John Schmidt played on another level in 2015, leading the Jays in batting average (.353), runs (22), singles (22), and overall hits (24). In addition to that, Schmidt was second on the team in RBIs (14), and fourth in OBP (.429). He was second on the team in stolen bases (14), and batted .333 with runners in scoring position. Schmidt started the season in left field and batting second. By the time the championship game came around, he was in center field and batting cleanup for the Jays. #21 was an enormous factor for the Jays both offensively and defensively, and Schmidt paired with Wanderlingh at the top of the lineup combined for the best 1-2 punch in the league. The problem with Schmidt is that he is way too great a hitter to bat second. He will most likely be sitting third or fourth in the lineup this summer, with the opportunity to drive in more runs for his club.
Schmidt's defensive play was just as impressive as his offense. He tracked down every ball within his range, and some not in his range. More importantly, he was so effective at cutting off the balls in the gaps, preventing runners from taking an extra base on him. Along with playing center field, Schmidt also saw some time at second base when Dobkowski pitched, and will be seeing even more time at second base with Dobkowski expected to get a lot more innings this summer. This would give Schmidt the opportunity to pair up with Wanderlingh in a different way, along with at the top of the batting lineup. Coach Wanderlingh will look to get other players a chance to prove themselves at second base as well because Schmidt is needed in center.
Expect another great year for Johnny, as he has quickly become a team favorite, and such a positive attitude in that dugout that consists of some hot heads. I'm expecting Schmidt to come out of the gates strong during the opening weekend tournament at Baseball Heaven in early June.
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