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Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. doubles off wall with one-armed swing

By Alex Butler
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (L) is baseball's top prospect. The Toronto Blue Jays Minor League star should make his debut this season. Photo by Rhona Wise/EPA
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (L) is baseball's top prospect. The Toronto Blue Jays Minor League star should make his debut this season. Photo by Rhona Wise/EPA

March 4 (UPI) -- Toronto Blue Jays phenom Vladimir Guerrero Jr. showed he only needs one arm to hit a double off the wall in a spring training win against the New York Yankees.

Vlad Jr. smacked the two-bagger during the second inning of the Blue Jays' 5-2 triumph Sunday at Dunedin Stadium in Dunedin, Fla. He was facing Yankees starter Domingo German during the exchange.

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The Yankees led 1-0 when Guerrero stepped into the box as the second batter of the bottom of the inning for Toronto. German fired a pitch down the middle of the plate and Guerrero got in a big hack. But his right hand came off of the bat as he connected with the pitch.

The young outfielder still had enough power to belt the offering deep to left field. The smash would have been a home run at some parks, but it hit the elevated outfield wall and came back onto the field as Guerrero ended up at second base.

"What was I thinking?" Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo asked reporters. "If it was me, it would have been a bloop single or something to the catcher. That was amazing. So relaxed. I can never relate to that. That's unbelievable and a good sign for us."

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Guerrero was 1-for-3 on the day out of the No. 5 spot in the batting order. The 19 year old third baseman is hitting .250 and has one RBI in 12 at-bats this spring.

Billy McKinney and Rowdy Tellez each homered in the Jays' win. McKinney hit a solo shot in the third inning while Tellez hit a two-run homer in the sixth frame.

Guerrero -- the son of Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero -- is baseball's top prospect. He will likely make his Major League Baseball debut in 2019.

The Jays battle the Detroit Tigers at 1:05 p.m. Tuesday at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Fla.

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