September 19, 2016
Joshua Palacios has done nothing but impress in his first pro season. (auburn.247sports.com)
Addressing future needs in the outfield during this past June’s MLB draft; the Toronto Blue Jays selected Joshua Palacios in the 4th round out of Auburn University.
Noted for his plus speed out of college, Palacios did nothing but impress in his first professional season that saw the 21-year old outfielder competing at three different levels. Beginning his year in Florida with the GCL Blue Jays, Palacios quickly jumped up two levels to join the Vancouver Canadians before wrapping up his campaign with the Lansing Lugnuts.
Showcasing his speed on the base paths, Palacios legged out 13 doubles and three triples in his 65 hits between the three clubs. While his base running turned heads, Palacios best skill in 2016 was his ability to get on base and make things happen every night.
Maintaining an impressive .330/.397/.426 slash line in his 197 at-bats was a great way to begin his professional career. The quick start at the plate was great to see from a guy that was viewed more as an average hitter entering pro ball.
Taking great pride in his plate approach, the prospect discusses what he has done to find consistency in the batter’s box this early in his career.
“My plate approach is coming along decently,” stated Palacios. “I’m continuing to progress every day. I’m always looking to get better at anything I can, even the little things.”
Hoping to add some power to his game before next season, Palacios goes into detail on why he didn’t have as much success with the long ball as he would’ve liked last season.
“My power is going to get a lot better,” explained Palacios. “I was lagging a little bit with a wrist injury and I lost a little weight after leaving Auburn. But I think it will come along better after my first off-season.”
But Palacios is more than an excellent bat as he also plays a solid defensive game. In fact, the prospect didn’t commit a single error in his 287 innings. The young outfielder also added five outfield assists to go along with his flawless fielding percentage to round out a great season in the field.
The up-and-coming star will be looking to build off the success he had in 2016 for another great season next summer. If he can continue to progress the way he did in his first three months of pro ball another quick promotion will be in his near future.
That promotion will put Palacios one step closer to his dream of playing in the big leagues. If he can achieve that lofty goal, he’ll become the second member of his family to make it to the show, as the prospect is the nephew of former major league catcher Rey Palacios, somebody Joshua looks up to greatly.
“My uncle was a huge influence on my career,” said Palacios. “Growing up watching his highlights. Seeing him hit home runs against the Yankees and hearing his stories was great. Both my uncle and my Dad were huge influences on my career.”
Toronto Blue Jays fans will want to continue to watch Joshua Palacios as he strives to follow in his uncle’s footsteps and play in the big leagues one day.