DUNEDIN — The Bobby Mattick Training Center is nestled in residential Dunedin, across from Serenity Lane and next to Cottonwood Terrace. It’s a pretty casual scene, with several diamonds at which dozens of Blue Jays prospects run through drills under the eyes of coaches from Toronto’s minor-league teams.
The sound system in the middle of it all plays 107.3 The Eagle — “Tampa Bay’s classic hits.” Journey’s Faithfully echoes over the scene, and then a Jays coach blares an airhorn to signal a drill change, which is a bit rude to Steve Perry.
But though it feels like summer camp, this is also where the Blue Jays are polishing some of their finest gems.