Top 50 Blue Jays prospects of 2025
Published
It’s impossible to sugarcoat things.
Last year was a bad time for the Toronto Blue Jays’ pipeline, no matter which way you slice it.
On the hitting side, Orelvis Martinez made the majors, but was quickly popped with an 80-game suspension for PEDs, while the year featured little in the way of breakout performances as most position prospects either at best held serve or struggled more than expected.
The season wasn’t without some good stories — Alan Roden and Josh Kasevich made strides, while first-round pick Arjun Nimmala showed signs of star potential — but it was mostly muted.
But it’s the pitching side that’s become very concerning for an organization that has relied on extreme health from its starters at the big-league level to get by.
One of the greatest failures of the Mark Shapiro/Ross Atkins regime to this point is their inability to consistently develop the pitching needed to win year in and year out.
This past year has seen a new storyline develop, as the organization had nine pitchers succumb to Tommy John surgery.
From the very top of the prospect list with Ricky Tiedemann, Brandon Barriera and Landen Maroudis, to the mid-tier with Chad Dallas and Nolan Perry, Carson Pierce and trade acquisition Chris McElvain, to most recently bullpen arms like T.J. Brock and Connor Cooke, there were a concerning number of arm injuries throughout the minor league ranks.
Bad luck or something else?
While the organization investigated their training methods and also made staff changes in hopes of rectifying the problem, many of the aforementioned names will be sidelined for most if not all of the 2025 season, stalling the development of a number of key prospects.
As you read these player profiles, you’re likely to notice one common theme — it’s a big year for a lot of these prospects.
There’s no doubt this farm system isn’t great, and that’s the general consensus amongst most evaluators.
But a handful of breakouts can change things in an instant, and this is a system that heads into 2025 with a handful of players who could do just that.
For the seventh year in a row, enjoy the 2025 look at the top 50 Blue Jays prospects.
Previous editions of the list:
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
Eligibility
Hitters: Under 130 career at-bats
Pitchers: Under 50 career innings pitched
Top 50 by position
Catchers: 2
Corner infielders: 9
Middle infielders: 7
Outfielders: 11
Pitchers: 21
How they were acquired
Trade: 11
MLB draft: 25
International free agency: 13
Rule 5 draft: 1
Affiliate levels
Triple-A East: Buffalo Bisons
Double-A Northeast: New Hampshire Fisher-Cats
High-A West: Vancouver Canadians
Single-A Southeast: Dunedin Blue Jays
Florida Complex League: FCL Blue Jays (Dunedin, Fla.)
Dominican Summer League: DSL Blue Jays (Boca Chica, D.R.)
Graduated (4+1 NR)
6. SS Leo Jimenez, age-23
7. 3B/OF Addison Barger, age-24
8. 2B/OF Davis Schneider, age-25
36. RHP Bowden Francis, age-28
NA OF/1B Joey Loperfido, age-25
Gone (4+8 NR)
15. 1B Spencer Horwitz, age-26 (traded to CLE for Gimenez)
31. 2B Otto Lopez, age-25 (traded to SF for cash)
35. RHP Yosver Zulueta, age-26 (lost on waivers to CIN)
37. RHP Hagen Danner, age-26 (lost on waivers to SEA)
NR LHP Brandon Eisert, age-27 (traded to TB for cash)
NR INF Luis De Los Santos, age-26 (lost on waivers to NYM)
NR OF Cam Eden, age-26 (traded to NYY for cash)
NR LHP Jimmy Robbins, age-26, AAA (traded to TEX for cash)
NR 2B/3B Tanner Morris, age-26, AAA (traded to MIN for cash)
NR OF Garrett Spain, age-24, AA (claimed by MIL in R5 draft)
NR RHP Josh Mollerus, age-24, A+ (traded to TEX for Rodriguez)
NA OF Nick Mitchell, age-21, A (traded to CLE for Gimenez)
FELL OFF (17)
19. RHP Chad Dallas, age-25, AAA
20. 3B Alex De Jesus, age-23, AA
22. 2B/3B Tucker Toman, age-21, A
23. RHP Connor Cooke, age-25, AAA
24. RHP Dahian Santos, age-22, AA
26. RHP CJ Van Eyk, age-26, AA
28. OF Yhoangel Aponte, age-21, A
30. OF Gabriel Martinez, age-22, AA
32. INF/OF Rafael Lantigua, age-27, AAA
34. RHP Devereaux Harrison, age-24, AA
38. RHP Hayden Juenger, age-24, AAA
39. RHP T.J. Brock, age-25, AA
41. RHP Michael Dominguez, age-24, AA
43. SS/2B Manuel Beltre, age-21, A
45. OF David Guzman, age-19, CPX
47. C Edward Duran, age-21, A
48. 2B Miguel Hiraldo, age-24, AAA
50 SS Eleinaker Coronado
Last year’s ranking: NA, 2023 rank: NA
Acquired: 2024 IFA (Venezuela)
2025 age: 17
Expected starting affiliate: Dominican Summer League
YEAR IN REVIEW: Handed the third-largest bonus in the Jays’ recent 2025 international free agent class, Coronado is more polished than most at his age and comes billed as a baseball IQ-type. Some of that may come from his father Jose Coronado, who played 752 games across eight minor league seasons in the New York Mets organization 15 years ago.
OUTLOOK: With a well-rounded skillset headlined by his hit tool, Coronado will head to the DSL this summer and hope to start turning tools into on-field production.
FUTURE ROLE: First-division starter
MLB ETA: 2030
——
49. RHP Gilberto Batista
Last year’s ranking: NA, 2023 rank: NA
Acquired: Trade from Boston, July 27, 2024 (Danny Jansen)
2025 age: 20
Expected starting affiliate: Single-A Dunedin
YEAR IN REVIEW: Acquired from the Red Sox as one of three pieces in exchange for veteran catcher Danny Jansen, Batista is the youngest of the bunch and the furthest away. There’s also a chance he has the most upside if things click, as the wiry right-hander was impressive in his first stateside season in 2024, registering a 3.38 ERA across 37.1 innings.
OUTLOOK: With some projection remaining and a four-pitch mix headlined by a 92-95 mph heater, the hope is Batista can add a tick or two more velocity and harness his command at the same time. Easier said than done, but he’s already made strides in both departments sign signing for just $10,000 out of the Dominican Republic a couple years ago.
FUTURE ROLE: Back-end SP
MLB ETA: 2028
——
48. LHP Kai Peterson
Last year’s ranking: NR, 2023 rank: NA
Acquired: 2023 20th round (604th overall)
2025 age: 22
Expected starting affiliate: High-A Vancouver
YEAR IN REVIEW: When you’re drafted in the final round of a 20-round selection process, you’re not going to get much attention as a prospect. Being a reliever makes it doubly hard to earn any buzz. But what does get you buzz? Huge whiff rates, and that’s exactly what Peterson did in Single-A last summer, finishing with a whopping 91 punch-outs across 49.2 innings.
OUTLOOK: It’s not just the stat line that impresses when it comes to this lefty – the underlying whiff rates and metrics on the fastball are elite, too. Other than the high-90s velocity, it’s Josh Hader-type stuff in a lot of ways, with a little less gas. He’s the reliever to pay attention to in the system this year.
FUTURE ROLE: Middle RP
MLB ETA: 2027
——
47. RHP Geison Urbaez
Last year’s ranking: NR, 2023 rank: NR
Acquired: 2020 IFA (Dominican Republic)
2025 age: 24
Expected starting affiliate: Double-A New Hampshire
YEAR IN REVIEW: After missing all of 2023 due to Tommy John, Urbaez returned to 42.1 frames in 2024 as the Jays were very careful with his workload coming off surgery. The numbers have always been quiet in the strikeout department, but the 6-foot-1, 180-pound righty did get results with a 3.72 ERA at High-A Vancouver.
OUTLOOK: While the numbers don’t jump off the page, Urbaez is a perfect example of scouting beyond the box score. The first thing that’s noteworthy is the huge ground ball rate at 53.7 per cent offsets the lack of swing and miss, while the heater was also touching 99 mph out of the bullpen late last season. He’s likely to start in the bullpen this year, which is why he’s at No. 47 and not much, much higher, but it’s without a doubt a live arm that’s interesting in a variety of roles.
FUTURE ROLE: Middle RP
MLB ETA: 2027
——
46. LHP Mason Fluharty
Last year’s ranking: 40, 2023 rank: NR
Acquired: 2022 fifth round (158th overall)
2025 age: 23
Expected starting affiliate: Triple-A Buffalo
YEAR IN REVIEW: It’s low-90s velo, which doesn’t stand out one bit these days, but it’s the rising nature of the fastball and the way Fluharty is able to hide it from the left side that allows for success. The Jays have spent a lot of draft capital trying to find some close-to-ready pitching depth in the past three drafts, and Fluharty looks like he’ll be the first to contribute with his tricky, low-slot delivery. Fluharty held left-handed hitters to a .658 OPS last year, while also handling righty hitters reasonably well with a .727 OPS against.
OUTLOOK: The lefty out of Liberty has now enjoyed two straight solid seasons in the upper minors and is on the verge of contributing to the big league club, especially with the dearth of southpaws in the organization. The hope is this is the club’s next Tim Mayza, a quality middle innings arm who can occasionally be employed in a setup role despite a lack of wipeout stuff. He has the feel of a longtime big-league LOOGY.
FUTURE ROLE: Middle RP
MLB ETA: 2025
——
45. OF Eddie Micheletti Jr.
Eddie Micheletti Jr. Virginia Tech
Last year’s ranking: NA, 2023 rank: NA
Acquired: 2024 eighth round (247th overall)
2025 age: 23
Expected starting affiliate: High-A Vancouver
YEAR IN REVIEW: He sounds more like a NASCAR driver than a baseball player, but Micheletti Jr. is an underrated lefty hitter out of Virginia Tech who posted an impressive 155 wRC+ in his debut.
OUTLOOK: As a left field-only option, Micheletti is going to have to hit a lot in order to get himself on the prospect radar, but there’s a chance the bat is underrated at this point. There are some Spencer Horwitz qualities to his offensive profile.
FUTURE ROLE: Corner platoon bat
MLB ETA: 2027
——
44. C Aaron Parker
Last year’s ranking: NA, 2023 rank: NA
Acquired: 2024 sixth round (187th overall)
2025 age: 22
Expected starting affiliate: High-A Vancouver
YEAR IN REVIEW: The Jays are trying desperately to replenish the catching pipeline, using the IFA market as well as the draft last year to restock. Drafted out of UC Santa Barbara, Parker is built like a fire hydrant at 5-foot-9 and 200 pounds, giving him oodles of game power. In 100 plate appearances at Single-A post draft, Parker cranked five home runs. He also registered a 109 mph exit velocity on his hardest hit ball.
OUTLOOK: There aren’t many secrets to what Parker’s developmental curve will look like if he’s to be successful. The first part is he needs to keep hitting for power, which likely won’t be an issue. But how he cleans up the defensive side of things will be the separator when it comes to his prospect status.
FUTURE ROLE: Second-division starter
MLB ETA: 2027
——
43. 1B Rainer Nunez
Last year’s ranking: 44, 2023 rank: 27
Acquired: 2017 IFA (Dominican Republic)
2025 age: 24
Expected starting affiliate: Double-A New Hampshire
YEAR IN REVIEW: Signed way back in 2017, it feels like Nunez has been on this list forever, and he kind of has. At one time as high as No. 27 in the system a couple of years ago, Nunez stagnated a bit after a powerful display in winter ball a couple off-seasons ago, but he continues to show big time power and high-end exit velocities, which keep him hanging around on the back end of this list. It was an interesting 2024 season for Nunez, who struggled badly in April but batted .295 with 12 homers in 88 games from May on and finished with a 121 wRC+ overall. He made big strides from his first taste of Double-A in 2023 when he posted a 70 wRC+ in his first 326 plate appearances at that level.
OUTLOOK: As a right-handed hitting first baseman, Nunez has to hit, hit, and then hit some more in order to find a major-league future, and he has not done that consistently enough to generate much buzz. He’s shown he can crush left-handed pitching, so maybe there’s a platoon or bench role in the future, but it’s a big year for him to prove the 110-mph exit velocities are more than just flashes.
FUTURE ROLE: Corner platoon bat
MLB ETA: 2026
——
42. 1B/OF Riley Tirotta
Last year’s ranking: NR, 2023 rank: NR
Acquired: 2021 12th round (362nd overall)
2025 age: 26
Expected starting affiliate: Triple-A Buffalo
YEAR IN REVIEW: For a while last summer, it looked like Tirotta might do his best Davis Schneider impression and come from prospect obscurity to make big league contributions out of nowhere, but he slumped in the second half at Triple-A and did not get a chance. After knocking 11 homers through the month of June, the former University of Dayton Flyer hit just four in 59 games the rest of the way.
OUTLOOK: If you just turn on the video, Tirotta looks a lot like Kris Bryant in the box with his lanky levers from the right side. That’s sort of where the comp ends with the former Chicago Cubs star, but Tirotta gets on base via the walk thanks to his approach and his bat path allows him to square balls up when he’s in a groove. Mostly a corner infielder with first base his best spot, the Jays gave Tirotta time in left field last year and any extra positional versatility would maybe help him carve out some MLB bench time down the road.
FUTURE ROLE: Corner platoon bat
MLB ETA: 2025
——
41. 2B/3B Cade Doughty
Last year’s ranking: 16, 2023 rank: 7
Acquired: 2022 second round (78th overall)
2025 age: 24
Expected starting affiliate: Double-A New Hampshire
YEAR IN REVIEW: Now almost three years removed from having five top 100 picks thanks to Marcus Semien and Robbie Ray leaving in free agency, it’s now time to call that haul a major disappointment. Sure, Alan Roden (98th overall) and Josh Kasevich (60th overall) are in the top 10 on this list, but neither looks like a cornerstone type player. In the first round, high school lefty Brandon Barriera just had TJ surgery, and even worse, Tucker Toman, who was supposed to be the highest upside pick of the bunch at No. 77, is off this list completely now. Doughty, meanwhile, struggled with injuries last year and only played 40 games, but the .213/.248/.287 slash line with just one home run in 114 trips to the plate at Double-A show the LSU product has a lot of catching up to do.
OUTLOOK: Stop me if you’ve read this line before — it’s a big year for this guy's prospect status. Based on the fact he was hurt for much of 2024, there’s a good chance Doughty rebounds, but the Double-A New Hampshire team will have a lineup full of players with something to prove with the stick.
FUTURE ROLE: Second-division starter
MLB ETA: 2027
——
40. OF Yohendrick Pinango
Last year’s ranking: NA, 2023 rank: NA
Acquired: Trade from Chicago Cubs, July 27, 2024 (Nate Pearson)
2025 age: 23
Expected starting affiliate: Double-A New Hampshire
YEAR IN REVIEW: Pinango is an analytics favourite, pairing above average exit velocities with plus contact rates for a package that should be a very interesting left-handed hitter. The issue is all the exciting data hasn’t manifested in on-field production and Pinango slashed .239/.331/.389 with 10 home runs across 474 plate appearances last season.
OUTLOOK: Acquired alongside glove-first middle infielder Josh Rivera, who did not crack this list, in exchange for former saviour Nate Pearson, Pinango is essentially a lottery ticket with a ton of positive traits that have yet to translate. With another season at Double-A, we’ll have a much better idea if he’ll ever be able to put it together in the batter’s box and not just a spreadsheet.
FUTURE ROLE: Corner platoon bat
MLB ETA: 2027
——
39. 3B/2B Eddinson Paulino
Last year’s ranking: NA, 2023 rank: NA
Acquired: Trade from Boston, July 27, 2024 (Danny Jansen)
2025 age: 22
Expected starting affiliate: Double-A New Hampshire
YEAR IN REVIEW: Another piece to the three-player package that the Jays received in exchange for Danny Jansen, Paulino had bounced around the Boston Red Sox’ prospect lists for years, settling in as a likely lefty platoon stick who can be deployed at second or third base. The 2024 season saw a big drop off in power as he reached Double-A and he slashed just .248/.328/.363 with three homers across 314 trips to the plate.
OUTLOOK: Paulino will head back to New Hampshire to attempt to master the Double-A level that gave him some trouble last year, and the Jays will hope to unlock some pull-side power that might raise Paulino’s ultimate ceiling. Right now, he’s in utility man territory, but at least it’s one who hits left-handed.
FUTURE ROLE: Bat-first utilityman
MLB ETA: 2027
——
38. 3B/SS Cutter Coffey
Last year’s ranking: NA, 2023 rank: NA
Acquired: Trade from Boston, July 27, 2024 (Danny Jansen)
2025 age: 21
Expected starting affiliate: High-A Vancouver
YEAR IN REVIEW: The owner of an 80-grade name, Coffey starts a run of prospects that were added in the mini trade deadline selloff that the Jays underwent last July. While there weren’t a ton of blue-chippers added in that process, it did add some much needed depth to the system and a handful of them have some projection remaining, too. Coffey is one with some projection as a two-way high schooler now fully focused on hitting. While he loves to chase, resulting in some high K totals, Coffey did hit 15 home runs in High-A as a 20-year-old and finished with a 109 wRC+. Defensively, he’s expected to continue splitting time between third base and shortstop, where his strong arm plays nicely.
OUTLOOK: As the 41st overall pick from the 2022 draft, the Jays have another interesting multi-positional bat to work with and Coffey’s power potential allows for some projection. You’ve read this a lot because the system is littered with them, but Coffey’s likely outcome at this point is utility infielder.
FUTURE ROLE: Bat-first utilityman
MLB ETA: 2028
——
37. OF Dasan Brown
Last year’s ranking: 29, 2023 rank: 17
Acquired: 2019 third round (88th overall)
2025 age: 23
Expected starting affiliate: Double-A New Hampshire
YEAR IN REVIEW: The Oakville product continues his trend of taking time to adjust at every new level, as he improved in his second go-round at High-A, before struggling in his first taste of the upper minors with a .217/.284/.302 slash line across 32 games.
OUTLOOK: Thanks to his combo of elite speed and glovework in centre field, Brown will always have an MLB bench floor if he can find a way to just keep his head above water at the plate. Double-A is going to be a good indicator of that so it’s a really big year for Brown to cut down on some of the swing and miss and find an approach that works with his skillset. The bat will always be light but the speed is a real weapon, leaving Brown as the Willie Mays Hayes of the Blue Jays organization.
FUTURE ROLE: Bench specialist
MLB ETA: 2027
——
36. 1B/3B Damiano Palmegiani
Last year’s ranking: 14, 2023 rank: 28
Acquired: 2021 14th round (422nd overall)
2025 age: 25
Expected starting affiliate: Triple-A Buffalo
YEAR IN REVIEW: It was an odd year for Palmegiani, who came into 2024 as a low-key breakout candidate thanks to his pull-side power and good approach at the plate. In the end, he did hit 19 homers at Triple-A, but slugged just .381 and didn’t have the same type of offensive impact that he did in 2023 when he put up a 146 wRC+ in a 20-game cameo in Buffalo. Defensively, he added left field to the portfolio and that would help him find utility role down the road.
OUTLOOK: Thanks to slashing .210/.311/.381 with an 82 wRC+, Palmegiani will have to go back the drawing board this season at Triple-A to find his lost pop. He’s the type of bat who could lock in for a stretch and earn a call-up at any point, but it’s sort of like Davis Schneider — if he doesn’t hit, there’s not much else.
FUTURE ROLE: Corner platoon bat
MLB ETA: 2025
——
35. OF/2B Sam Shaw
Sam Shaw Toronto Blue Jays
Last year’s ranking: 27, 2023 rank: NA
Acquired: 2023 ninth round (274th overall)
2025 age: 20
Expected starting affiliate: Single-A Dunedin
YEAR IN REVIEW: Despite the Jays needing to go over slot to sign him in the ninth round of the 2023, he’s still completely under the radar as a prospect and his 2024 season didn’t do much to change that. That also doesn’t mean it was a bad season; it was simply quiet. Spending the year on the complex, Shaw slashed .220/.361/.304 with a 94 wRC+. He hit just two homers across 51 games, but did steal 10 bases and walked more than he struck out.
OUTLOOK: Those who love Shaw really love him and describe him simply as a “hitter” which is about as nice as it gets in scout speak. He’s a lefty bat, which is good. He also hits the ball pretty hard for a teenager and, last year, he started showing some of the fastest run times in the entire organization. Also good. A passive hitter at the dish, an approach tweak could unlock more production for Shaw in 2025, while he’s also expected to work back in at second base after spending last summer focusing on his outfield work. It’s a very interesting skillset that is going to have him on the breakout radar for the next couple of years, even if it doesn’t happen right away.
FUTURE ROLE: Bat-first utilityman
MLB ETA: 2028
——
34.C Franklin Rojas
Last year’s ranking: 50, 2023 rank: NA
Acquired: 2024 IFA (Venezuela)
2025 age: 18
Expected starting affiliate: Complex League
YEAR IN REVIEW: Rojas didn’t flunk his DSL test as a 17-year-old, but it was far from a breakout, either. The right-handed stick showed a good approach and was able to get on base at a .398 clip, but there wasn’t much power and he was actually out-produced by little known Randy Soto, a switch-hitting catcher who was one of the final names chopped from the back end of this list. The tools he showed are what moves him up this list in 2025.
OUTLOOK: From Rikelbin De Castro in 2019 to Manuel Beltre to Luis Meza to Enmanuel Bonilla headlining the 2023 IFA class and getting the largest bonus the franchise has ever handed out, the Jays have not had much luck on the international market in recent years. Even 2018 headliner Orelvis Martinez is still waiting to get his feet wet at the MLB level, and that’s almost seven full years after signing. Catchers sometimes take forever and things can click in an instant, but whether it’s Rojas or Meza, they haven’t come close to equalling the Gabriel Moreno/Alejandro Kirk pipeline from half a decade ago.
FUTURE ROLE: First-division starter
MLB ETA: 2030
——
33. SS Cristopher Polanco
Last year’s ranking: NA, 2023 rank: NA
Acquired: 2025 IFA (Dominican Republic)
2025 age: 17
Expected starting affiliate: Dominican Summer League
YEAR IN REVIEW: At $2.3 million, Polanco earned the largest bonus in the Jays’ 2025 IFA class thanks to his potential all-around impact at the shortstop spot. A left-handed hitter, the 5-foot-10, 175-pounder is billed as an advanced bat for a teen, and projects at this point to be able to stick at shortstop. Fellow Dominican shortstop Juan Sanchez, who was handed the second-largest bonus at an even $1 million, ended up just off the list, while Venezuelan shortstop Eleinaker Coronado and his $600,000 bonus also cracked the list at No. 50.
OUTLOOK: Having just turned 17 on Jan. 3, Polanco will head to the Dominican Summer League and hope to up his prospect stock in his first year in the organization, something that has been very hit or miss with the Jays’ bonus babies since the pandemic.
FUTURE ROLE: First-division starter
MLB ETA: 2030
——
32. RHP Carson Messina
Last year’s ranking: NA, 2023 rank: NA
Acquired: 2024 12th round (367th overall)
2025 age: 19
Expected starting affiliate: Complex League
YEAR IN REVIEW: The Jays went over slot in the 12th round to snag this high school right-hander and buy him out of a commitment to South Carolina. Messina runs his fastball up to 97 mph and has a typical breaking ball and changeup combo as secondaries that he’ll need to develop.
OUTLOOK: The consensus for most draft experts was that Messina will wind up in the bullpen where his stuff might play up significantly, but the Jays fully intend to develop him as a starter when he makes his pro debut later this summer. Sometimes these guys prove to be way more polished than expected and quickly break out. Messina has good enough stuff to do just that, but he’ll be handled carefully in 2025.
FUTURE ROLE: Back-end SP
MLB ETA: 2029
——
31. RHP Nolan Perry
Last year’s ranking: 25, 2023 rank: 39
Acquired: 2022 12th round (368th overall)
2025 age: 21
Expected starting affiliate: Injured list
YEAR IN REVIEW: The Jays put the kid gloves on with Perry and even that didn’t work as he succumbed to Tommy John surgery late in the year and will miss all of 2025. Prior to going down, Perry had made 14 starts at Single-A and provided moments for optimism, but also walked 39 batters across his 46 innings. Somehow, despite that, he posted a 2.93 ERA. Despite his rawness, Perry proved he has a real feel for his craft on the mound.
OUTLOOK: He’s out for the season so there isn’t much to say other than he mostly holds his position on this list and will likely do so again for 2026 until he gets on a mound in game action again. Holding pattern for a good stretch.
FUTURE ROLE: Back-end SP
MLB ETA: 2028
——
30. OF Andres Arias
Last year’s ranking: 49, 2023 rank: NA
Acquired: 2024 IFA (Dominican Republic)
2025 age: 18
Expected starting affiliate: Complex League
YEAR IN REVIEW: He’s flip-flopped from the first name Andres to Yunior and back again, but the skillset remains unchanged. Standing 6-foot-4 with long levers and some impressive tools, Arias debuted in the DSL last summer and held his own, slashing .309/.441/.418 and showing a good approach at the plate. Even though he did not hit a home run, the lanky outfielder projects to hit for some power as he fills out his frame.
OUTLOOK: The Jays have struggled to find breakout bats on the international market in recent years, with Enmanuel Bonilla’s quiet debut last summer the latest early disappointment. Maybe Arias can but that trend, but the fact he’s already No. 30 on this list speaks more to the lack of proven talent in the system, allowing some to rise higher based on extreme potential rather than any sort of track record at this point.
FUTURE ROLE: First-division starter
MLB ETA: 2029
——
29. 1B Peyton Williams
Last year’s ranking: NR, 2023 rank: NR
Acquired: 2022 seventh round (218th overall)
2025 age: 24
Expected starting affiliate: Double-A New Hampshire
YEAR IN REVIEW: Drafted three years ago, Williams hasn’t made it onto this list until now, and debuting in the top 30 is not the norm given the depth of it. The big corn-fed Iowa native has a pretty easy profile to figure out as a hulking 1B-only slugger who’s listed at 6-foot-5 and 255 pounds, and it’s a rare skillset in this system. He needs to hit and hit a lot, hopefully with power. Until last year, Williams hadn’t really done that, but he started to find his groove as the summer went on in 2024. Williams didn’t hit his first homer until June last year, but after he did he batted .313 the rest of the way, showing the power and patience needed from the left side of the plate for his profile to work.
OUTLOOK: Williams turned some heads in the Arizona Fall League by hitting a couple of absolute tanks, including one off the bat at 111.6 mph. It should come as no surprise that hits the ball as hard as anyone in the organization, and considering how starved the Jays are for power Williams’ skill-set definitely stands out. He could be a line for a big Rowdy Tellez-type breakout at Double-A New Hampshire if the stars align.
FUTURE ROLE: Second-division starter
MLB ETA: 2027
——
28. RHP Silvano Hechavarria
Last year’s ranking: NA, 2023 rank: NA
Acquired: 2024 IFA (Cuba)
2025 age: 22
Expected starting affiliate: Single-A Dunedin
YEAR IN REVIEW: If you have never heard of this guy, don’t feel bad. The big Cuban right-hander didn’t even sign until quietly inking a deal for $240,000 last June with some leftover 2024 international bonus pool money and then heading off to the Dominican Summer League to get some work in against much younger competition. In 10 starts there, Hechavarria posted a pristine 1.84 and was mostly unhittable 29.4 per cent K-rate and a .159 batting average against.
OUTLOOK: Don’t let the publicly listed measurements fool you here. Hechavarria checks in at a sturdy 6-foot-5, 233 pounds and has the look of a future workhorse starter if he can keep up the momentum when he makes his stateside debut this year. It’s a typical three or four pitch mix with a mid-90s fastball that he can run up to 97, a changeup, and a couple different variations of breaking balls that he’s toyed with. He could move fairly quickly if it’s clear he’s too advanced for the low minors early on in 2025. This might be one to get excited about soon.
FUTURE ROLE: Mid-rotation SP
MLB ETA: 2028
——
27. RHP Lazaro Estrada
Last year’s ranking: NR, 2023 rank: NR
Acquired: 2018 IFA (Cuba)
2025 age: 26
Expected starting affiliate: Triple-A Buffalo
YEAR IN REVIEW: Signed a full seven years ago out of Cuba, Estrada’s path onto this list has been circuits to say the least. He threw a total of 117.2 frames in rookie ball over the course of the 2018 and 2019 seasons, before the pandemic interrupted things. A couple years later, visa issues prevented him from getting to High-A Vancouver when it was clear he needed that challenge. At the age of 25 last year, Estrada finally got the chance to prove things against more advanced competition and did not look out of place, registering a 3.29 ERA across 22 starts at three different levels, striking out 113 over 98.1 innings. He then went to the Arizona Fall League and impressed with 19 punch-outs across his 11.2 frames.
OUTLOOK: Undersized at 5-10, 180 pounds with a fastball that sits in the low-90s, it’s obvious why Estrada has never appeared on this list. But the performance in 11 starts at Double-A was notable, even if the 4.47 ERA was not. The spin-rate curveball and the rising heater are at least an interesting base to work with, but he was passed over in the Rule 5 Draft so even the most analytically-inclined teams didn’t see a bullpen candidate. In an organization light on starting pitcher depth with the Jays, Estrada might be able to surprise.
FUTURE ROLE: Back-end SP
MLB ETA: 2026
——
26. RHP Angel Bastardo
Last year’s ranking: NA, 2023 rank: NA
Acquired: 2024 Rule 5 Draft from Boston
2025 age: 23
Expected starting affiliate: Injured list
YEAR IN REVIEW: It’s not Elvis Luciano teenager territory, but the Jays finally made another Rule 5 draft pick and it’s a project. It’s not only because the right-hander hasn’t pitched above Double-A in the Boston Red Sox organization, but he also had Tommy John surgery last June and is expected to miss most of the 2025 season. Over the course of his mini breakout season in 2024, Bastardo made 23 starts with a 4.68 ERA and 149 punch-outs in 119.1 frames, following that up with a 5.36 ERA in 10 starts at Double-A last season before he got hurt.
OUTLOOK: The changeup is his calling card and there’s a mid-90s fastball to work with, but the command wavers and it’s likely he’s destined for the bullpen eventually. This is where the Rule 5 requirements come into play. Since Bastardo will start the season on the IL and won’t be ready until the summer at the earliest, the Jays as a contender would be an interesting spot in order to get him onto the active roster for 90 days. The likely scenario is they slow play the entire situation, get him into the offseason program fully healthy in order to make whatever tweaks they saw when they decided to pick him, and give Bastardo a healthy spring training 2026 to prove them right. If it doesn’t work, he’ll simply be returned to Boston, but it will depend where the Jays are. If they’re rebuilding by then, he makes for an easy low-leverage bullpen carry.
FUTURE ROLE: Back-end SP
MLB ETA: 2027
——
25. RHP Ryan Jennings
Ryan Jennings Toronto Blue Jays
Last year’s ranking: 42, 2023 rank: NR
Acquired: 2022 4th round (128th overall)
2025 age: 26
Expected starting affiliate: Double-A New Hampshire
YEAR IN REVIEW: A fourth-round pick three years ago out of Louisiana Tech — a school that features notable alum like Charlie Montoyo and Matt Dunigan — Jennings enjoyed an excellent year. Split between two levels and two roles, the right-hander posted a 1.93 ERA, but he did walk 23 batters across his 60.2 frames — he also plunked six more and threw eight wild pitches — and the command came and went. At just 6-foot and 190 pounds, he’s undersized but out of his four-pitch mix both the mid-90s fastball and curveball look like legit big-league offerings.
OUTLOOK: Most of these write-ups are simple facts blended with sourced information, but I won’t lie sometimes I just latch onto certain players or profiles more than others. Jennings was a favourite last year and he pitched well, but the consensus was that he was destined for the bullpen pretty quickly from outside evaluators. He excelled in that role late in the year, but I honestly wish Jennings would get more run as a traditional starter and I think they could have something here. He’ll be 26 this year so the idea is probably to get him to the big leagues to help the bullpen and go from there. Bowden Francis vibes, anyone? He’s got an outside shot to make the opening day roster, but there’s also a chance he’s back in Double-A as a starter. He’s one of the most intriguing arms in the system for 2025.
FUTURE ROLE: Back-end SP or High-leverage RP
MLB ETA: 2025
——
24. RHP Juaron Watts-Brown
Last year’s ranking: 18, 2023 rank: NA
Acquired: 2023 3rd round (89th overall)
2025 age: 23
Expected starting affiliate: High-A Vancouver
YEAR IN REVIEW: After signing for over-slot, JWB debuted last year with a whole lot of curious eyes on him and pretty much looked like what people expected coming out of Oklahoma. Overall, he made 21 starts with a 4.72 ERA, striking out a whole lot of hitters with his devastating slider, but also serving up a very hittable heater and issuing far too many free passes against low minors hitters.
OUTLOOK: Many thought Watts-Brown would eventually land in the bullpen, and he didn’t nothing to change that opinion for most in 2024. It’s not going to happen anytime soon, but Double-A is going to be a huge test and the command will have to come around a big way against more advanced competition. If you were inclined to bet on the situation, it’s very likely a high-leverage reliever, maybe even a closer. But that’s down the road and 2025 will be interesting to watch in New Hampshire.
FUTURE ROLE: Back-end SP or high-leverage RP
MLB ETA: 2027
——
23. OF RJ Schreck
Last year’s ranking: NA, 2023 rank: NA
Acquired: Trade from Seattle, July 29, 2024 (Justin Turner)
2025 age: 24
Expected starting affiliate: Double-A New Hampshire
YEAR IN REVIEW: The Seattle Mariners have done a solid job mining talent in the middle rounds of the draft in recent years, and the Jays are hoping Schreck is another success story after they acquired the 2023 ninth-round pick in exchange for Justin Turner at last year’s trade deadline. Following the trade, the left-handed hitting Schreck caught fire in his new organization at Double-A, slashing .255/.377/.521 with five homers in 28 games.
OUTLOOK: After finishing with an overall 142 wRC+, 17 homers, and almost as many walks as Ks in his first full pro season, Schreck’s stock is pointing up and he was even asked about in trade talks over the winter. With some success in Double-A under his belt, Schreck could appear in the big leagues fairly quickly if he picks up where he left off and his advanced approach and sneaky good bat speed might allow it to work right away. He’s also a marketing department’s dream with an easy last name for some between inning jumbotron games.
FUTURE ROLE: Second-division starter
MLB ETA: 2026
——
22. OF Jace Bohrofen
Last year’s ranking: 17, 2023 rank: NA
Acquired: 2022 sixth round (184th overall)
2025 age: 23
Expected starting affiliate: Double-A New Hampshire
YEAR IN REVIEW: Through the month of July, the lefty-swinging Arkansas Razorbacks product looked like one hitter. Not a very good one. After a solid 2023 debut, Bohrofen came out the gates and 81 games in to start 2024 was sitting on seven home runs and a .218 batting average. Over his next 28 games, Bohrofen proceeded to equal that homer total, drive in 27 runs and bat .348 to finish his year out scorching hot and provide a whole lot of optimism that he had figured things out heading into 2025.
OUTLOOK: Atypical of most left-handed hitters, Bohrofen actually hit same-side pitching very well last season, slashing .270/.362/.459 with a trio of homers against southpaws. If he can continue doing that and replicate his last two months, it’ll be a breakout situation pretty quickly. You’ll read this a lot, but Double-A is a proving ground and it’s a big year for Bohrofen. He seems to have all the ingredients to be a productive big-league outfielder.
FUTURE ROLE: Corner platoon bat
MLB ETA: 2027
——
21. 3B/1B Sean Keys
Last year’s ranking: NA 2023 rank: NA
Acquired: 2024 fourth round (125th overall)
2025 age: 22
Expected starting affiliate: High-A Vancouver
YEAR IN REVIEW: Plucked in the fourth round of out Bucknell — a liberal arts college in Pennsylvania, in case you’re curious — Keys comes with all the typical markers that productive corner infielders usually have. He hits the ball hard enough, employs a solid plate approach that should draw walks and keep the Ks at a reasonable level for the profile, and the left-handed hitter can drive the ball to the pull side when he finds the barrel. After signing, Keys got into 22 games at Single-A Dunedin and performed well with a .291/.378/.451 slash line.
OUTLOOK: The Jays haven’t had much luck drafting this type of profile, and they tend to go one of two ways early on. Keys could come out and rake at High-A or he could ho-hum his way into prospect no-man’s land. The positives above could be offset by a couple of legitimate concerns. First, Keys hasn’t shown much ability to hit left-handed pitching thus far, pushing him into platoon territory. Secondly, listed at 6-foot-2, 225 pounds, Keys is already a big boy and will have to stay mobile enough in order to stick at the hot corner in the future. In his debut, the Jays divvied things up with 15 games at third base, five at first and two DH appearances.
FUTURE ROLE: Corner platoon bat
MLB ETA: 2027
——
20. OF Enmanuel Bonilla
Last year’s ranking: 5, 2023 rank: 12
Acquired: 2023 IFA (Dominican Republic)
2025 age: 19
Expected starting affiliate: Single-A Dunedin
YEAR IN REVIEW: At $4.1 million, Bonilla got one of the biggest international bonuses the Jays have ever doled out and so far the returns have been minimal. After looking just OK in his Dominican Summer League debut in 2023, Bonilla came stateside last summer and proceeded to strike out 35.5 per cent of the time on the complex. The swing-and-miss issues led to an ugly .186/.257/.299 slash line across 53 games.
OUTLOOK: He’s still a teenager so there’s no reason to give up, but everyone definitely wanted more from Bonilla, who looks the part getting off the bus. The power is very real but the approach issues are real, too, and Bonilla will be watched closely this year as a huge bonus baby. For comparison’s sake, Orelvis Martinez posted a 149 wRC+ with 19 homers in 71 games as a 19-year-old in A-ball so Bonilla has a lot of catching up to do in his own age-19 season in 2025.
FUTURE ROLE: First-division starter
MLB ETA: 2029
——
19. 3B/OF Charlie McAdoo
Last year’s ranking: NA, 2023 rank: NA
Acquired: Trade from Pittsburgh, July 30, 2024 (Isiah Kiner-Falefa)
2025 age: 23
Expected starting affiliate: Double-A New Hampshire
YEAR IN REVIEW: A 13th-round pick out of San Jose State in the 2023 draft, McAdoo was enjoying a breakout season in the Pirates pipeline and they used that to parlay him into Isiah Kiner-Falefa at the trade deadline. Unfortunately for the Jays, McAdoo finished out the year batting .185 in 37 Double-A games for his new organization, pulling his overall season slash line down to .279/.364/.479.
OUTLOOK: The important aspect of McAdoo’s game is power and the 6-foot-1, 210-pounder has as much pop as anyone in the pipeline from the right side of the plate. Like so many of the position players on this list, he also doesn’t really have a defensive home as the Jays used him at first base, third base and right field after the trade.
FUTURE ROLE: Second-division starter
MLB ETA: 2027
——
18. OF Victor Arias
Last year’s ranking: 46, 2023 rank: NR
Acquired: 2019 IFA (Venezuela)
2025 age: 21
Expected starting affiliate: High-A Vancouver
YEAR IN REVIEW: There weren’t a ton of positive stories in the system last year and relatively few breakouts, but Arias was one, slashing .283/.390/.443 with a 140 wRC+ and reaching High-A Vancouver while splitting his time between left field and centre.
OUTLOOK: While the stat line doesn’t really jump off the page, Arias has a solid approach at the plate and has run double-digit walk rates at every stop. When you combine that with exit velocities that already jump out off his left-handed bat, Arias has a chance to creep into the top 10 on this list next year if he keeps raking.
FUTURE ROLE: First-division starter
MLB ETA: 2028
——
17. 2B/OF Adrian Pinto
Last year’s ranking: 33, 2023 rank: 18
Acquired: Trade from Colorado, March 24, 2022 (Randal Grichuk)
2025 age: 22
Expected starting affiliate: High-A Vancouver
YEAR IN REVIEW: A personal favourite here, all Pinto needs to do is find a way to stay healthy. A spark plug-type player, Pinto ran up the best wRC+ in the entire system last year, posting an impressive 160 mark. The issue was that it came in just 26 games after battling a rib injury. In his first taste of High-A, he hit three homers across 17 games and slugged .571. In the box last year, Pinto was an aggressive hitter with a hit tool that allows it to play, but he’s also starting to show there might be some juice in the bat to complement his free-swinging ways.
OUTLOOK: Listed at 5-foot-6, Pinto’s defensive focus has been narrowed to second base and centre field, with both of them looking like options at this point thanks to his wheels. Now heading into his fourth season in the Jays organization, Pinto has never accumulated more than 194 trips to the plate in a season and that’s the easy first step on the road towards a breakout.
FUTURE ROLE: Second division starter
MLB ETA: 2027
——
16. OF Jonatan Clase
Last year’s ranking: NA, 2023 rank: NA
Acquired: Trade from Seattle, July 26, 2024 (Yimi Garcia)
2025 age: 23
Expected starting affiliate: Triple-A Buffalo
YEAR IN REVIEW: Another asset acquired at the deadline, Clase’s calling card is speed and he’s put that on full display over the past two seasons in the minors, swiping a total of 117 bases. At times, he’s also shown more pop than you’d expect out of a frame that’s listed at 5-foot-10, 150 pounds, and he even bashed his first big-league homer at Rogers Centre in September.
OUTLOOK: Clase has an impressive package of tools and is a switch-hitter, giving him a whole lot of ways to contribute if he can put it all together like Teoscar Hernandez did when he was traded for with little to no fanfare as a toolsy outfield prospect eight years ago.
FUTURE ROLE: Second-division starter
MLB ETA: Debuted April 15, 2024
——
15. LHP Brandon Barriera
Brandon Barriera Toronto Blue Jays
Last year’s ranking: 4, 2023 rank: 2
Acquired: 2022 first round (23rd overall)
2025 age: 21
Expected starting affiliate: Injured list
YEAR IN REVIEW: Another pitcher to go down with TJ last year, Barriera had the internal brace/TJ combo at the end of April, which could mean he’s back at some point next summer if all goes well in the 12-15 month window.
OUTLOOK: The lefty made just one start last year and has now thrown just 42 innings since being drafted in the first round three years ago. There’s not much more to say other than we’ll see how the stuff looks when he returns and you can really start paying attention again in 2026.
FUTURE ROLE: Mid-rotation SP
MLB ETA: 2028
——
14. LHP Johnny King
Last year’s ranking: NA, 2023 rank: NA
Acquired: 2024 3rd round (95th overall)
2025 age: 18
Expected starting affiliate: Single-A Dunedin
YEAR IN REVIEW: The Jays were elated to snap up King and give him an over-slot bonus in the third round out of the Florida high school ranks. In addition to being young for the draft class, King already possesses an impressive curveball that should be his out pitch.
OUTLOOK: Just because he’s a third-round southpaw, there have been some Tiedemann comparisons and King does have the type of raw upside to quickly be an obvious breakout arm. He could just as quickly prove there’s a lot of development needed. That’s the fun in drafting high school pitchers, right? You just never know, but it’s a bet teams need to make from time to time.
FUTURE ROLE: Mid-rotation SP
MLB ETA: 2030
——
13. LHP Adam Macko
Last year’s ranking: 11, 2023 rank: 8
Acquired: Trade from Seattle, Nov. 16, 2022 (Teoscar Hernandez)
2025 age: 24
Expected starting affiliate: Triple-A Buffalo
YEAR IN REVIEW: Macko was another pitcher to deal with a forearm or elbow issue this summer, but he was able to make it back healthy to debut at Triple-A for one short start at the end of the season. Overall, it was a fairly successful season for the Alberta high school product as he showed improved command at times and continues to tease with his strikeout stuff from the left side. His underlying numbers always seem to be better than the ERA, so maybe that matches up one day, but the role is still up for debate. The reasons for that are health and trouble finding the zone at times. Health issues have dogged Macko at times since he was drafted by the Mariners way back in 2019, and then flipped to the Jays along with Erik Swanson in exchange for Teoscar Hernandez in November 2022, a trade that still irks Jays fans to this day. Maybe Macko can help change that perception, but it was a forearm issue stealing time from him in 2024. He’s expected to be fully healthy coming into spring training as he sits on the outer edge of a potential battle for the No. 5 rotation spot.
OUTLOOK: It’s now been more than two years since Macko was acquired, and he could be on the verge of contributing. Jake Bloss and Macko, who’s also on the 40-man roster, could provide a better layer of spot starter depth than they had last year at Triple-A. That’s only because better than absolutely nothing is fairly easy to accomplish because neither Bloss nor Macko are proven. It’s an important year for Macko to prove he’s not ultimately destined for the bullpen and he can start that process by putting together a healthy season that sees him go over the 100-inning mark for the first time in his pro career. His 93.1 frames last year were a career high.
FUTURE ROLE: Back-end SP
MLB ETA: 2025
——
12. RHP Khal Stephen
Last year’s ranking: NA, 2023 rank: NA
Acquired: 2024 2nd round (59th overall)
2025 age: 22
Expected starting affiliate: Single-A Dunedin
YEAR IN REVIEW: Like Yesavage in the first round of the draft and Bloss in the Kikuchi trade, Stephen is another arm the Jays brought into the organization last year with a heater that analytics like thanks to its ride at the top of the zone. Stephen didn’t debut as a pro last year after being selected in the second round out of Mississippi State.
OUTLOOK: Stephen has been a bit of a late bloomer, something the Jays will hope continues as a pro and turns him into a draft day steal. The Jays have struggled as an organization turning their mid-round arms into anything of consequence and there’s a long list of failed picks in this area, but maybe Stephen is the one to finally buck that trend. There’s already some breakout optimism here behind the scenes.
FUTURE ROLE: Mid-rotation SP
MLB ETA: 2028
——
11. RHP Fernando Perez
Last year’s ranking: 13, 2023 rank: NR
Acquired: 2022 IFA (Nicaragua)
2025 age: 21
Expected starting affiliate: High-A Vancouver
YEAR IN REVIEW: A native of Nicaragua, Perez is never going to wow anyone with his stuff, but his feel for pitching is amongst the best in the organization. One of the rare healthy arms last year, Perez made 17 starts in Dunedin and built his innings up to 82, up from 49 in 2023. That’s good progress for a 20-year-old and it could provide a jumping off point this year as he reaches triple digits for the first time. Perez held batters to a .207 average and only gave up six homers all season.
OUTLOOK: Perez throws strikes with five pitches, repeats his delivery well, and keeps the ball in the ballpark. That’s currently a back-end starter profile. The question with Perez for some is will the stuff tick up a bit more, where even a one or two mph velocity jump might add a bit more nastiness. He continues to be one to monitor closely in 2025.
FUTURE ROLE: Back-end SP
MLB ETA: 2027
——
10. SS Josh Kasevich
Last year’s ranking: 21, 2023 rank: 22
Acquired: 2022 second round (60th overall)
2025 age: 24
Expected starting affiliate: Triple-A Buffalo
YEAR IN REVIEW: To be completely upfront, Kasevich is an extremely polarizing prospect to ask about. Some love him, some won’t move off “utility guy at best.” Those who do believe think he’s a locked-in shortstop with an elite hit tool and some of the best contact rates around, which will allow him to hit for a high average and play solid defence at the most important position on the field. Those who don’t love him see a utility player who isn’t going to hit for much power, evidenced by his six home runs across 566 trips to the plate last year. One thing the former Oregon Duck did do last year is finish hot, hitting three of those bombs in his 41 games at Triple-A, where he also batted .325.
OUTLOOK: In Roden, Wagner and Kasevich, the Jays have three hit-tool driven profiles in the top 10 on this list, and they’re all essentially ready to contribute. He’s behind Bo Bichette and Leo Jimenez in the shortstop pecking order right now and doesn’t need to be added to the 40-man roster until next winter, meaning he could spend the full year in Triple-A unless injuries — or trades — happen in front of him.
FUTURE ROLE: Second-division starter
MLB ETA: 2026
——
9. 2B Will Wagner
Last year’s ranking: NA, 2023 rank: NA
Acquired: Trade from Houston, July 29, 2024 (Yusei Kikuchi)
2025 age: 26
Expected starting affiliate: MLB Toronto
YEAR IN REVIEW: The recently traded Spencer Horwitz topped out at No. 15 the past two years on this list, which is probably a touch too low given how well he started to produce in the big leagues. Wagner is almost an identical offensive profile and faces similar questions about where he’ll play defensively, even if he actually ended up grading out pretty well at second base in small sample size of 24 games. That was in addition to a .305/.337/.451 slash line and a 125 wRC+ across 86 trips to the plate, which is the key for Wagner moving forward — he has to rake.
OUTLOOK: The same questions Horwitz faced are now Wagner’s to deal with. Where will he play and how much power will he hit for? The son of former stud closer Billy Wagner, his track record throughout the minor leagues suggests he’ll figure out a way to be an asset with the stick against right-handed pitching. He might even end up being the super-utility piece that Cavan Biggio was supposed to be.
FUTURE ROLE: Bat-first utilityman
MLB ETA: Debuted Aug. 12, 2024
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8. LHP Kendry Rojas
Last year’s ranking: 10, 2023 rank: 35
Acquired: 2020 IFA (Cuba)
2025 age: 22
Expected starting affiliate: High-A Vancouver
YEAR IN REVIEW: Slowly but surely, Rojas has been adding weight to his frame and velocity to his riding heater since signing as a converted outfielder out of Cuba in 2020. A shoulder injury interrupted his 2024 season, but overall, the southpaw made great progress and finished his campaign off with an impressive run that included a handful of brilliant performances, including a 10-K gem over seven full frames at High-A Vancouver.
OUTLOOK: After finishing his year in the Arizona Fall League to build up more innings, Rojas is ready for a key test at Double-A. If he can ace that, he might start popping up on the national prospect radar as a lefty who touches mid-90s now and shows enough command of a three-pitch mix to project as a starter. There’s some real sneaky sleeper appeal here if Rojas continues to make strides and build up his workload this year.
FUTURE ROLE: Mid-rotation SP
MLB ETA: 2027
——
7. RHP Jake Bloss
Last year’s ranking: NA, 2023 rank: NA
Acquired: Trade from Houston, July 29, 2024 (Yusei Kikuchi)
2025 age: 24
Expected starting affiliate: Triple-A Buffalo
YEAR IN REVIEW: It was not a good year on the field for the Jays in 2024, but the benefit of that in the end was a productive trade deadline that allowed them to add some young talent in trades. Bloss, and Will Wagner a couple spots below, were important depth additions, but it will be interesting to see what their ultimate upside is. A third-round pick in 2023, Bloss raced through the Houston Astros system last year, made his debut in H-Town in June, and then was traded away in July in exchange for a couple months of Yusei Kikuchi. The big righty struggled in three big-league starts with a 6.94 ERA and then really struggled when he joined the Jays organization, posting a 6.91 ERA across eight starts at Triple-A Buffalo.
OUTLOOK: Bloss has a deep repertoire, mixing five pitches at times, and his heater is an analytically pleasing one, something the Jays have really focused on drafting, too. Despite his quick ascension to the big leagues, Bloss is likely to start at Triple-A and be one of the first arms on call when a starter is needed. Alongside Wagner and Joey Loperfido, whose 243 at-bats last year removed him from consideration for this list, the Jays did very well in return for a rental, but Bloss’ development this year will be key to the ultimate upside.
FUTURE ROLE: Mid-rotation SP
MLB ETA: Debuted June 21, 2024
——
6. RHP Landen Maroudis
Last year’s ranking: 12, 2023 rank: NA
Acquired: 2023 fourth round (121st overall)
2025 age: 20
Expected starting affiliate: Injured list
YEAR IN REVIEW: Maroudis’ name was buzzing last spring as a potential breakout arm in his first pro season after signing for way over slot, but that ended quickly when he underwent an internal brace procedure after just three outings at Single-A Dunedin. His first two appearances, however, showed exactly why everyone was starting to get excited about the prep righty as he struck out nine over 8.1 innings and allowed just one hit.
OUTLOOK: Since he avoided a full Tommy John when he had surgery last May, Maroudis should be ready to go early in the season, but the Jays will be careful with the 20-year-old righty. With a traditional four-pitch mix and his heater now comfortably in the mid-90s, there’s no better breakout candidate than Maroudis. Health permitting, of course.
FUTURE ROLE: Mid-rotation SP
MLB ETA: 2028
——
5. OF Alan Roden
Alan Roden New Hampshire Fisher Cats
Last year’s ranking: 9, 2023 rank: NR
Acquired: 2022 third round (98th overall)
2025 age: 25
Expected starting affiliate: Triple-A Buffalo
YEAR IN REVIEW: A bit of a throwback hitter who pairs a great hit tool with a get-on-base approach, Roden has made steady progress since being drafted three years ago in a 2022 class that has not met expectations. His late season surge last year may have been the most noteworthy stretch of his career, as Roden hit seven of his nine homers at Triple-A after August first and also started producing some of the best exit velocities of his career at the highest level of the minors. That was the biggest question about Roden’s profile — how much power will he have? Given the progress, you can reasonably project more now than you could a year ago and he may not be done.
OUTLOOK: After posting a 136 wRC+ and a minuscule 14.2 per cent K-rate across two levels last year, Roden will be pushing for a big-league role this spring and the lefty hitter will definitely see at-bats with the big club at some point. Limited to the corner outfield spots defensively, Roden’s going to help, and if the power continues to actualize he may blow past his current perceived ceiling because of how good the hit tool is. The man rarely swings and misses.
FUTURE ROLE: Second-division starter
MLB ETA: 2025
——
4. 2B/3B Orelvis Martinez
Orelvis Martinez Toronto Blue Jays
Last year’s ranking: 2, 2023 rank: 3
Acquired: 2018 IFA (Dominican Republic)
2025 age: 23
Expected starting affiliate: Triple-A Buffalo
YEAR IN REVIEW: When compiling this list, the top four names were all in consideration for the top spot at one point or another. Pick your poison, really. Do you want the first-round pick who hasn’t thrown a pitch yet? Maybe the 18-year-old who’s still in A-ball? How about the injured former top prospect? No? Well, in Orelvis you have a guy with an 80-game PED cloud hanging over him. So, yeah, there are some warts at the top of this list in a few different ways. It may also have people sleeping on the post-hype Martinez, who feels like he’s been climbing the system forever despite still only being 23.
OUTLOOK: The failed test for Clomiphene, a fertility drug that’s on MLB’s banned substances list, had many within the organization extremely disappointed and Martinez will have to earn it back this spring. Luckily, there should be lots of opportunity for the right-handed hitter to find at-bats at either second base or third base. While it may seem like he fits best as a power hitting hot corner option given the current depth chart, his slingy arm action has led the club to prefer him at second base, but Andres Gimenez’s presence might shift that once again. Suspension aside, Martinez might quietly be a very important part of the equation in 2025 if he can make enough contact at the big-league level when he starts getting his feet wet.
FUTURE ROLE: First-division starter
MLB ETA: Debuted June 21, 2024
——
3. LHP Ricky Tiedemann
Ricky Tiedemann Toronto Blue Jays
Last year’s ranking: 1, 2023 rank: 1
Acquired: 2021 third round (91st overall)
2025 age: 22
Expected starting affiliate: Injured list
YEAR IN REVIEW: Ugh. That’s the word that describes Tiedemann’s year, as well as the pitching program in general as the club endured a whopping seven Tommy John surgeries last year to key prospects. Unfortunately, the electric lefty was one of them and the date of his July surgery is going to shelve him for just about all of 2025. After throwing a career high 78.2 frames in 2022 as he jumped onto the elite prospect radar, Tiedemann has now totalled just 61.1 innings over the past two seasons.
OUTLOOK: There’s no arguing Tiedemann was a great pick in 2021, stolen in the third round at No. 91 overall. If he was healthy, he’d likely still be considered one of the top handful of pitching prospects in the sport. But even with the 98-mph gas and unhittable sweeper/slider offering, Tiedemann hasn’t broken the 80-inning mark in a season and has yet to get an out in the sixth inning in a minor-league start. At this point, nobody knows if he can hold up as a starter and the TJ obviously clouds that even more. He slides from first to third on this list for now, but he’ll still only be headed into his age-23 season in 2026 when he fully returns.
FUTURE ROLE: Top-of-the-rotation SP
MLB ETA: 2026
——
2. SS Arjun Nimmala
Arjun Nimmala Toronto Blue Jays
Last year’s ranking: 3, 2023 rank: NA
Acquired: 2023 1st round (20th overall)
2025 age: 19
Expected starting affiliate: High-A Vancouver
YEAR IN REVIEW: It was a weird year for Nimmala as an 18-year-old after being the youngest high school player drafted in 2023, and his season is a reminder that these things should be evaluated when they’re complete and the sample sizes are big enough to matter. On May 12, you could find Nimmala hitting .167 and striking out 43 times across his first 108 at-bats at Single-A Dunedin, also punching three homers in the process. At that point the club decided to give him a breather on the complex and work through some mechanical adjustments. When Nimmala returned to A-ball, he slashed .265/.331/.564 with 13 home runs and 32 extra-base hits the rest of the way. He flashed some exciting pop and you can really start to dream about a power hitting shortstop capable of 30 bombs.
OUTLOOK: With more physical strength as he approaches his twenties — he doesn’t even turn 20 until mid-October — and some hit tool refining, Nimmala could blow up. He could also take some time if the strikeouts jump as he moves up the ladder, with High-A Vancouver as a really interesting text for the teenager this year. There’s a lot of development to go but so far, so good and the upside is sky high.
FUTURE ROLE: First-division starter
MLB ETA: 2028
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1. RHP Trey Yesavage
Toronto Blue Jays
Last year’s ranking: NA, 2023 rank: NA
Acquired: 2024 1st round (20th overall)
2025 age: 21
Expected starting affiliate: Single-A Dunedin
YEAR IN REVIEW: A 2.02 ERA in his junior season at ECU had Yesavage projected as a potential top 10 pick, but the right-hander ended up falling to the Jays at 20 and the club was giddy to turn that pick in. A partially collapsed lung that kept him out of the AAC tourney near the end of the season was one of the reasons why he fell, but the Jays handed him an over-slot bonus of just over $4 million to sign. As they’ve done with most of the pitchers they’ve taken in drafts recently, Yesavage was sent to the complex for lab work and conditioning and has not made his pro debut yet.
OUTLOOK: With his potential to move quickly as a fairly polished college arm, Yesavage’s debut is highly anticipated. The Jays need another good prospect story a la Alek Manoah, and Yesavage’s four-pitch mix gives him a chance to have immediate success. The heater touches high 90s, while his splitter gives him a chance to neutralize lefties and you might want him rubbing shoulders with Kevin Gausman and Bowden Francis this spring when it comes to that pitch. He may not be viewed as a potential ace, but it’s an exciting package of stuff and durability.
FUTURE ROLE: Mid-rotation SP
MLB ETA: 2026