There’s good news on the Jays’ farm with Austin Martin headed to Futures Game and Simeon Woods Richardson to the Olympics

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This article was published 03/07/2021 (1599 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Blue Jays’ minor-league system was a busy place, for better and for worse, this past week.

Two prospects earned opportunities of a lifetime. No. 2 prospect Austin Martin, hitting .275 with two home runs and 16 RBIs in 38 games this year, will represent the Jays in the annual Futures Game at Major League Baseball’s all-star festivities this month, little more than a year after he was drafted by Toronto. Right-hander Simeon Woods Richardson, the Jays’ No. 4 prospect, will represent the United States at the Olympics in Tokyo in late July and early August. Woods Richardson has posted a 4.13 ERA through his first 32 1/3 innings this year.

On the not-so-good news front, catcher Gabriel Moreno, the No. 6 prospect, will be out indefinitely after he was hit by a pitch and suffered a minor fracture in his thumb. And the Jays are also still looking into whether or not top prospect Nate Pearson’s latest groin injury, which landed him on the minor-league injured list on June 22, is a sign of an underlying issue. Pearson was still scheduled to get another look on Friday. Atkins could not say whether or not Pearson, 24, would require surgery in the short or long term.

“He’s in a good place mentally, obviously not perfect,” Atkins said. “He’s frustrated but I think he’s coping with it well and dealing with it well and very hopeful to be pitching again.”

And keep an eye out for 24-year-old shortstop and third base prospect Kevin Smith. Smith’s emergence this year — he is hitting .288 with a .997 OPS for Triple A Buffalo — is part of the reason the Jays felt comfortable moving utility infielder Joe Panik to the Miami Marlins early this week in a deal for reliever Adam Cimber and outfielder Corey Dickerson.

“I couldn’t be happier for him, just how hard he’s worked,” Atkins said. “He’s exceptionally driven.”

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Here’s a look at one player at each level of the Jays’ system who excelled over the past week:

• Triple-A: RHP Connor Overton, Buffalo. The 27-year-old, who has been used in just about every role by the Bisons this season, from opener to starter to reliever, has pitched five innings in each of his last three starts, a first this season. He leads qualified players with a 1.59 ERA in Triple-A East and is third with a 1.08 WHIP.

• Double-A: RHP Elvis Luciano, New Hampshire. The 21-year-old former Rule 5 draft pick, who spent the entirety of the 2019 season with the big club, spent time on the injured list from May 24 to June 19. In three outings since, spanning 8 2/3 innings, Luciano has not conceded a run. allowing just six hits and four walks while striking out 10.

• High-A: IF Luis De Los Santos, Vancouver. Santos, 23, was riding a nine-game hit streak heading into play on Saturday. Over the past week, he carried a .455 average and 1.273 OPS, with a home run and four RBIs. The native of Dominican Republic, who plays predominately at shortstop, signed with Toronto as a free agent in July 2015.

• Low-A: OF Harrison Ray, Dunedin. The 23-year-old Ray, a former teammate of Austin Martin at Vanderbilt University who signed with Toronto as an undrafted free agent last year, pushed himself toward the top of some Dunedin categories this week by hitting .400 with a 1.278 OPS over six games. He contributed two home runs, four RBIs and three walks.

Laura Armstrong is a Star sports reporter based in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @lauraarmy