Blue Jays: Cavan Biggio providing a valuable role on the club

When the 2019 MLB Season started the Toronto Blue Jays and their fan base were getting pumped about a trio of prospects that were on the verge of making their Major League debuts.

One of those players was Cavan Biggio who was coming off a 2018 Double-A Season that saw him win the Eastern League MVP after collecting 26 home runs and 99 RBI while posting a slash line of .252/.388/.499.

Biggio came up during that 2019 season and had such a productive season he finished fifth in AL-Rookie of the Year voting.  In 100 games, the former fifth round pick collected 16 home runs, was a perfect 14 for 14 stealing bases, had an on-base percentage of .364 and capped it off the season by hitting for the cycle in September.

Fast forward a couple of years and injuries had slowed his progression and put plenty of doubt in the back of fans minds. Biggio was coming off a 2021 season that saw him lace up his shoes for only 79 games and injuries caused his production to drop as he had a slash line of just .224/.322/.356.  To start the 2022 campaign Biggio had lost the starting second base job to Santiago Espinal and by April 25 after going 1-23 (.044) he was placed on the Injured List.  Many had fans had doubts if Biggio would ever get back to the potential he first showed.

On May 26, Biggio re-joined the team after an extended stay in Triple-A Buffalo and he has become one of the most important pieces of the lineup since.  Biggio is the only player that can be trusted to play four different defensive positions (1B, 2B, LF and RF) and if need be in a pinch, he can also play third base.  As of July 4, Biggio has played 134 innings at second base, 124 innings at first base, while adding an additional 19 innings in right field, and 16 innings in left field.

Since returning to the Blue Jays at the end of May, Cavan Biggio has been one of the hottest hitters on the club and leads the team with 20 walks.

Having a player that can move all over the field is valuable, but the reason he has been able to be used so often has been his resurgence at the plate.  Since returning the club at the end of May, Biggio is just three doubles behind Lourdes Gurriel’s 13 that leads the team.  His 20 walks leads the Jays and sits third in on-base percentage (.434) behind Alejandro Kirk (.464) and Gurriel (.436).  Biggio’s 13 extra-base hits in just 85 at-bats has helped him post a .940 slugging percentage and again puts him third behind the same Kirk and Gurriel.

So a question I propose is, does Biggio deserve to take back the starting second base job?  The answer to my own question would be… no.  If I was Charlie Montoyo, I would continue to play Biggio in the same role he has been playing.  He is giving Vladimir Guerrero Jr and Espinal days off their feet from their regular positions, while also playing second base when Espinal can give Matt Chapman a day off at third.

What are your thoughts?  Do you think there is a better role for Biggio on the team? Do you like his current role, or do you think he should be used as a trade chip to improve the pitching?