My earliest memories of Bo began in 2019. As one of the more casual baseball fans out there and having lost interest in the team after they dismantled the legendary 2015/16 juggernaut squads, I wasn’t sure what to think of the rebuilding Jays franchise at the time. Everyone was waiting for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to join the big boys, and it looked like he was going to be the main piece of the future that a franchise builds around.

When I heard Bichette had been called up, I never would have expected the level of impact this kid would have so early on. By the end of his first month in the show, he had already set an MLB
record with 10 extra base hits in his first nine games, finishing the season with a .311 batting average and a .930 OPS. With his tenacious drive to constantly improve his game, all of a sudden it seemed like he might actually be the player of the Jay’s future. At the end of the season, he went on record saying that he wanted to be the best player in the game and to be in Hall of Fame discussions. Pretty impressive stuff from a 19-year-old kid.

It’s easy to see what led him to this point. His father, Dante Bichette, was a 14-year veteran of the MLB who played in more than 1,700 career games over the span of his career. Dante was also a four-time all-star, having hit 274 home runs and batting a .299 average for his career. In terms of having a role model to follow, it doesn’t get much better than that.

Things really changed for Bo when his father took the job as the Colorado Rockies hitting coach in 2013 and brought him to the clubhouse that summer. The 15-year-old Bo was able to spend
that summer immersed in the major league lifestyle and got to spend time around established big leaguers, most notably taking a liking to Troy Tulowitzki. It was here that he learned how to adopt a professional mentality as an athlete. In his own words, he said, “I learned a lot about what’s important as a fielder, but most importantly, just the effort, intensity, the focus in
everything you do, no matter if anybody’s watching you, if it’s before a game or after.” It’s clear that having this mindset at such an early age was a huge factor in his rise through the minor leagues and his ability to stand out as a young prospect by the time he began that short 2019 debut season.

As I sit here in the press box at the Roger’s Centre watching the hoards of fans line up to get their Bo Bichette Bobbleheads, it’s very clear that his professional approach to the game and
constant drive to improve have become the qualities that this fan base has grown to love. His attitude is a reflection of a city traditionally known for its blue-collar mentality and work ethic. With Bo having just hit the 10-day IL with a right calf strain, there is no doubt the fan base and this Jays squad are eagerly awaiting his return to the field.

Written By Jesse McKay / Edited By Josh Elijah