Scouting Report

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Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 40 | Run: 50 | Arm: 55 | Field: 55 | Overall: 50

The University of Oregon has produced some solid offensive talent in recent years, with outfielder Aaron Zavala going in the second round in 2021 and infielder Spencer Steer being selected in Round 3 in 2019. It’s Steer who comes up the most when talking about Kasevich, a talented shortstop for the Ducks who came off a very successful summer as one of the best hitters in the wood bat Northwoods League and continued to show outstanding bat-to-ball skills this spring.

Kasevich has the chance to be a solid hitter from the right side of the plate at the next level. He has outstanding plate discipline and makes a ton of contact, walking nearly as much as he struck out at Oregon in 2021 and more than he struck out during his time in the Northwoods League. He uses all fields well and while he’s definitely hit over power, there is the chance he could grow into a little more pop in the future. 

While he’s just an average runner, Kasevich has every chance to stick at shortstop and is considered perhaps the best defender in the Pacific Northwest. His arm is above-average and very accurate and he has excellent hands and footwork to go along with it. All of his skills play up because of his instincts and if his bat continues to come along, he could go in the top three rounds just like Steer did a few years ago.

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 40 | Run: 50 | Arm: 55 | Field: 55 | Overall: 45

The Blue Jays selected Kasevich in the second round of the 2022 Draft, fresh off a successful career at Oregon and a good run in the Northwoods League, and signed him to a $1 million bonus. His brief introduction to pro ball was a learning experience, batting .262 with little power (.336 slugging percentage) over 25 games with Single-A Dunedin, but strong internal reviews earned him a trip to High-A Vancouver in ‘23 and Kasevich did not disappoint. There, Kasevich hit .284 with a .728 OPS over 94 games, and while his four home runs don’t point to much power, there’s belief he could grow into 10-15 homers annually. 

Few players in this organization receive stronger reviews than Kasevich for his work ethic and approach to the game. He’s been lauded as a teammate for making those around him better and is one of the best defensive shortstops in the organization. Internally, the Blue Jays are very high on his defensive profile. Kasevich may not be the flashiest athlete at shortstop but is solid fundamentally and makes nearly every play he gets to. He’ll still see plenty of time at third base, but make no mistake, Kasevich will keep shortstop on his résumé right through to the higher levels.

At the plate, Kasevich’s identity will need to be that of a contact hitter and he shines in that role. Strikeouts should never be an issue, and in an organization preaching “competitive at-bats,” Kasevich fits the bill, though he could be particularly prone to BABIP-related fluctuations if he doesn’t begin driving the ball more. If that suddenly happens, then Kasevich climbs to another tier, but his ability to put the ball in play and defend at short -- plus the intangibles -- will keep him ranked highly. 

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 40 | Run: 50 | Arm: 55 | Field: 55 | Overall: 45

Kasevich showed some impressive contact skills over his final two seasons with the University of Oregon, hitting .324 and .310 respectively, and he carried that success into the Northwoods League, where he batted .374 over 40 games in 2021. The Blue Jays picked him up in the second round of the 2022 Draft and signed Kasevich for a $1 million bonus. 

Kasevich got a taste of pro ball in ’22, hitting .262 with a .681 OPS over 25 games for Single-A Dunedin. There, he walked 11 times while striking out only nine, showing the same plate discipline the Blue Jays liked in the Draft. Kasevich has a strong contact profile that he should show more of in the coming years, but power will be a separating factor for him. He’s worked to add more, focusing on keeping his bat path in the zone a bit longer. 

The Blue Jays believe Kasevich has the tools to stick long term at shortstop, where he’s fundamentally sound and moves well enough for the position. He’ll continue to see some time at third base too, and that positional versatility should only help as he climbs the ladder. At 22 with his NCAA experience, Kasevich could be a quick mover once he gets rolling through a full season, depending on how well the slugging ability translates to the pro game.

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 40 | Run: 50 | Arm: 55 | Field: 55 | Overall: 45

The University of Oregon has produced some solid offensive talent in recent years, with outfielder Aaron Zavala going in the second round in 2021 and infielder Spencer Steer being selected in Round 3 in 2019. It’s Steer who comes up the most when talking about Kasevich, a talented shortstop for the Ducks who came off a very successful summer as one of the best hitters in the wood bat Northwoods League and continued to show outstanding bat-to-ball skills this spring. The Jays selected him in the second round and gave him a $1 million bonus.

Kasevich has the chance to be a solid hitter from the right side of the plate at the next level. He has outstanding plate discipline and makes a ton of contact, walking nearly as much as he struck out at Oregon in 2021 and more than he struck out during his time in the Northwoods League. He uses all fields well and while he’s definitely hit over power, there is the chance he could grow into a little more pop in the future. 

While he’s just an average runner, Kasevich has every chance to stick at shortstop and was considered perhaps the best defender in the Pacific Northwest. His arm is above-average and very accurate and he has excellent hands and footwork to go along with it. All of his skills play up because of his instincts, and that helped him go at No. 60 to Toronto.

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	08/06/2024	Buffalo Bisons activated SS Josh Kasevich.
	04/04/2024	SS Josh Kasevich assigned to New Hampshire Fisher Cats from Vancouver Canadians.
	03/07/2024	Toronto Blue Jays Prospects activated SS Josh Kasevich.
	02/26/2024	SS Josh Kasevich assigned to Toronto Blue Jays.
	02/26/2024	SS Josh Kasevich roster status changed by Toronto Blue Jays.
	07/14/2023	Vancouver Canadians activated SS Josh Kasevich from the 7-day injured list.
	06/28/2023	Vancouver Canadians placed SS Josh Kasevich on the 7-day injured list.
	04/02/2023	SS Josh Kasevich assigned to Vancouver Canadians from Dunedin Blue Jays.
	02/28/2023	SS Josh Kasevich roster status changed by Toronto Blue Jays.
	02/28/2023	SS Josh Kasevich roster status changed by Toronto Blue Jays.
	02/28/2023	SS Josh Kasevich assigned to Toronto Blue Jays.
	02/28/2023	SS Josh Kasevich roster status changed by Toronto Blue Jays.
	02/28/2023	SS Josh Kasevich roster status changed by Toronto Blue Jays.
	08/09/2022	Dunedin Blue Jays activated SS Josh Kasevich.
	08/09/2022	SS Josh Kasevich assigned to Dunedin Blue Jays.
	07/26/2022	Toronto Blue Jays signed SS Josh Kasevich.