Biggest impressions on new Blue Jays facility

On Thursday, the Toronto Blue Jays unveiled their new state-of-the-art Player Development Complex in Dunedin, Floria, as they begin their Spring Training workouts.

With construction beginning in April 2019, the 65-acre area will be the team’s headquarters for Spring Training while also providing support for minor league and injured players throughout the year.

With more fields, a more extensive training room, and a bigger clubhouse (to name a few), the Blue Jays are set to take player development to a new level and hope to increase prospects' growth.

As the oohs and ahhs continue to run through Blue Jays fans, here are three things that stood out to me with this new complex.

Feels Like Home

One of the first things noticed in the development's unveiling was the six fields added to the complex (five new to the area).

However, field two would have members of the MLB team (new or old) that would be crucial within those six fields. The field has the same dimensions as the Rogers Centre and has the same turf used in the stadium.

One of the biggest complaints of players when it comes to playing inside Rogers Centre is the turf which may be difficult to adjust to if you're coming from a grass field.

For players who would play in Toronto, having a field to get used to Rogers Center's environment is a great asset before making the trip north. Getting a head start in Spring Training would ease the transition once the regular season starts.

As for future prospects? Considering minor league ballparks like Sahlen Field (Triple-A Buffalo) and Northeast Delta Dental Stadium (Double-A New Hampshire) have grass fields, time on field two would help give a sense of what to expect upon making it to Toronto.

Player care and growth at a premium

Indoor look at exercise gym (Via Blue Jays)

If you want an example for the definition of 'spacious,' look no further than their indoor and outdoor weight rooms.

The 22,000-plus square-foot gym room features equipment customized to the team and over 40,000 pounds of weights.

The team also gave players the flexibility to exercise outside should they please, which provides more space for those at the complex.

While this is a big plus in regards to the pandemic regarding social distancing, the Blue Jays have opened the gates regarding the options of what the team can do.

From many machines to indoor and outdoor tracks, The Blue Jays are in prime position to get in shape for play.

As for the recovery? The Blue Jays have given players many options for physical therapy to use throughout the year.

Hydrotherapy room (Via Blue Jays)

One of the biggest things that stand out is their hydrotherapy room. With a mix of hot and cold tubs and a 15x40 depth pool, players have their choices for pain relief or small treatment after a hard day of training.

The front office cares about conditioning and recovery, and it shows with their training areas.

'Make your legacy'

Championship banners hung inside indoor weight room (Via Blue Jays)

The final thing that impressed me was the banners located inside the weight room. Yes, it's common for most teams to have a reminder of what they've accomplished in franchise history.

Three baby blue banners hang beside their past achievements giving one message: bring more titles to Toronto.

The standard is there, and the team knows what the goal is. Going on its 27th year since their last World Series title, with the current roster that the Blue Jays have obtained or developed, their championship hopes are high.

The 2021 Blue Jays will be fielding the best lineup since the team last made the playoffs in 2015 and 2016, respectively. As the Jays prepare to continue their 2020 success in making the postseason, they hope to go past the wild card stage and make another playoff run.

Seeing blank banners can be weird. The Blue Jays want to make sure those banners are filled up and added to their home in Toronto.

See anything else that impressed you with the Jays' new facility? Leave a comment or tweet at me @taboada93