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Baltimore Orioles: Where does Orioles’ Kim rank among left fielders in AL East?

By Nate Wardle

Mar 1, 2016; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; Baltimore Orioles outfielder Hyun Soo Kim (25) at bat during the fifth inning of a spring training baseball game against the Atlanta Braves at Champion Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 1, 2016; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; Baltimore Orioles outfielder Hyun Soo Kim (25) at bat during the fifth inning of a spring training baseball game against the Atlanta Braves at Champion Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports /
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Aug 28, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays left fielder Melvin Upton Jr. (7) and Toronto Blue Jays center fielder Kevin Pillar (11) and Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Ezequiel Carrera (3) celebrate the win at end of the ninth inning in a game against the Minnesota Twins at Rogers Centre. The Toronto Blue Jays won 9-6. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY
Aug 28, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays left fielder Melvin Upton Jr. (7) and Toronto Blue Jays center fielder Kevin Pillar (11) and Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Ezequiel Carrera (3) celebrate the win at end of the ninth inning in a game against the Minnesota Twins at Rogers Centre. The Toronto Blue Jays won 9-6. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY /

3. Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays’ LFs- Melvin Upton, Ezequiel Carrera, Steve Pearce, Dalton Pompey, Darin Ceciliani, Anthony Alford

Welcome to a full year in the AL East, Melvin Upton. I wanted to rank Upton lower, but the fact that he may platoon, or not start helped to keep the Jays’ in the third spot, where they were in 2016.

Upton hit .196/.261/.318 for Toronto last year, which is horrendous. He is a career .243/.321/.402 hitter. In 2016 he totaled 20 HRs, 15 RBIs, 61 RBIs and 64 runs in 149 games between San Diego and Toronto.  At this point, Upton is alright defensively. The total fielding runs above average in left were good, the range is ok, but the dWAR was 0.1 in 2016 across the OF positions.

As for Carrera, he was a bit of a spark plug last year for the Blue Jays. He only hit .248 in 110 games but provided a little bit of everything with stolen bases, HRs, doubles and more. He also rates as an average outfielder as well.

Pearce can fill in as a corner outfielder but is probably better in right field than left. Pompey continually fails to meet expectations. Alford is a top prospect for the Blue Jays, and his time could be coming before too long in Toronto.

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