#5 Sam Dobkowski

Two postseason wins on the mound in three games says it all for Sam Dobkowski. He proved himself time and time again over the course of the regular season that he deserved to have the ball in his hands when it mattered most. Sure enough, he did.

The ten inning semi-final marathon ended shortly after Dobbs put up a big zero in the top half of the inning. The championship game was suspended due to rain in the fourth inning with the Jays down 2-1. The postponed game gave Dobbs his opportunity to make a difference. He took that opportunity and never looked back. Four scoreless innings later, and the Jays were able to mount a comeback and win the game for Dobkowski. The two postseason wins were more than enough to give Dobbs the Playoff MVP for the Jays.

Offensively, Dobkowski saw his name everywhere in the lineup from the two hole to the seven hole. He batted .202 for the year with a .290 on base percentage. He drove in twelve runs, while scoring thirteen, and stole three bases in the process. Dobbs made all of his hits count, as he hit .324 with runners in scoring position.

Defensively, Dobbs is a part of the stellar infield that carries the defense and backs up the outstanding pitching staff. Sam only had six errors in sixty-two attempts, good for a .946 fielding percentage.

Dobkowski pitched 34 innings in 2016, going 5-2 with a 3.09 ERA and twenty-seven strikeouts. Dobbs only walked nine batters all season, but managed to hit eight as well. Not sure which stat is more impressive there.

Expect #5 to be in his natural position at second base to start the season, and earning his fair share of innings on the mound. As far as the lineup is concerned, his name will be there, but spring training will determine where.

#12 Steven Krauth

What a name Krauth made for himself with his new club in 2016. In his first year with the Blue Jays, Steven led the team in batting average (.371), RBIs (23), and hit the first Blue Jays home run in the first round of the playoffs, a bomb to left that has not landed yet. 

He finished second in stolen bases (10), and second in on base percentage (.455). The stat that jumps off the score sheet the most is his ridiculous .405 batting average with runners in scoring position. The numbers can go on all day, but to keep it brief, it was a season to remember for #12. 

In the postseason, his .417 batting average was good for second best on the team, and he drove in five of the team's fifteen playoff runs. 

Defensively, Krauth saw the majority of his time in right field, once in awhile moving over to center field. His two errors were among the fewest on the team, and he added an outfield assist to his resume over the course of his thirty-one games played. 

Going into year two, Steven will certainly be an everyday starter, most likely in right field, and you can bet his name will be slotted in the three or four spot next month for the Memorial Day tournament. 

Steven really set the bar high for himself in year one, and the lineup will now be built around his name in the middle of the lineup to drive in the table setters at the top of the lineup. The pure strength of Krauth is on another level, and his bat will be a huge part of the team's success in 2017. 

#31 Alec Fauvell

It was quite the breakout season for Fauvell in 2016 as he finished second on the team with a .330 batting average, after struggling in 2015 with a .183 average. He finished second on the team in RBIs with 19, tied for first on the team in doubles with five, and led the team in plate appearances with 113.

Alec saw his name in the lead-off spot for awhile, and in the cleanup spot for awhile, displaying his ability to get on base, and drive in runs. His .442 on base percentage was good for third best on the ball club, and his .385 slugging percentage was second best on the team.

The pitching side of Alec's game was even more impressive, as he became the workhorse for the Jays as he led the team in innings pitched with 51. His record was 4-3 with a 1.37 ERA and a team high sixty-six strikeouts. To put that in perspective, McArdle and Moser combined for seventy strikeouts in 2016.

The greatest quality of Fauvell is his versatility. He has played every position for the Blue Jays over the course of his two year career, and will certainly be moved around a lot again in 2017. Alec is expected to get some work in during practice time, along with Wanderlingh, at the catcher position to see who will be the backup for Morin come opening day.

Fauvell is one of the leaders of this team, and has the passion and skill set to help lead this team to their third straight championship trophy. After an incredible bounce back year in 2016, expectations are incredibly high for Fauvell to repeat his success once the 2017 season rolls around.

#77 Nick Wanderlingh

There have been some allegations made about Wanderlingh receiving the MVP award in 2016 being a sign of favoritism and possibly even collusion due to the head coach being his big brother. Even though Wanderlingh missed the postseason due to a hip injury, his regular season stats explain why he was easily the team's most valuable player. 

Wanderlingh played 26 of the team's 32 games in 2016. In those 26 games, Nick had exactly one hundred plate appearances. In those one hundred plate appearances, he reached base exactly FIFTY times. His .500 on base percentage obviously led the team, and his .315 batting average was good for third best on the team. 

He led the team in runs scored (25), walks (23), fewest strikeouts among everyday starters (7), stolen bases (12), and finished third in batting average with runners in scoring position (.353).

The team's offense started with Wanderlingh at the top of the lineup, and went as far as he took them each night. When he got on base, half the time he came home to score. 

With all that being said, it is worth mentioning the fact that the rest of the players were able to step up in Wanderlingh's absence in the postseason, and win three games against the top teams in the league. That says a lot about the fight and desire to win in this team. 

Nick will begin 2017 as the everyday shortstop, although he might see some time behind the dish if the team is unable to figure out their catching problem. Right now, Morin is the only catcher on the roster, and with the team scheduled to play in about ten doubleheaders this season, a second reliable catcher is needed, so we will have to wait and see how much time Wanderlingh sees behind the plate. 

Wanderlingh was a huge part in recruiting this offseason as well, as he brought in two of the new players for the upcoming season. On the field, expect Nick at the top of the lineup every night, doing what he does best... getting on base, being a pain for opposing pitchers, and often times his head coach as well. Expect another MVP type season for #77. 

#46 Chris Prinzivalli

Chris Prinzivalli does not get the credit or recognition he deserves. He goes out there every game like it's his last. He is asked to play practically every inning of every game at first base. When he takes an inning off, usually due to an injury or ailment, he is not happy. He wants to be out there helping his team in any and every way possible. 

Prinzivalli's 2016 campaign was another solid one to say the least. He finished the year with a .256 batting average and .356 on base percentage. More importantly, he was an extremely tough out in the postseason, posting a ridiculous .583 on base percentage in the three playoff games. 

Prinzivalli has been constantly moved around in the lineup over the last two years, seeing his name in the three hole, all the way down to the seven, and everywhere in between. However, his game has remained impressively consistent, offensively and defensively. 

The .974 fielding percentage that Prinzivalli put up was good for fourth best on the team, second best among everyday players. His fellow infielders are so comfortable with him at first base, they almost take him for granted. Those that have followed the Jays from the beginning can only look back and laugh at the fact that Prinzivalli started his career with the team in center field. 

Expectations are even higher this year for Prinzivalli, as you can expect him starting at first base every game for the third straight year. He is the cornerstone to the stellar infield and there is no competition at the position. Prinzivalli is the everyday first baseman, despite his desire to be the lefty specialist out of the bullpen. Expect big things from #46 in 2017, as he tries to help lead the team to a third straight championship in the team's final year. 

#30 Bryan McArdle

Bryan McArdle certainly lived up to his high expectations in 2016, finishing the year with a 5-1 record and a 1.03 ERA in 47.2 innings pitched. The 47.2 innings pitched finished second on the team, behind only Alec Fauvell. 

McArdle ended his 2016 campaign with arguably his greatest performance in a Blue Jays uniform in the semi-finals against the Smithtown Bulls. He pitched nine innings, giving up two runs on 106 pitches thrown. He unfortunately would end up with the no-decision, as he left the game with the score knotted up at two apiece. However, his performance was the reason the Blue Jays were able to advance to their second straight championship game. 

As far as his offense goes, McArdle made the most of his 18 plate appearances, finishing with a .235 batting average and a .278 on base percentage. He also managed to swipe a bag in the process. Defensively, McArdle committed two errors, after being one of three players to go without an error in 2015. 

McArdle will be available in 2017 for the opening Memorial Day tournament, but will then be placed on the disabled list with a lower body injury. He is expected to miss all of June, and possibly part of July as well. The Blue Jays will have to look elsewhere to fill the shoes of Bryan McArdle, whether it is with Sam Dobkowski picking up his innings, or perhaps one of the new arms that have joined the team for this upcoming season like Victor Corsaro or Mike McKee. 

There is no doubt that McArdle will pitch like his usual self in the opening tournament next month, as well as when he returns for the team's playoff push.