Well, a Blue Jays mystery has been solved.

According to Marcos Grunfield (@thebeatwriter on Twitter), the Kennew Blanco deal fell through because he falsified his age. The Blue Jays thought they were signing a 16-year-old, not a 17-year-old. However, it’s still expected that the Jays will sign Blanco in 2025 for a lesser bonus than the $1.7 million he would have made this season.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Varias fuentes me confirman que hay un venezolano involucrado en la falsificación de identidad de la noticia que surgió ayer. Se trata de Kennew Blanco que iba a pactar por 1.7 millones de dólares con los Azulejos de Toronto, pero los canadienses echaron el acuerdo para atrás al…
&mdash; Marcos Grunfeld 🇮🇱 / Sígueme en YouTube (@TheBeatwriter) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheBeatwriter/status/1750269948914475031?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 24, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
So yeah, that’s not great. Blanco ranked as MLB Pipeline’s ninth-best international free agent prospect. They noted that he was one of the youngest players in the class, which is ironic with the information we have now. On top of that, he has a “loose stroke” that allows him to spray the ball. Blanco’s bat speed and swing decisions are advanced and as he fills out his 6’2”, 160 lbs frame, he’ll unlock even more power.
Defensively, he’s athletic and has great instincts that allow him to stick at shortstop. While the arm strength is considered average according to MLB Pipeline, it’s something that he can improve as he adds more muscle.
The big question is, does Blanco being older than what they thought he was actually affect his development? In short, yes. The tools he has for a 16-year-old are very impressive, you could even call him advanced for his age. However, it’s a little less impressive as a 17-year-old.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Kennew Blanco is one of the youngest players in the class(won’t turn 17 until 6/21). Strong athlete with bat speed and plenty of projection. 6’2”/160 list. Reportedly one of the hardest workers with a high baseball IQ. 🎥: Future Stars Academy on Insta <a href="https://t.co/eLhhNzx2qn">pic.twitter.com/eLhhNzx2qn</a>
&mdash; Chris Clegg (@RotoClegg) <a href="https://twitter.com/RotoClegg/status/1741866565782433938?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
It’s expected he’ll still sign with the Jays, but for a lesser bonus during the 2025 International Free Agency period. He’ll be 18 years old before the first month of the Dominican Summer League is finished and despite being a year older than initially thought, there’s still a lot to like in Blanco’s game.
Either way, it will be interesting to see what his new bonus will be and how quickly the Jays promote him through the minor leagues. With a year of development against actual competition down the drain, it’ll be interesting to see how Blanco does professionally.
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As always, you can follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Threads @Brennan_L_D.
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Well, a Blue Jays mystery has been solved.



According to Marcos Grunfield (@thebeatwriter on Twitter), the Kennew Blanco deal fell through because he falsified his age. The Blue Jays thought they were signing a 16-year-old, not a 17-year-old. However, it’s still expected that the Jays will sign Blanco in 2025 for a lesser bonus than the $1.7 million he would have made this season.

https://twitter.com/TheBeatwriter/status/1750269948914475031

So yeah, that’s not great. Blanco ranked as MLB Pipeline’s ninth-best international free agent prospect. They noted that he was one of the youngest players in the class, which is ironic with the information we have now. On top of that, he has a “loose stroke” that allows him to spray the ball. Blanco’s bat speed and swing decisions are advanced and as he fills out his 6’2”, 160 lbs frame, he’ll unlock even more power.

Defensively, he’s athletic and has great instincts that allow him to stick at shortstop. While the arm strength is considered average according to MLB Pipeline, it’s something that he can improve as he adds more muscle.

The big question is, does Blanco being older than what they thought he was actually affect his development? In short, yes. The tools he has for a 16-year-old are very impressive, you could even call him advanced for his age. However, it’s a little less impressive as a 17-year-old.

https://twitter.com/RotoClegg/status/1741866565782433938

It’s expected he’ll still sign with the Jays, but for a lesser bonus during the 2025 International Free Agency period. He’ll be 18 years old before the first month of the Dominican Summer League is finished and despite being a year older than initially thought, there’s still a lot to like in Blanco’s game.

Either way, it will be interesting to see what his new bonus will be and how quickly the Jays promote him through the minor leagues. With a year of development against actual competition down the drain, it’ll be interesting to see how Blanco does professionally.

<hr />

As always, you can follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Threads @Brennan_L_D.

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