Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has become the No. 1 prospect in the league and is definitely ready for the big show, but league service time rules are holding him back from the big leagues. Sunday was the first day for hitters to report to training camp for the Toronto Blue Jays. However, Guerrero Jr. showed up a day early.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the No. 1 prospect in baseball, arrived in Florida on Saturday, with much praise and potential. The Toronto Star says Guerrero is expected to be key to Toronto's rebuilding phase. The Blue Jays are relying on young players to replace the veterans who helped Toronto reach the ALCS from 2015-2016.

Guerrero's excitement and contributions will be on hold for a while. The league's service time rules will cause the top prospect from making the team right out of Spring Training.

Toronto looks to keep Guerrero Jr. in the minors for as long as they can

Toronto is motivated to exploit the rules for the team's benefit. Major League Baseball's season is 187 days long. Under the collective bargaining agreement, a player earns a year of service time, if they remain in the league for 172 days. Any player like Guererro needs six years of service to qualify for free agency. One option Toronto has. and will probably do. is to keep Guererro in the minors for a little more than two weeks, which will keep him under the team's control for an additional year.

Guerrero spent last weekend fielding ground balls, alongside the man who will gain the most if Guerrero is sent to the minors. Brandon Drury was traded to Toronto from New York at the trade deadline, but injuries kept him limited to just eight games in Toronto.

No schedule in place for when Guerrero Jr. will enter the big league

It's expected that Brandon Drury will be Toronto's starting third baseman, when the season starts March 28. While Guerrero has talent, Toronto GM Ross Atkins has no schedule for when he will bring his star to the majors. According to MLB.com, Atkins said there's no schedule for when he arrives and when he plays in Toronto for the first time.

Atkins is focused on making Guerrero the best third baseman and best hitter as possible.

Guerrero has some support in Toronto's locker room. Pitcher Marcus Stroman said that it's a bad idea not having Guerrero in the lineup. He believes the team does not have the best lineup for when they face the Yankees and Red Sox. Guerrero has already impressed Blue Jays hitting coach Guillermo Martinez. Plenty of players have been victims of the service time rules. In 2015 the Cubs kept Kris Bryant, in the minors for the first seven games. In 2018 the Braves kept their prospect, Ronald Acuna, calling him up 23 games into the season.
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