C’s Chat – 2024 Vancouver Canadians OF #8 Jace Bohrofen – C's Plus Baseball

The latest guest on C’s Chat is 2024 Vancouver Canadians outfielder Jace Bohrofen.

The Oklahoma City, OK native has been more than okay when it comes to baseball. Bohrofen starred at Westmore High School with stellar sophomore and junior seasons as he was named an All-American both years. In 2018, he batted .512 with 10 home runs and 59 runs batted in as a sophomore and followed that up with a .479 batting average with a dozen homers and 66 RBI as a junior in 2019. That would be it for Bohrofen’s high school career on the diamond after COVID cancelled his 2020 senior campaign.

The MLB Draft was something to consider for Bohrofen as Perfect Game rated him the third-best player in Oklahoma and the 38th-best nationally in 2019. He also earned Under Armour and Perfect Game All-American honours and was the Perfect Game Player of the Year in Oklahoma.

In 2021, Bohrofen remained in his home state to attend the University of Oklahoma. He would carry on the family tradition as his father Brent Bohrofen and his older brother Braxton Bohrofen both played for the Sooners. Brent made it to the professional level as he spent two years in the St. Louis Cardinals organization as an outfielder. He played his first season north of the border with the Hamilton Redbirds of the New York-Penn League in 1991. Brent hit a couple of home runs with 18 runs batted in and five stolen bases in 51 games and also pitched a shutout inning during his time in Steeltown. He finished his career with the Savannah Cardinals in 1992 where he hit a homer in 63 contests.

As for Jace’s brother Braxton, the two were briefly teammates with the Sooners in 2021 but Braxton only played a couple of games. Jace would hit .252 with two homers and 18 RBI and was named to the Big-12 All-Freshman team. He continued playing ball in the Cape Cod League with the Falmouth Commodores where he slashed .279/.375/.504 with eight doubles, three triples and five home runs to go along with 19 RBI and eight stolen bases.

In 2022, Bohrofen entered the college transfer portal and joined the Arkansas Razorbacks. He played 32 games and batted .228/.333/.435 with three homers and 17 RBI. The Razorbacks made it to the College World Series where he contributed a pinch-hit walk and scored a run against Stanford. Bohrofen went back to the Cape to join Falmouth where he batted. 276 in a dozen games with the Commodores.

Things came together for Bohrofen in 2023 as he put together a stellar batting line of .318/.436/.612 with 15 doubles, 16 home runs, 52 RBI and seven stolen bases with the Sooners. He won the Collegiate Baseball National Player of the Week for April 17 after swatting four homers in five games against number-16-ranked Tennessee.

The two-time SEC Honour Roll student was rated by Baseball America as the 106th-best prospect in the 2023 MLB Draft.

“Bohrofen ranked as the No. 141 prospect in the 2020 class out of high school and stood out for his plus raw power and corner outfield profile…He stands upright at the plate with a slightly open front side and has quick hands with consistent, tight turns and an explosive back hip. Bohrofen does have a pull-oriented approach that causes him to pull off the ball at times, and that has created issues specifically with contact against breaking stuff and changeups. He’s a fastball hitter who has done well with velocity and posted a 1.164 OPS against fastballs, but just an .849 OPS against breaking balls and offspeed stuff. He’s an average runner with average arm strength and should be an adequate defender in an outfield corner, though left field is a better fit than right field in pro ball.”

MLB Pipeline had Bohrofen much higher on their draft rankings at number 66. Instead, he went 184th overall as he was selected in the sixth round by the Toronto Blue Jays. Max Semler was the signing scout for Bohrofen, who agreed to a signing bonus of $302,200.

The Florida Complex League was the first stop for Bohrofen where he made his debut for the FCL Blue Jays against the Phillies and he was plunked in his second at-bat on July 28. He got a measure of revenge against the FCL Phils by belting a two-run homer in his second professional game on July 29.

Bohrofen’s batting line of .267/.450/.467 in seven games at the FCL was enough to bump him up to Dunedin and he connected for a home in his first at-bat with the D-Jays and walked twice in a win at Lakeland on August 9. Bohrofen would tap into his home run stroke against Lakeland on August 11 as part of a 2-for-4 effort that included a double and a walk. He would go deep again in another triumph against the Flying Tigers on August 13 and went 2-for-3 with a walk and two RBI. The power and good batting eye continued to be on display for Bohrofen as he homered twice and walked in a victory against Clearwater on August 16. He ended his regular season on a high note as he went 2-for-4 with a homer and a double in a victory at Dayton on August 31.

After an impressive .306/.442/.677 batting line that produced a 1.119 on-base-plus-slugging percentage with Dunedin—thanks to 11 extra-base hits and 16 RBI in 17 games—there was some thought that Bohrofen would join Vancouver to help its playoff drive. However, Bohrofen did not have his passport ready in time and would not make his debut north of the border until 2024.

Bohrofen’s first game at Nat Bailey Stadium came in preseason action against the University of British Columbia and he socked his first home run in his first plate appearance on Canadian soil on April 3. His regular season debut came on April 5 in Spokane where he drew a walk. He collected his first two hits of the season with a single and a double on April 6. In the home opener, Bohrofen contributed two base knocks and scored a run in Vancouver’s first win of the season on April 9. He reached base four times with a double, two singles and a walk in a victory at Eugene on April 18. Bohrofen got on base four more times with a double and three walks in a triumph at Tri-City on April 30.

Bohrofen’s early season success continued into May when he doubled twice, walked and scored three runs in a victory at Tri-City on May 4. His first Northwest League homer was a two-run shot in a victory at Spokane that also included an RBI double and a sacrifice fly on May 17.

Home run number two for Bohrofen came in a win at Everett on June 5. His first regular season long ball at Nat Bailey Stadium was against Spokane on June 13. His biggest moment to date was coming off the bench to belt a game-winning home run in the eighth in a victory over Spokane on June 15. Bohrofen went deep again, tripled and scored the winning run in a victory at Tri-City on June 19. More heroics came in the form of a game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning in a June 29 victory over Hillsboro.

C’s Plus Baseball was able to speak to the 22-year-old Bohrofen during the team’s homestand against Spokane in June. This interview has been edited for clarity.

C’s Plus Baseball – Let’s take it back to the beginning. You grew up in Oklahoma. When did you get started playing baseball?

Jace Bohrofen – Just playing tee ball when I was younger. I have an older brother named Braxton and we were playing in the backyard with our Dad playing catch. Just kind of playing against my brother and hitting like that. So from a young age, I just played baseball and got into some other sports like basketball and football too.

CPB – What position did you play in football?

JB – I played quarterback and running back growing up. And then when I got to high school, I played quarterback and backed up my brother in high school.

CPB – How did playing all three sports help you develop on the baseball diamond?

JB – Yeah, I feel like playing different sports definitely helps from a young age. Just competing, man. Just finding different ways to find an edge during when you’re playing basketball, trying to get to the hole or playing football and trying to make someone miss or whatever it is. And just being athletic. I feel like that’s another part. You’re using different parts of your body with football and basketball and can translate over to the baseball field.

CPB – As far as baseball goes, in high school, you were highly touted and there was a lot of draft interest in you but you opted to go to stay in state with Oklahoma. Was that a tough decision for you?

JB – Yeah, it was very tough. Very blessed to get an opportunity to be considered a draft interest in high school but things didn’t work out. It was a tough decision but ultimately, my brother was at OU playing baseball at the time. My Dad had played baseball there back in the late 80s, early 90s. It was 30 minutes away from my house and it was just a kind of a win-win, honestly, whatever happened, happened. It was a tough decision but it was also a fun decision too. You know, just staying close to home and getting to play baseball with my brother.

CPB – Your father does have minor professional experience and played some baseball in Canada. What has he told you about that time in his life?

JB – Yeah, obviously things have probably changed since he probably played baseball up here but he said he enjoyed it a lot. He talked about living with a bunch of guys and in a house or whatever, when the minor leagues were in a little worse condition than they are now. He just remembers having a good time and he said I was really going to enjoy it up here.

CPB – I’m sure it was helpful to have your dad who’s been through the minor pro league grind. I’m sure he’s giving you lots of advice, but is there any advice that you follow to this day?

JB – It’s just kind of like, you know, take it one day at a time. Don’t look too much into something. You know you’re going to get a lot of the bats, play a lot of games during the season. It’s a little different than the college season where you got 50, 60 games-ish. So those at-bats kind of are more important day-to-day versus playing 130-something games a season, you know? One day is not going to make or break your season so I’m just trying to stay level-headed and just have a short memory.

CPB – Your first season was with Oklahoma, but then you decided to transfer to Arkansas. Was that a tough decision leaving home?

JB – Yeah, a really tough decision. I’m obviously leaving all my friends and family. And also just having to live away from home. Being 30 minutes (away), you’re on campus, go home and see your family, it’s nice. But going to Arkansas was probably one of the best decisions I ever made. Just getting to live on my own. I learned a lot about myself mentally and as a person. It was a great decision.

CPB – How did playing in Arkansas help you develop as a ball player?

JB – It helped me a lot. The facilities there,are second to none. The coaching staff is awesome. Really good hitting coaches there with Coach Thompson (Nate Thompson), Coach Wernes (Bobby Wernes). And then at the time was a GA, Cullen Smith, who’s now at a Juco in Florida (Florida Southwestern). All those guys helped me tremendously, just developing my approach and swing and everything.

CPB – I know the year before your draft year didn’t go as well as you would have wanted to but you had a big bounce back in 2023. Did you make any big adjustments or what led to your success?

JB – I think I just kind of made a mental adjustment. Just going out there and just, no matter what happens, just have as much fun as possible, you know? Don’t worry about any of the external factors. Everything is going to work out, God’s got a plan for me and just really just trusting it and just staying within the process and not getting too big.

CPB – I think the one thing that Blue Jays always like is when a player does well in the Cape Cod League and you had two stints there. Talk about your time in the Cape and how that helped you.

JB – Yeah, the Cape was an awesome experience. Getting to live away from home was awesome. I had a nice host family, a great experience, very enjoyable. A great team too, Coach Trundy (Jeff Trundy)and Coach Becker (Brett Becker) and Coach Ihle (Ryan Ihle) Ihle up there with the hitting side just helped me tremendously. Brett Becker, one of the guys that I met up there my first year, I still have contact with him today. He’s kind of my hitting guy. He’s helped me a lot from a hitting standpoint. I give a lot of credit to him but the Cape was awesome. The weather’s great up there. I got to meet a lot of new faces from a collegiate aspect, and play a lot of good competition up there too. So I feel like that’s also helped me become a better baseball player.

CPB – The draft rolls around. You’re expected to go higher but you go in the sixth round. I’m sure that must have been a stressful time for you wondering, ‘Okay, when am I going to get picked here?’

JB – Yeah, it was a sweet time. It was a sweet moment. You know, I was sitting anywhere between, you know, four to six (rounds), whatever it was saying???. So, slide of the Blue Jays, and I had good contacts with them, with the draft combine. I had an interview and I really liked them a lot, and my name was called in the sixth round. And it was a great time in the Bohrofen household.

CPB – So you weren’t surprised at all it was the Blue Jays. Did you think maybe there was going to be another team or two in the mix?

JB – Yeah, there’s obviously other teams that you think you’re going to go to. But fortunately for me, I was lucky enough to get chosen by the Blue Jays.

CPB – You were at home when this all happened?

JB – Yeah, my fiance now, she was actually starting her first day on the job as a dental hygienist. She actually wasn’t there to celebrate the moment with me but she got there like an hour after because she just got off work. But other than that, my family was there and we were just watching the draft on television. It was cool, a great moment.

CPB – Getting ready for Dunedin. I know it’s kind of a whirlwind process, but what was that like for you when you realize you got to make travel plans for Florida?

JB – The first thing I was asked, ‘Do you have a passport? And I was like, ‘No’, ‘Alright, you need to get one.’ So we got that process going, and then I went down to Florida, signed my contract, and then started draft camp. Instantly, it was a lot of fun getting to meet the new draftees in our class. And then just going from there and playing in the FCL and then a little stint there in Dunedin, I had a lot of fun. Just got a little taste of what pro ball is like and it was really enjoyable.

CPB – Was there anything you learned about your first stint of professional baseball, things that maybe you didn’t know before but know now?

JB – Yeah, there’s a lot of differences between college and pro ball, obviously. The main thing is you’re getting up and you’re playing baseball every single day, you know? In college, you got time, you practice, you got school work, this and that. Pro ball is all about baseball. It’s getting up every single day, whether your body’s feeling good or not and finding a way to come out here and compete and get your work done and stay true to your process.

CPB – You had tremendous success in Dunedin in the limited amount of games you played. What was working for you?

JB – When I got to Dunedin, I think I’d played like two weeks in the FCL. Just getting some at-bats back from the college season. I had like a month and a half off. So, just getting some at-bats there, then getting down to Low-A and playing with some of the guys that had already played from my draft class. My first Low-A at-bat, I hit a homer and it was kind of like, ‘Whoa!’. Like I didn’t really expect that. I just kind of carried that momentum the rest of that season, the little short stint I had and I just kept building off it. I just had a lot of confidence and just had really good plans from like the hitting guys down there with Donnie (Donnie Murphy) and Matty (Matt Young). Really good coaches down there who helped me a lot. Just putting together a plan for that day. I was just really, really just trusting the process the coaches gave us, and just kind of stuck with it.

CPB – Your first game here in Vancouver was a pre-season game and your first at-bat against UBC was a home run. What do you remember about that game?

JB – Yeah, that was cool. I’d heard all about the Canadians and the crowds they get, and just the atmosphere up here. I wasn’t really expecting much for a scrimmage or whatever. And sure enough, we had like 3,000 or 4,000 it felt like in here. And it was just a great environment, and the first at-bat, I hit a homer and it was just really cool. I mean, it was everything that they talked about.

CPB – I know the home runs weren’t coming early on this season but you still showed a good approach on the plate. Your on-base percentage has been pretty good this year. After your initial burst of six, seven home runs, how do you try to kind of put that out of your mind and say, ‘Look, they’re gonna come eventually?’

JB – Yeah, I think that’s another thing I did really well at Dunedin. Like you don’t ever try to hit homers, especially for me. I’m not a guy that’s just gonna have a ton of power and put it out of the yard every day. I’m just gonna be more gap-to-gap and hit homers every once in a while. I think that’s where I gotta get back to my approach and just stick to it, you know? The homers are gonna come. I just got to stick to the doubles in the gap game.

CPB – Your approach out of the plate with your left-handed swing. What is it that you’re thinking about when you go up there? I mean, obviously, it’s to crush the ball but do you have a certain approach?

JB – Yeah. Since I’ve been in high school, I just try to hit the ball to left-center. If I hit the ball to left-center, it’s usually when I’m going pretty good. My swing’s on path, it’s very direct and it gives me a chance to be able to sit on the off-speed as well,
to crush an off-speed pitch to the right-center gap or down the right field line. So, yeah, just stick to left-center.

CPB -Your first home run came against Sean Sullivan in Spokane, and you got him again here. What do you remember about your first regular season home run here at the Nat?

JB – Yeah, I don’t know. That guy’s really good and talented. For some reason, I get lucky every single time I face him. He’s got really good stuff. I put a good swing on a ball, and the one the other night, you know, went over right field. It feels like no one hits a ball out of right field, just how that wall and the wind and everything. So it was a really cool moment, but that guy’s a stud.

CPB – What’s it been like hitting here at The Nat? If you’re a right-handed hitter, left field is more inviting but talk about the challenges of hitting here at The Nat.

JB – It’s a fun park to play in. You got big gaps, you got a short porch over there on the left so I’ve definitely thought about trying to take the ball there a couple times but it’s a challenge. It’s a good place to play in but you just gotta stick to your approach, man. Like, you start getting outside of your approach, and then you’re like, ‘Oh, I’m not gonna hit the ball.’ That’s when the bad things start to happen.

CPB – When it comes to facing a left-hander, trying to stay on the ball, does that kind of help you kind of find yourself again in a way? Maybe facing a guy like maybe Sullivan kind of helps you down the line?

JB – Yeah, for sure. I mean, definitely, on a lefty the approach is you gotta stay on the ball. The ball feels like it’s coming behind you. You really gotta stay on the ball there versus a righty. It’s an easier slot. You’re seeing it out there. Definitely hitting lefties can get you back on the right track, so hopefully the other night, I can just kind of keep things rolling.

JB – I just wanted to talk about your outfield play. You’ve played all over. Mostly, it’s been right field. You had a great play the other night throwing out a runner. What are the challenges of being ready to play all three outfield positions?

JB -Yeah, I played all three for the first time last year in Arkansas. I played center and left in high school but when I got to college, it was more just like right and a little bit of left. Last year, we had our center fielder go down for a couple weeks, so I got to learn how to play a little bit of center field and got a little comfortable out there. It was also fun getting to cover some ground out there. But then, you know, this year, I played mostly right and a little bit of left and then a little bit of center with Dasan (Dasan Brown) being hurt. The Blue Jays take great pride in their defense in this organization. We’re all in this together. We’re all about saving runs. Pitching is getting really tough so the more runs you can save, you know, the better chance you have a chance to win. Ashley (Ashley Stephenson), our outfield coach, she works really hard with us out there, getting good reads. She’s done a phenomenal job this year in getting us better.

CPB – One thing I want to talk to you about. I saw something where you’re with a half-bat company. How does that help you?

JB – Yeah, the Pivot Point Grips. They put their grip on the half-bat and it’s a big part of my routine. The founder is also Brett Becker, the guy I met up in the Cape. I was actually one of the first guys to use their products when it was just like a prototype. I got to use it up there and it was in their first stages. He made the grip during COVID. He put his daughter’s Play-Doh on a bat and kind of like just gripped it. And he’s like, ‘You know? This is the correct way to grip the bat.’ So with a half-bat, you have to hold the bat a certain way for it to hit the ball flush. And with the grip, it just puts it on there nicely and you don’t have to worry about the way you hold the bat because when you pick it up, your hands are in the right spot. So you’re naturally going to hit the ball flush. And it’s helped me a lot with my routine, you know, just hitting balls with backspin. I feel like my misses are better too. It’s a great tool to use. I definitely recommend it for guys either in high school or youth age.

CPB – I just wanted to ask about the Player Development Complex. How’s that helped you out in Dunedin?

JB – Yeah. Just talking around the league with my buddies that are in pro ball. That complex down there in Dunedin is unbelievable, man. It’s second to none. I’m very fortunate. It’s one of the best facilities out there. I work out there every day during spring training and then obviously during the fall with instructs and stuff like that. But taking full advantage of that complex with our cages, with our hitting lab, our weight room is so nice and very spacious and I like the cafeteria. I can go on and on. The training room, the tubs, you know, it’s all there at your disposal. You just got to use it. And our staff’s really good about just making sure we’re doing the things that we should be doing to take care of our body.

CPB – Did you have a favourite major league team or player growing up?

JB – Being from Oklahoma, we don’t have a major league team, so I wasn’t like too big of an MLB fan growing up. We have the Dodgers, I can’t remember when we got them, but the Triple A (Dodgers) are in Oklahoma City. Growing up, I liked watching and following them a little bit. So I guess the Dodgers would have been my favorite team kind of growing up but watching Corey Seager when he came through the minors and had big league success. I really like the way he plays the game. Similar body type, left-handed. He plays short and I play outfield but I really love the way that he attacks the game and how he handles his approach to the plate.

CPB – Final question. The Canadians have five different uniforms—red, black, white, blue and gray. Do you have a favourite?

JB – Well, I’ll tell you which is my least favourite, which is the blues because we lose every single time in them. So definitely not blue. The whites are nice but I think I’m either going to have to go with either red or black. I think I’ve done better in black, so I’ll probably just choose black.

Jace Bohrofen File

Born – October 19, 2001 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Height/Weight – 6-foot-2, 205 pounds
Bats/Throws – Left/Right
Uniform Numbers – Wore number 8 for Oklahoma in 2021, wore number 8 for Arkansas in 2022 and 2023. Wore number 59 for the Florida Complex League Blue Jays and number 19 for Dunedin in 2023.
Walkup Music – “Free Bird” by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Instagram – @jacebohrofen
Twitter – @jace_bohrofen
The More You Know – Bohrofen is the first Arkansas Razorback to play for the C’s since righthanders Jackson Lowery and Zach Jackson in 2016.

Deposits from the ‘Thanks a Million’ account go to Jace Bohrofen and C’s broadcasters Tyler Zickel and Chris Georges for getting this C’s Chat on the super information highway.