be the leaders that we asked him to [be],” Montoyo said. “Now with George being here, and Marcus Semien, that's going to help that growth. They're going to see how they lead and they're going to keep doing their own leading on their own.”
• Montoyo announced the Blue Jays’ pitching plans for the team’s first two Grapefruit League games, which get underway Sunday.
Sunday at Yankees: Anthony Kay, T.J. Zeuch, Jacob Waguespack, Bryan Baker, Joey Murray
Monday vs. Pirates: Robbie Ray, Nate Pearson, Jordan Romano, Ryan Borucki, Francisco Liriano, Yosver Zulueta
• Steven Matz threw his first live batting practice session on Thursday, impressing his new manager.
“He did a nice job,” said Montoyo, who watched from behind the plate. “You find out stuff talking to the hitters; ‘How was the movement?’ The hitters were, ‘Man that was pretty good.’ That’s the best compliment a pitcher can have.”
• The Blue Jays signed left-hander Tommy Milone to a Minor League deal on Thursday, with an invite to big league camp. The 34-year-old started nine games for the Orioles and Braves in 2020, going 1-4 with a 6.69 ERA.
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