Throughout their rise to Major League Baseball, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette and Cavan Biggio were a package deal.
The three players joined the Blue Jays around the same time and came up through the system together. In 2017, they won a Florida State League Championship at Class-A Dunedin. The following year, it was the Eastern League title for Double-A New Hampshire.
More of the same was expected at the big-league level, where the trio figured to complement each other so well. While Bichette and Guerrero were the undisputed stars, Biggio projected to become the glue guy every team requires to make the pieces fit.
The plan worked — for a couple years. Biggio broke into the league in 2019, and what he lacked in a .234 average he made up for with a .364 on-base percentage and .793 on-base plus slugging percentage. He was even better during the 2020 COVID season with a .250 average and .807 OPS.
Biggio wasn’t a traditional leadoff hitter, and yet his ability to see a lot of pitches and draw walks made his presence there beneficial. He wasn’t expected to be the guy to come up with a big hit, but he was often on base for those who were.Â
Blue Jays Cavan Biggio, left, Randel Grichuk, Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at the team’s Winter Fest event at the Rogers Centre in 2020.
Andrew Francis Wallace pc28¹ÙÍøSThe role was then altered entering the 2021 season. Biggio lost his leadoff spot when the Jays signed George Springer to a six-year contract. Then he lost his starting job at second base when Marcus Semien inked a one-year deal. With nowhere else to go, Biggio was shuttled over to third in an experiment that did not pan out.
Whether it was the abrupt change, or opposing pitchers making adjustments, Biggio was never the same after that. He struggled defensively, and an inability to hit high velocity caused his production at the plate to plummet. The Texan posted a below-average .678 OPS in 2021 and an even worse .668 the following season.
Those struggles eventually cost him a starting job and pushed him into a super-utility role. He stayed there until Friday when the Jays designated him for assignment in order to make room for infielder Spencer Horwitz.
The Jays had two options remaining on Biggio’s contract, which means they could have sent him to Triple-A Buffalo without requiring waivers. However, Biggio, as a player with more than five years of service, had to give his consent. The fact that he was designated instead indicates he declined to do so.
If true, one could hardly blame Biggio for choosing a fresh start over Buffalo. His path to regular playing time has been blocked for a while. Since 2021, the consistently healthy Biggio has appeared in more than 100 games just once. He’ll now hope to latch on with a team that will give him more at-bats.
The Jays could have cut loose veteran Daniel Vogelbach instead, but it’s equally difficult to criticize the organization’s stance. With a $4.21-million (U.S.) salary this season, Biggio figured to be non-tendered at the end of the year. Getting rid of him now is just ripping off the Band-Aid earlier than expected.
Still, much like the departures of Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Teoscar Hernández, Biggio became a story about what could have been instead of what was. He ascended to the majors as part of the most-hyped graduations of prospects in franchise history, and departs without a single post-season win to show for it.
Blue Jays second baseman Cavan Biggio, left, shortstop Bo Bichette and first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. chat during a game in August 2022.
Richard Lautens pc28¹ÙÍøStarDuring Biggio’s rookie season, this columnist figured Biggio would become the Jays’ version of Brett Gardner, the former hard-nosed outfielder for the Yankees. Gardner was a pest at the plate, drawing walks and showing occasional flashes of power. Biggio had the makings of a similar skill set, and yet he failed to put it all together.
There was also an expectation from the media that Biggio was destined to become the leader of the clubhouse. Bichette, who often keeps to himself, was too soft-spoken for the role; Guerrero too aloof. Biggio was mature beyond his years with a high baseball IQ that seemed ideally suited as a spokesperson.
But a player must perform at a high level to assume that role. A leading face of the franchise can’t just be in the lineup every couple days; he needs to play every day. Biggio hasn’t been that player since the start of 2021, and the longer he stuck around the more of an afterthought he became.
Perhaps Biggio will benefit from a change in scenery. Or maybe the bench role he had with the Jays will be similar to ones he gets elsewhere. The only certainty as it relates to the Jays is that a guy who was once viewed as a big piece of the future is now part of the past.
There are many reasons why this current era of the Jays hasn’t panned out. The unfortunate downfall of Biggio going from an everyday leadoff man to an eventual cast-off ranks near the top.
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