Yesterday it was announced that baseball's top prospect, Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., will make his big-league debut on Friday, when the Jays host the Oakland Athletics for a three-game set. It's been a long time coming for Guerrero, who missed the start of the season due to a strained oblique and has otherwise been the victim of blatant service-time manipulation dating back to last year.
Guerrero is, of course, the son of Vladimir Guerrero Sr., the Hall of Fame outfielder who is best known for his time with the Montreal Expos and Los Angeles Angels. That relationship has led to a number of comparisons between the two, with some inside the sport predicting Vladito will be a better player than his father was -- a lofty comment to be certain, but one that acknowledges Vladito's superior plate discipline and potential for added defensive value.
Naturally, those comparisons have extended to the statistical and the mechanical. Here's a helpful look at the career minor-league tallies for both:
Sr.
306
392
50
.346
.403
.588
.992
Jr.
288
356
44
.331
.413
.531
.945
And here's their swings lined up:
They're both certainly ballplayers, huh? No denying that.
Expect to see more of these father-son comparisons in the coming weeks -- especially if Vladito does something fun on Father's Day. Vlad the Elder, by the way, didn't homer until this third big-league game. We'll see if Junior can beat that.
