TORONTO—L.B. Dantzler had his first taste of professional baseball while growing up in Winter Haven, Fla.
He worked as a batboy for three spring trainings starting as an 11-year-old when the Indians prepared for their seasons at Chain of Lakes Park.
Now 22, Dantzler’s professional career is off to a good start.
Dantzler was taken in the 14th round by the Blue Jays in the 2013 draft after two years at South Carolina and became an instant hit with short-season Vancouver.
After batting .302/.387./.502 with nine home runs and 35 RBIs in 232 at-bats, Dantzler was named the Northwest League player of the year for helping the Canadians win their third league championship in a row. He led the Northwest League in home runs, doubles (20) and total bases (117).
Those spring training experiences in Winter Haven seemed to have helped with his development. Canadians manager Clayton McCullough said the lefthanded hitter has “an advanced feel to play the game.”
Dantzler attended junior college in Florida before going to South Carolina, where he hit .322/.444/.617 his senior year. He hit 15 homers with 53 RBIs in 61 games and was named an academic all-American.
Blue Jays scouting director Brian Parker credited area scout John Hendricks, who covers the Carolinas, as instrumental in Dantzler coming to the Blue Jays.
“He was one of his gut feel senior signs that he really wanted to get,” Parker said.
Dantzler primarily played first base for Vancouver, after playing both first and third with the Gamecocks.
He worked on his defense very hard realizing the need to improve that aspect of his game,” McCullough said.
JAYS CHATTER
Righthander Aaron Sanchez was 0-1, 2.00, in his first three starts in the Arizona Fall League, allowing four hits with five walks and six strikeouts in a total of nine innings. Righthander Marcus Stroman was being used in relief in the AFL (0-2, 6.35 in five outings) as a way to monitor his innings. Toronto still plans for him to start again next season.
Lefthander Sean Nolin is spending this winter in the Dominican League, where he was 0-1, 3.68, after two starts, allowing eight hits with seven strikeouts and three walks over seven innings.
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