Chapman's Defensive Skills Already Impacting Blue Jays Youngsters

DUNEDIN, Fla.—The Blue Jays anted up again this offseason by bolstering their pitching staff and quietly re-tooling the bullpen, but the true cherry on top arrived with the trade for third baseman Matt Chapman.

Acquired from the Athletics for Gunnar Hoglund, Kevin Smith, and two other prospects, Chapman brings an explosive bat to the left side of the infield. While his contact has lagged behind the power in years past, the 28-year-old swatted 36 home runs as recently as 2019 and fills a massive hole at third base.

And the big bat looked sharp in Chapman's spring debut Sunday against the Pirates, where he walloped a no-doubt, two-run blast in the third inning of the 10-4 win.

Yeah, @mattchap6 is gonna fit in just fine 💣 pic.twitter.com/OCoe2ROPre
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) March 20, 2022

Despite the laser display on Sunday, the bigger get from the Chapman deal is on the defensive side of the ball. The three-time Gold Glove winner is considered one of baseball’s best at the hot corner, reinforcing his prowess through defensive analytics and highlight-reel maneuvers on ground balls and line drives.

Chapman is what a perfect infielder looks like, created the same way a video game character with maxed-out stats is built. He’s got the arm; he’s got the glove; he’s got the range, and Chapman’s presence is already impacting Blue Jays youngsters.

“It's huge,” infield prospect Jordan Groshans said of Chapman’s addition. “Growing up, I used to watch him on TV when I was in high school, and stuff like that. So to be able to play next to him, it's a dream.”

Now Chapman gets to pass down his defensive wisdom.

"To be able to be in a position where guys are asking me questions and look up to me feels good," said Chapman, who finished 1-for-2.

"It makes me feel like I'm getting old or something," he joked.

During infield practice before the game, Groshans and Chapman made their final tosses across the diamond and sauntered off the dirt together. The duo chatted for a bit, and Chapman paused for a moment to act out some defensive footwork at Groshans’ behest.

“[We talked about] that first step, staying low,” Groshans, who played shortstop Sunday, said. “Realizing you’ve got to read balls; don't just jump to conclusions and attack balls. Sometimes you’ve got to wait and see it through and then come get it. So just getting advice from him is big.”

Initially pegged as a standout shortstop, Groshans—who’s currently Toronto’s third-best prospect, per MLB Pipeline—understands his long-term future might lie at third base, meaning there’s no one better to learn from than Chapman.

“I think switching to third base, having that new position, it's hard; it's not easy, especially at the higher level,” the 22-year-old said. “So having a guy like him, he's the man. You think of him when you think third base.”

Like most established big-leaguers, Chapman will use the coming spring games to generate some rhythm on offense and defense.

"The biggest things for me is gonna be seeing live pitching, getting that timing back, getting comfortable seeing velocity but also getting used to playing in the infield with those guys," Chapman said.

Groshans, while a tantalizing prospect, isn’t likely to crack the major-league squad out of camp and will use his time in Florida to soak up the talent around him.

“Having [Chapman] there is huge for me and my development, and I can't wait to see where we go,” he said.

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