22-year old righty swinging 3B Brett Lawrie could be ready for a breakout year in 2012 for the Jays. Lawrie played in 43 games for the Blue Jays last year and he was 44 of 150 (.293 avg, .953 OPS) with 26 runs scored, 9 homers, 25 RBIs and 7 stolen bases. He also played in 73 games in A+AAA-ball last year and he was 104 of 300 (.347 avg, 1.060 OPS) with 64 runs scored, 18 homers, 62 RBIs and 13 stolen bases. Lawrie had 6 errors in 43 games at 3B for the Jays last year while showing off out of this world range. Lawrie could quickly become one of the best all-around 3B in all of baseball starting in 2012.

29-year old Juan Encarnacion is going to be the full-time DH but he can play 3B in a pinch. He had 8 errors in 36 games at 3B for the Blue Jays last year while showing pretty awful range.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE 3B IN 2012: A

29-year old righty swinging shortstop Yunel Escobar is in line to have another good year for the Jays in 2012. He played in 133 games for the Blue Jays last year and he was 149 for 513 (.290 avg, .782 OPS) with 77 runs scored, 11 homers, 48 RBIs and 3 stolen bases. Escobar has now played in 193 games in his first two years with the Jays and he is 214 of 749 (.286 avg, .755 OPS) with 109 runs scored, 15 homers, 64 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. Escobar has now played in 639 games in his first five years in the majors and he is 686 of 2,371 (.289 avg, .766 OPS) with 351 runs scored, 44 homers, 247 RBIs and 21 stolen bases. Escobar had 14 errors in 132 games at SS for the Jays last year while showing below average range.

44-year old switch-hitting Omar Vizquel is likely to win a backup infield job over Mike McCoy this spring. Vizquel played in 58 games for the White Sox last year and he was 42 for 167 (.251 avg, .592 OPS) with 18 runs scored, 0 homers, 8 RBIs and 1 stolen base. He has now played in 2,908 games in his first 23 years in the majors and he is 2,841 of 10,433 (.272 avg, .690 OPS) with 1,432 runs scored, 80 homers, 944 RBIs and 401 stolen bases. Vizquel played 9 error-free games at SS for the Pale Hose last year but he showed below average range. Vizquel is starting to slow down but he’s like having an extra coach around.

Mike McCoy played in 26 games for the Jays at SS last year and he had 4 errors while showing off amazing range. Too bad he can’t hit a lick.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE SS IN 2012: B

The Blue Jays liked what they saw out of 30-year old lefty swinging 2B Kelly Johnson, so they brought him back for 2012. Johnson played in 33 games for the Jays last year and he was 31 for 115 (.270 avg, .781 OPS) with 16 runs scored, 3 homers, 9 RBIs and 3 stolen bases. He played in 147 games overall for the D-Backs and Blue Jays last year and he was 121 of 545 (.222 avg, .717 OPS) with 75 runs scored, 21 homers, 58 RBIs and 16 stolen bases. Johnson whiffed 163 times last year as he was pretty much an all or nothing hitter with the D-Backs. Johnson has now played in 791 games in his first six years in the majors and he is 726 for 2,791 (.260 avg, .784 OPS) with 438 runs scored, 92 homers, 335 RBIs and 58 stolen bases. Johnson had 10 errors in 141 games at 2B last year while showing below average range. The Blue Jays are looking for a solid year out of Johnson with the bat in 2012.

30-year old righty swinging Mike McCoy will battle 44-year old switch-hitting Omar Vizquel for a backup job this spring. McCoy played in 80 games for the Blue Jays last year and he was 39 for 197 (.198 avg, .561 OPS) with 26 runs scored, 2 homers, 10 RBIs and 12 stolen bases. He has now played in 126 games in his first two years with the Jays and he is 55 for 279 (.197 avg, .546 OPS) with 35 runs scored, 2 homers, 13 RBIs and 17 stolen bases. McCoy has now played in 138 games in his first three years in the majors and he is 55 for 284 (.194 avg, .537 OPS) with 36 runs scored, 2 homers, 13 RBIs and 19 stolen bases. McCoy had 1 error in 10 games at 2B for the Blue Jays last year while showing off outstanding range.

44-year old Omar Vizquel played in 16 games at 2B for the White Sox last year and he made 1 error while showing below average range there.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE 2B IN 2012: B-

28-year old lefty swinging Adam Lind started 2011 like a ball of fire and then he faded pretty badly in the second half. The Blue Jays hope he will be more consistent in 2012. Lind played in 125 games for the Blue Jays last year and he was 125 of 499 (.251 avg, .734 OPS) with 56 runs scored, 26 homers, 87 RBIs and 1 stolen base. He has now played in 621 games in his first six years in the majors and he is 622 of 2,331 (.267 avg, .782 OPS) with 296 runs scored, 106 homers, 367 RBIs and 5 stolen bases. Lind played in 109 games at 1B in 2012 and he made 4 errors. He is improving as a defender at 1B and the Jays hope that continues in 2012.

25-year old lefty swinging David Cooper comes into this season as the Jays’ #22 prospect according to Baseball America. Cooper played in 27 games in his first taste of the show for the Jays last year and he was 15 for 71 (.211 avg, .678 OPS) with 9 runs scored, 2 homers and 12 RBIs. He also played in 120 games in AAA-ball last year and he was 170 for 467 (.364 avg, .974 OPS) with 77 runs scored, 9 homers, 96 RBIs and 1 stolen base. Cooper looked a tad nervous in the field last year as he made 4 errors in only 15 games at 1B for the Jays last year. He is better than that defensively.

Edwin Encarnacion is going to likely be the starting DH for the Jays in 2012, but he can also handle playing 3B and 1B. He played in 25 games at 1B for the Jays last year and he made 4 errors, so it didn’t go too well.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE 1B IN 2012: B-

26-year old righty swinging J.P. Arencibia has big time power at the plate, but he doesn’t hit for much of an average and he’s not a good defensive catcher. Arencibia played in 129 games for the Blue Jays as a rookie last year and he was 97 for 443 (.219 avg, .720 OPS) with 47 runs scored, 23 homers, 78 RBIs and 1 stolen base. He has now played in 140 games in his first two years with the Jays and he is 102 for 478 (.213 avg, .706 OPS) with 50 runs scored, 25 homers, 82 RBIs and 1 stolen base. Arencibia played in 122 games behind the plate for the Blue Jays last year and he had 6 errors and 12 passed balls. He threw out 18 of 115 (15.7%) base stealers last year and Jays’ pitchers had a 4.31 ERA with him behind the plate. The Jays hope Arencibia tightens up his defense in 2012.

28-year old righty swinging Jeff Mathis will be the Jays’ backup catcher in 2012. He played in 93 games for the Angels last year and he was 43 for 247 (.174 avg, .484 OPS) with 18 runs scored, 3 homers, 22 RBIs and 1 stolen base. Mathis has now played in 426 games in his first 2 years in the majors and he is 233 for 1,201 (.194 avg, .557 OPS) with 132 runs scored, 26 homers, 139 RBIs and 8 stolen bases. Mathis is one of the very worst hitters in all of baseball. Mathis was behind the plate for 91 games for the Angels last year in which he had 3 errors and 6 passed balls. He threw out 12 of 66 (18.2%) base stealers last year and Angels’ pitchers had a 3.25 ERA when he was behind the plate. The Jays are hoping that Mathis will do a solid job of handling the Jays’ pitchers when he plays in 2012.

23-year old righty swinging Travis D’Arnaud is coming into this season as the Blue Jays’ #1 prospect according to Baseball America. D’Arnaud played in 114 games in AA-ball last year and he was 132 of 424 (.311 avg, .914 OPS) with 72 runs scored, 21 homers, 78 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. He has now played in 416 games in his first five years in the minors and he is 430 for 1,549 (.278 avg, .788 OPS) with 230 runs scored, 50 homers, 237 RBIs and 20 stolen bases. D’Arnaud was one of the keys in the Roy Halladay deal a couple of years ago, so the Jays aren’t going to hold him back when he’s deemed ready.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE CATCHERS IN 2012: C