All-time youngest, oldest Blue Jays players

TORONTO -- As the Blue Jays have transitioned from their postseason runs of 2015 and '16 to their new-look roster in '21, young talent has been at the heart of their rebuild.

We’ve seen Vladimir Guerrero Jr. debut at 20 and Bo Bichette at 21, but looking back through the history of the organization, the Blue Jays have debuted a handful of players even younger.

Here’s a look at the youngest and oldest players in Blue Jays history, both of which could stand for a long time to come:

Youngest

1) C Brian Milner (18 years, 7 months, 6 days)
Debut: June 23, 1978

In the modern Major League context, it’s almost impossible to imagine an 18-year-old catcher jumping straight from high school to the big leagues. That’s what the Blue Jays did with Brian Milner, though, soon after taking the teenager from Fort Worth, Texas, in the seventh round of the 1978 MLB Draft.

These were the expansion Blue Jays, of course, playing in just their second season, but Milner might never be unseated by a younger player debuting in Toronto. He made the most of it, too.

After going 1-for-4 in his debut against Cleveland, Milner went 3-for-5 with a triple and drove in a pair of runs in his second game. Those were the only two games of his Major League career, but Milner will forever own that .444 average and 1.111 OPS.

2) RHP Elvis Luciano (19 years, 1 month, 13 days)
Debut: March 31, 2019

Luciano was a fascinating Rule 5 Draft pick by the Blue Jays when he was just 18, and debuted as the youngest pitcher in franchise history. Toronto managed to get Luciano through the season and retain his full rights, and Luciano earned that.

The young right-hander pitched to a 5.35 ERA and had some standout moments along the way, including a strikeout of Aaron Judge. He remains in the organization and should have an opportunity to crack the roster again in the coming years, when he’ll still be one of the youngest players on the Major League roster.

3) SS Fred Manrique (19 years, 9 months, 18 days)
Debut: Aug. 23, 1981

Manrique joined the Blue Jays late in 1981, becoming one of just a handful of teenagers to play for the organization in its history. Manrique spent a week on the bench after his debut on Aug. 23, but he played plenty in September that season and recorded his first hit, a single, on Sept. 1 against the Rangers.

Following the 1981 season, Manrique spent a couple of seasons with the club’s Triple-A Syracuse affiliate, and after seeing limited playing time in '84, Manrique appeared in nine games for the Expos in '85, making him one of the few players to play for both Canadian clubs. He eventually caught on as a full-time player with the White Sox in the late ‘80s.

4) INF Manuel Lee (19 years, 9 months, 24 days)
Debut: April 10, 1985

Lee is well known by Blue Jays fans and was part of those great teams through the late-1980s. The talented Dominican infielder debuted at just 19 years old and was a part-time player for the first few seasons of his career, but he eventually established himself as a regular.

Known far more for his glove in the middle of the diamond than his bat, Lee spent eight seasons with the Blue Jays, eventually shifting from second to shortstop when Roberto Alomar joined the club.

Who’s next?

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. debuted as the fifth-youngest player in Blue Jays history in 2019, just over a month past his 20th birthday. Perhaps a future prospect can catch Luciano, Lee or Manrique on this list, most likely an international prospect who starts their development process with the organization at 16. A debut as young as Milner’s at 18, though, is almost entirely out of the question.

Oldest

1) RHP Phil Niekro (48 years, 4 months, 28 days)
Final game: Aug. 29, 1987

The Hall of Fame knuckleballer isn’t often remembered with the Blue Jays, as he made just three starts for Toronto at the tail end of his career in 1987. Niekro posted an 8.25 ERA over those 12 innings, so while he didn’t exactly recapture his great years with the Braves, he still holds the title of oldest player in Blue Jays history by nearly three years.

2) SS Omar Vizquel (45 years, 5 months, 9 days)
Final game: Oct. 3, 2012

After 23 seasons and 11 Gold Glove Awards, Vizquel spent his 24th and final season in the Major Leagues with the Blue Jays. The veteran hit .235 with a .546 OPS that season over 60 games, splitting his time between second base, third base and the shortstop position where he’d starred throughout his career.

3) LHP Darren Oliver (42 years, 11 months, 23 days)
Final game: Sept. 29, 2013

Oliver spent two seasons with the Blue Jays at the end of his 20-year career, and they were two of his best. The lefty enjoyed a career resurgence in his mid-30s after transitioning fully to the bullpen, and after posting an excellent 2.06 ERA with the Blue Jays in 2012, Oliver followed that with a 3.68 ERA in '13, his final in the big leagues.

Who’s next?

Unless another knuckleball rolls through Toronto, Niekro pitching at age 48 may never be topped. Even Vizquel playing at 45 is a lofty goal, but Oliver’s path as a relief pitcher could be followed. Sustaining success at 42 as a reliever is a massive challenge, especially in an era of baseball where velocity is king, but perhaps there’s a crafty reliever out there capable of doing it.