Official MiLB/Prospects Thread

[L54]

Yes what is the analysis? K rate?

[Jimcanuck]

What analysis exactly?

 

Yes what is the analysis? K rate?

 

90th EV, Contact Rate, Chase Rate, Barrell Rate, other stuff

[mphenhef]

 

The Jays have developed pitching?

[Spanky99]

The Jays have developed pitching?

 

Popham out for pitching, Popkins in for hitting...

[Pendleton]

 

Linked to Jays for the upcoming IFA period, ranked #21 by Pipeline and #10 by BA among this IFA class.

[Spanky99]

The Bosox top 10 report on BA was kind of glowing, some high end talent. Jays will be written up on the 3rd of December, I'll share it eventually on that day.

[Olerud363]

The Bosox top 10 report on BA was kind of glowing, some high end talent. Jays will be written up on the 3rd of December, I'll share it eventually on that day.

 

This seems predictable. Interesting to see what the Red Sox do in terms of free agents and trades. My entire life as a baseball fan since 1988 Red Sox have never been down for long. Seems like as soon as they look like a 'bad' franchise they win 95 and a World Series the next year.

[Pendleton]

 

There's a live chat at 2PM EST if anyone wants to ask a question related to the Jays farm system

[Spanky99]

And BA's top 10 for our Toronto Blue Jays...

 

1. Ricky Tiedemann

LHP

 

Ht: 6'4" | Wt: 220 | B-T: L-L

 

Age: null

 

BA Grade/Risk: 60/Extreme.

 

Track Record: After going undrafted in the five-round 2020 draft out of high school, Tiedemann backed out of his commitment to San Diego State and enrolled at Golden West JC in California. He blossomed physically and reentered the draft in 2021. The Blue Jays drafted him in the third round and paid him a below-slot bonus of $644,800. Tiedemann debuted the following season in Low-A and dominated both levels of Class A before reaching Double-A in his age-19 season. During the 2022 season, he made 18 starts, pitched to a 2.17 ERA across 78.2 innings and struck out nearly 39% of batters. Over the next two years, Tiedemann was limited to just 61.1 innings due to persistent elbow pain. He had Tommy John surgery in late July 2024 and will likely miss all of 2025. Despite missing large parts of three seasons with elbow problems, Tiedemann still ranks among the game’s top lefthanded pitching prospects.

 

Scouting Report: A tall, physical lefthander with broad shoulders and natural strength in his frame, Tiedemann looks the part of a mid-rotation horse but has lacked health. When on the mound, he operates from a dominant three-pitch mix that plays up due to his low, three-quarters arm slot. Tiedemann’s arm path is on the longer side, but when coupled with his release point, it creates deceptive traits that keep hitters off-balance. When healthy, Tiedemann does a good job of repeating his mechanics, but he’s struggled with his release point the past few seasons due to health. He mixes three pitches in a four-seam fastball, slider and changeup. His fastball sits 94-96 mph with heavy armside run that plays up due to his slot. In 2024, Tiedemann generated less armside run on his fastball compared to previous seasons, possibly a product of his lingering elbow injury. The slider is Tiedemann’s primary secondary weapon. It has had some varied shapes over the last few seasons. In 2024, his slider resembled the sweeper of 2022, less than his more traditional slider in 2023. When Tiedemann is at his best, he shows the ability to use his slider against lefthanded and righthanded hitters, wearing out the armside half of the plate. Tiedemann’s changeup was viewed as his best secondary as an amateur, but it has become less-effective over the last two seasons. Tiedemann shows an uncanny ability to kill lift on his changeup and generate armside run. The pitch moves dramatically in the opposite direction of his slider. His changeup command has been inconsistent, particularly over the last two seasons. Tiedemann has struggled with command in lockstep with his elbow issues. Prior to the injury, he pitched with above-average command.

 

The Future: Tiedemann will return in 2026 at age 23 with a spot on the 40-man roster. He will likely be in the Blue Jays’ rotation mix upon his return.

 

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 65. CH: 55 | Control: 50.

 

Headshot of Trey Yesavage

2. Trey Yesavage

RHP

 

Ht: 6'4" | Wt: 225 | B-T: R-R

 

Age: null

 

BA Grade/Risk: 55/High.

 

Track Record: Yesavage spent his freshman season in the East Carolina bullpen before moving to the rotation as a sophomore. As a junior, he ascended to the role of staff ace, making 15 starts and pitching to a 2.02 ERA, the lowest of any Division I starter. Late in the 2024 season, Yesavage suffered a partially collapsed lung due to an off-the-field medical procedure and missed the American Athletic Conference Tournament. He returned to pitch in regionals, facing off against Wake Forest’s Chase Burns. Yesavage allowed one run in 7.1 innings to outduel Burns. Yesavage fell to the Blue Jays at No. 20 overall on draft day because of some teams’ concerns with his medicals. He signed for a slightly overslot $4.175 million bonus and did not debut following the draft.

 

Scouting Report: Yesavage has prototype starter size, the ability to repeat his mechanics and a mix of average-or-better offerings. He was a reliable innings-eater in college with above-average command. Yesavage has a short windup, with a short stride to the plate that creates little-to-no extension. He delivers the ball from an over-the-top slot with good arm speed. Despite his lack of extension, it hasn’t hurt how his fastball has played. The pitch sits 93-95 mph and touches 97 with elite induced vertical break and late armside run. Opposing batters hit just .198 against his fastball in 2024. Yesavage’s primary secondary is a slider he uses predominantly in right-on-right matchups. His slider sits 86-87 and touches 90 with heavy gyro action. His primary secondary weapon against lefties is a low-to-mid-80s splitter with excellent vertical and velocity separation off his fastball. Yesavage also mixes a low-80s downer curveball, but it’s a clear fourth pitch.

 

The Future: Yesavage should move fast. He possesses mid-rotation upside, most likely as a high-end No. 4.

 

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 55 | Split: 55 | Control: 55.

 

Headshot of Arjun Nimmala

3. Arjun Nimmala

SS

 

Ht: 6'1" | Wt: 170 | B-T: R-R

 

Age: null

 

BA Grade/Risk: 55/High.

 

Track Record: Nimmala became the highest-drafted player of Indian descent ever when the Blue Jays selected him 20th overall in 2023. Just 17 years old at the time, he was the youngest high school player in his class. He signed for a below-slot $3 million. Nimmala began 2024 with Low-A Dunedin after a strong spring training performance. He hit just .167 with a 34% strikeout rate over his first 29 games. The Blue Jays sent him to extended spring and then the Florida Complex League, where he played eight games before returning to Dunedin on June 27. Over his final 53 games, Nimmala hit .265/.331/.564 with 13 home runs and 32 extra-base hits. Nimmala ended his season on a high note and looks poised to make the jump to High-A Vancouver in 2025.

 

Scouting Report: Nimmala is an above-average athlete with a thin, but projectable broad-shouldered frame. Due to his above-average bat speed and knack for backspinning fly balls to his pull side, he hunts for power. Over the first half of the 2024 season, Nimmala was out in front far too often, with a pronounced bat wrap. Upon his return, he made posture changes and reduced his bat wrap, allowing him to more consistently extend through contact. Nimmala will always have some swing-and-miss but shows above-average swing decisions. His above-average power is his carrying tool, while projection could get him to plus at peak. Nimmala’s exit velocity data is above-average for his age, and he’s adept at pulling the ball in the air. He is an average runner but shows above-average range in the field, with a good first step and strong actions and transfers. His arm projects as a future plus and is capable at shortstop.

 

The Future: Nimmala took a major step forward in the second half of the 2024 season and looks the part of a future power-hitting shortstop.

 

Scouting Grades: Hit: 40 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Field: 55 | Arm: 60.

 

Headshot of Orelvis Martinez

4. Orelvis Martinez

2B

 

Ht: 5'11" | Wt: 200 | B-T: R-R

 

Age: null

 

BA Grade/Risk: 55/High.

 

Track Record: Martinez signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2018 for $3.51 million as the top player in the Blue Jays’ signing class. He breezed through the Florida Complex League in 2019 and both levels of Class A in 2021. As a 20-year-old at Double-A in 2022, Martinez set a New Hampshire franchise record with 30 home runs. He returned to the level in 2023 and performed, showing noticeable contact gains. He was promoted to Triple-A Buffalo, where he hit .263/.340/.507 in 55 games. He returned to Buffalo in 2024 and impressed, earning a callup to Toronto on June 21. Two days later, MLB announced an 80-game suspension for Martinez after he tested positive for clomiphene. He returned to Buffalo in September and appeared in 11 games.

 

Scouting Report: With a power-over-everything profile, Martinez has shown steady gains to his plate skills in recent seasons. He is an excellent fastball hitter who handles velocity well and does not miss many heaters in the zone. Against breaking and offspeed pitches, Martinez struggles to make contact and tends to expand his zone. He maintains strong contact quality against all pitch types, doing particularly-impressive damage against breaking balls when he makes contact. Martinez has 30-home-run upside because of his bat speed, strength and ability to backspin the ball to his pull side. The biggest question centers on whether Martinez will make enough contact. He is a fringe-average runner with limited range in the field. He split time between second base and third base in 2024 and is a fringe-average defender at both. Martinez has an above-average arm but an unusual release.

 

The Future: A bat-first prospect, Martinez could play his way into everyday MLB at-bats in 2025.

 

Scouting Grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 60 | Run: 45 | Field: 45 | Arm: 55.

 

5. Jake Bloss

RHP

 

Ht: 6'3" | Wt: 205 | B-T: R-R

 

Age: 23

 

BA Grade/Risk: 50/Medium.

 

Track Record: Bloss spent three seasons at Lafayette College in Pennsylvania, then transferred to Georgetown in 2023. He broke out with a 2.58 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 76.2 innings to win Big East Conference pitcher of the year honors and was drafted by the Astros in the third round. Bloss bullied minor league competition out of the gate in 2024, earning a promotion to Double-A after just four starts. Houston called him up directly from Corpus Christi on June 21. Bloss exited his MLB debut with shoulder discomfort but returned in early July to make two starts. The Astros traded him to the Blue Jays as a part of the Yusei Kikuchi deadline deal.

 

Scouting Report: Bloss has a prototype pitcher’s build, standing 6-foot-3 with a strong, athletic build. He uses a semi-windup with a high leg lift before moving into his drop-and-drive mechanics. Bloss does a good job getting downhill, creating well-above-average extension that helps the release from his high, three-quarters arm slot play up. He mixes five pitch shapes: a four-seam fastball, cutter, slider, curveball and changeup. Bloss’ four-seam fastball is an above-average four-seamer that sits 93-95 mph and touches 98 with above-average ride and cut. His cutter is his primary secondary and sits 86-88 with a cutter-slider hybrid shape. His slider is designated by some as a sweeper and sits 81-83 with 11-12 inches of horizontal break. Both his slider and cutter show average-or-better command and the ability to miss bats. Against lefthanded hitters, Bloss mixes in a steady diet of his upper-80s changeup and upper-80s two-plane curveball. He lands all of his pitches at an average-or-better rate.

 

The Future: Bloss looks like a quality No. 5 starter ready to contribute in 2025.

 

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 50. CH: 45. CUT: 55 | Control: 50.

 

Headshot of Josh Kasevich

6. Josh Kasevich

SS

 

Ht: 6'1" | Wt: 200 | B-T: R-R

 

Age: null

 

BA Grade/Risk: 50/Medium.

 

Track Record: Kasevich spent three seasons at Oregon, earning first-team all-Pacific-12 Conference honors as a junior. He was drafted by the Blue Jays in the second round in 2022 and signed for a bonus of $1 million. Kasevich debuted post-draft with Low-A Dunedin before making the jump to High-A Vancouver in his first full professional season in 2023. Kasevich was assigned to Double-A New Hampshire to begin 2024 and earned a late-season promotion to Triple-A Buffalo. In 41 games with Buffalo, Kasevich hit .325/.382/.433 while making 31 starts at shortstop.

 

Scouting Report: Kasevich is a well-rounded, sum-of-his-parts-type of player who shows an advanced feel to hit. His bat-to-ball skills are top 98th percentile in terms of every contact measure, and he shows an uncanny ability to make contact with a variety of pitch shapes. He has above-average swing decisions to go along with his plus-plus bat-to-ball skills. Kasevich’s swing is level and flat, leading to a heavy rate of groundball contact. His underlying exit velocity data is average, with a 90th percentile EV of 103.5 mph. Kasevich shows a knack for making consistent hard contact with a higher hard-hit rate than his power numbers would suggest. He is an above-average runner but not an aggressive basestealer. His speed translates to solid range at shortstop, with the ability to stick at the position despite a fringy throwing arm. At the very least, Kasevich is a utility infielder with a plus hit tool and a touch of power projection.

 

The Future: Kasevich’s advanced hit tool and the ability to play a variety of positions should land him in the major leagues 2025. He looks like a good second-division regular with versatility.

 

Scouting Grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 40 | Run: 55 | Field: 55 | Arm: 45.

 

Headshot of Landen Maroudis

7. Landen Maroudis

RHP

 

Ht: 6'3" | Wt: 195 | B-T: R-R

 

Age: null

 

BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme.

 

Track Record: Maroudis was a two-way star at Florida prep power Calvary Christian, starting at shortstop on days he didn’t pitch. The Blue Jays drafted him in the fourth round in 2023 and signed him for $1.5 million, about three times slot value. Maroudis impressed in his first spring training in 2024 and broke camp with Low-A Dunedin. He made three starts before tearing the ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow and having an internal brace surgery in mid May. Maroudis had returned to throwing from 120 feet by early November.

 

Scouting Report: Maroudis is a projectable righthander who moves well on the mound. He delivers the ball from a low, three-quarters arm slot, which, coupled with average extension, creates a low release height that improves his deception. Maroudis mixes four pitches in his four-seam fastball, slider, curveball and changeup. His four-seam fastball sits 93-94 mph and touches 96. He generates below-average ride, but his fastball shape plays up due to his low release height, which gives his fastball flatter plane that plays in the upper quadrants of the strike zone. Maroudis’ primary secondary pitch is a mid-80s gyro slider that he used nearly one-for-one with his fastball. He shows advanced feel for his slider, with the ability to put it where he wants. Maroudis’ curveball sits 79-81 with heavy two-plane break and looks to be his best bat-missing pitch. He shows a changeup with good shape that generates tumble and heavy fade, but his command of the pitch is below-average. Maroudis has starter traits, deception and room to add more power to his mix.

 

The Future: Maroudis has mid-rotation upside with good foundational starter traits. He’ll return to action in 2025 looking to show he can handle a starter’s workload.

 

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 50. CH: 45 | Control: 50.

 

Headshot of Alan Roden

8. Alan Roden

OF

 

Ht: 5'11" | Wt: 215 | B-T: L-R

 

Age: null

 

BA Grade/Risk: 50/High.

 

Track Record: Roden redshirted as a Creighton freshman in 2019 and retained freshman status into his third season because of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. He turned down draft interest in 2021 to return to campus in order to finish his physics degree. The decision proved wise, as Roden was drafted in the third round in 2022 and signed for an underslot $497,500 bonus. Roden began his first full season in 2023 at High-A Vancouver before moving to Double-A. He returned to New Hampshire in 2024, playing 54 games before a promotion to Triple-A Buffalo. In 71 Triple-A games, he hit .314/.406/.410 with a 12% walk rate and a 14% strikeout rate.

 

Scouting Report: Roden’s boxy, 5-foot-11 build obscures the athleticism that drives his well-rounded game. His batting stance is unique. He sets up open with his hands high, before using a high leg kick with a slow drift. Despite his unusual swing, Roden is one of the Blue Jays’ best contact hitters. He pairs excellent bat-to-ball skills with a selective approach bordering on passive. Roden projects to hit for a high average with high walk rates. His combination of contact and on-base ability drive his batting profile. In 2024, Roden flashed more game power, hitting a career high 16 home runs and posting strong quality-of-contact metrics. He does a lot of damage against breaking and offspeed pitches, slugging .528 in 2024 against non-fastballs. Roden’s power is somewhat limited by his unusual swing and setup, but he has a knack for hard contact to his pull side. He is an average runner who will take an extra base. He has enough speed to handle an outfield corner and an above-average arm that keeps runners honest.

 

The Future: Roden will likely return to Buffalo in 2025 but has a chance to make his MLB debut by summer. His advanced hit tool and strong supporting tools should allow him to carve out an everyday role.

 

Scouting Grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 45 | Run: 50 | Field: 50 | Arm: 55.

 

Headshot of Kendry Rojas

9. Kendry Rojas

LHP

 

Ht: 6'2" | Wt: 190 | B-T: L-L

 

Age: null

 

BA Grade/Risk: 50/High.

 

Track Record: Rojas signed for $215,000 out of Cuba in October 2020. He pitched just 64 innings in his first two pro seasons, missing time with a lat injury in 2021. Rojas remained at Low-A Dunedin in 2023, where he had his first extended run of success. He moved to High-A Vancouver in 2024, but a left shoulder injury in April forced him to the injured list for two months. Over his final nine starts, Rojas posted a 2.16 ERA in 50 innings and struck out nearly 28% of batters while walking just 5.5%. He participated in the Arizona Fall League following the season.

 

Scouting Report: Rojas is a projectable lefthander with a prototype build. Now, the project has started to materialize over the last year. Rojas gained more than 1 mph in fastball and slider velocity in 2024 and produced his best season. He has loose, low-effort mechanics and does a good job repeating his operation. His three-pitch mix is led by a four-seam fastball that sits 92-94 with above-average ride and, at times, cut. His fastball accounts for around 60% of his usage. Despite the high usage rate, it was an effective swing-and-miss pitch for Rojas against High-A batters. His slider is his primary secondary weapon and sits 83-85 with cut. He will likely continue to add power to the pitch as he gets more physical. Rojas’ changeup is third in usage but is an above-average pitch that boasts the highest swinging-strike rate, chase rate and swing rate in his arsenal. Rojas has shown the ability to work deeper into games and throw strikes. Over his final eight starts of 2024, he went six or more innings seven times.

 

The Future: Rojas is still a year away from his MLB debut, but he shows starter traits with a deep arsenal of average-or-better pitches and command.

 

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50 | Slider: 55. CH: 50 | Control: 50.

 

Headshot of Fernando Perez

10. Fernando Perez

RHP

 

Ht: 6'3" | Wt: 170 | B-T: R-R

 

Age: null

 

BA Grade/Risk: 45/High.

 

Track Record: An under-the-radar signing in January 2022, Perez grew up in a remote area of Nicaragua and was not heavily scouted. He debuted the following summer in the Dominican Summer League, where he showcased advanced command over a dozen starts. Perez’s U.S. debut in the 2023 Florida Complex League continued to fuel his rise when he impressed over 10 starts, the most memorable of which was a combined no-hitter in which he threw the first seven innings. Perez was assigned to Low-A Dunedin in 2024 and stayed with the team all season, making 17 starts, pitching to a 4.06 ERA and appearing in the Futures Game.

 

Scouting Report: Perez is a young, pitchability righthander with advanced feel for his five-pitch mix. Despite pedestrian stuff, he convinces many evaluators that he will grow into improved stuff in the coming years. At the moment, Perez mixes a four-seam fastball, slider, curveball, cutter and changeup. His primary offering is his four-seam fastball that sits 92-93 mph and touches 95 with average ride and run. Everything around his fastball metrics is average, but his performance with the pitch in 2024 was excellent. Perez’s slider is his primary secondary pitch and sits 80-82 with traditional slider shape. It’s the best pitch in his arsenal and does a good job of generating whiffs and chase swings from hitters. His changeup is his primary secondary against lefthanded hitters and shows good vertical life and velocity separation, but his release point on the pitch is inconsistent. His mid-80s cutter and mid-70s curveball were both used sparingly in 2024.

 

The Future: Perez is a back-end starter with advanced feel for his arsenal but no plus offerings. He’s likely to slot in as No. 5 starter in his peak seasons.

 

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 40 | Slider: 55. CH: 50. CUT: 40 | Control: 55.

[Terminator]

1 60 FV

4 55 FVs

4 50 FVs

 

That's not terrible?

[Brownie19]

1 60 FV

4 55 FVs

4 50 FVs

 

That's not terrible?

 

Almost all of them have high to extreme risk, which is probably one of the reasons our overall ranking and the perception of the team's farm is low. To be honest, I'd be really happy if even 1 of them become a ML regular. Given our recent luck (or s***** coaching I guess) - half them will probably be out of baseball in a couple of years.

 

Despite those BA grades, our farm blows. I wouldn't hesitate to move ANY of those players - especially if other teams see them as 50+ FV prospects.

[Spanky99]

Almost all of them have high to extreme risk, which is probably one of the reasons our overall ranking and the perception of the team's farm is low. To be honest, I'd be really happy if even 1 of them become a ML regular. Given our recent luck (or s***** coaching I guess) - half them will probably be out of baseball in a couple of years.

 

Honestly - despite those BA grades, our farm blows. I wouldn't hesitate to move ANY of those players - especially if other teams see them as 50+ FV prospects.

 

90% of prospects are high/extreme, rarely do you ever see medium grades in the top 10's, mate.

[Spanky99]

1 60 FV

4 55 FVs

4 50 FVs

 

That's not terrible?

 

No it isn't, bArReN... lol

[Brownie19]

90% of prospects are high/extreme, rarely do you ever see medium grades in the top 10's, mate.

 

Fair enough. Would you hesitate to trade anyone in our Top 10? I mean I could see an argument to keep Bloss (and maybe Yesavage) as we need SPing depth in AAA, but otherwise - anyone you would be pissed to see moved? I guess losing Nimmala might sting, as he has big upside as a SS, but so did Orelvis - and he's a PED using DH now.

[Ray]

Can anyone post the chat transcript?

[Terminator]

The haters are never going to admit it, but this farm system is sneaky good.

[Spanky99]

Fair enough. Would you hesitate to trade anyone in our Top 10? I mean I could see an argument to keep Bloss (and maybe Yesavage) as we need SPing depth in AAA, but otherwise - anyone you would be pissed to see moved? I guess losing Nimmala might sting, as he has big upside as a SS, but so did Orelvis - and he's a PED using DH now.

 

Depends on what the deal is, I can't really answer that now other than agreeing on our SP depth is needed. Orelvis is a 2nd baseman, and can play passable D at 3rd.

[Spanky99]

Can anyone post the chat transcript?

 

Here you go, Ray...

 

Anonymous

6 hours ago

Hey, what are your thoughts on Cutter Coffey, Eddinson Paulino and Jace Bohrofen? Are they still good prospects or org depth? Thanks

Geoff Pontes

4 hours ago

I think Bohrofen is possibly the most interesting of that group. It was a solid offensive season in High-A. Solid combination of above-average power and average plate skills. Paulino to me is a utility infielder type, can play a few positions and provide enough offensive to keep his head above water. Coffey I'm less sold on as a major leaguer.

 

Anonymous

6 hours ago

Anyone on the DSL Blue Jays to keep an eye on? Aldo Gaxiola seemed to put up interesting numbers.

Geoff Pontes

4 hours ago

Randy Soto a catcher with decent catch and throw skills who shows good contact and approach. Not a lot of names in the DSL for the Jays in recent seasons.

 

KA

Ken/Prescott Valley AZ

6 hours ago

Bowden Francis came out of nowhere to be extremely effective at the end of 2024. Is he for real? Does he continue to be effective in 2025? Do hitters catch up?

Geoff Pontes

4 hours ago

I think it's a solid rotation piece for the next few years. Once he jumped back into the rotation on July 29th he was really good. Definitely some luck but it's sort of average stuff with above-average command and that can work.

 

W

Warren

4 hours ago

You must like Eddie Micheletti to give him best strike zone judgment over Alan Roden. How's the rest of his game?

Geoff Pontes

3 hours ago

I actually poll opposing scouts and front office people for those best tools surveys. It's really good plate skills with below-average power.

 

Anonymous

6 hours ago

which blue jays prospects are in the top 100 for baseball america

Geoff Pontes

4 hours ago

I would personally vote for Tiedemann, Yesavage, Nimmala and Orelvis. With Bloss, Kasevich, Maroudis, Roden and Rojas all within 125-200. I can tell you there are people on staff that will not vote for any Blue Jays. I have a more positive outlook on this top 10 than most.

 

Anonymous

6 hours ago

Do you see orelvis martinez breaking camp with Toronto? What do you see his role being in Toronto during the 2025 season?

Geoff Pontes

4 hours ago

In the end, I can see 300+ at bats with a few tours in Toronto throughout the season.

 

Anonymous

6 hours ago

Is it too early to write off Enmanuel Bonilla?

Geoff Pontes

4 hours ago

No, but the plate skills are worrisome. It's a high whiff rate with pretty poor swing decisions. Despite this above-average contact quality and plus bat speed remain enticing.

 

Anonymous

6 hours ago

I assume the biggest gap in Arjun's is his contact. Does he skyrocket up the top 100 list if he proves the contact is atleast worthy of a 55-60 grade?

Geoff Pontes

4 hours ago

If he can replicate what he did upon his return I think he can. The comp I've heard is J.J. Hardy. A strong defender at shortstop with 20+ home run upside. I think he just wasn't ready for full season last April. After they made some adjustments to his swing he really took off. Opposing scouts buy-in on the defense at shortstop too.

 

Anonymous

6 hours ago

Cristian Feliz's ability to occasionally vaporize a baseball is impressive. Any chance he "figures it out?"

Geoff Pontes

4 hours ago

With a 42.6% strikeout rate it's highly unlikely.

 

G

Gerry

6 hours ago

The Jays picked a lot of college bats in 2024 draft. Most went to Dunedin and hit well, Keys, Micheletti, Mitchell, Tibbitts, Parker. Good news or too soon?

Geoff Pontes

4 hours ago

Probably too soon but I thought this was one of their better classes in years. Keys can hit and has skills in the field, Micheletti is an interesting bat, Mitchell and Tibbitts are both good athletes in different ways. Tibbetts could turn out to be a pretty legit power bat.

 

KA

Ken/Prescott Valley AZ

6 hours ago

Love the chats. Projected line up is an exercise - I get it. You have Bloss at #3 SP. He was rushed last year. Just how good can he be? In the 2025 rotation?

Geoff Pontes

3 hours ago

I think so, very few pitchers go from college baseball to MLB in a year's time. It's a nice overall pitch mix, I cover the Astros list too, and the feedback heading into last year was along the lines of "this is our next breakout". They weren't wrong. With a little more high minors experience he could be a nice rotation piece.

 

KA

Ken/Prescott Valley AZ

6 hours ago

Young Wagner came up from the minors and did well. Is he in the everyday line up in 2025? Is he that good and a part of the plan for Toronto going forward?

Geoff Pontes

3 hours ago

I think it's more of a depth bat than anything else but he can hit, it's just a lack of other tools. That's been a theme with many of the Blue Jays recent debuts.

 

Anonymous

7 hours ago

What key data factors influence your outlook on T Yesavage vs R Tiedemann?

Geoff Pontes

4 hours ago

I have all the advanced statcast data from both of their careers (IVB, HB, velocity, VAA, etc, etc) I have access to video of all of the last two seasons for each. I talked to scouts etc. I think both have above-average stuff and each have shown the ability to execute when healthy. So much of Ricky's murky health the last two years has clouded what he looked like in 2022.

 

Anonymous

7 hours ago

You say underrated...I say underwhelming. What's the path to contention for this org? Tough break being in the AL East but not seeing it.

Geoff Pontes

3 hours ago

Health. The lack of health among key MLB players and prospects has been a big piece to the puzzle. Almost everything has gone wrong the last two years starting with Manoah on down.

 

Anonymous

7 hours ago

If Kasevich was to be added to the roster in 2025 who would you see him taking over for in the infield?

Geoff Pontes

3 hours ago

Bichette. I would be shocked if Bo is on this roster come August 1st, it might even be sooner than that. If they're going to commit to either Bichette or Guerrero it's going to be the latter.

 

Anonymous

7 hours ago

Is there any DSL guys who caught some scouts attention last year?

Geoff Pontes

3 hours ago

It wasn't a particularly exciting group.

 

Anonymous

7 hours ago

who are some breakout guys you are looking at for next year

Geoff Pontes

3 hours ago

I think this was a fun draft class. Khal Stephen, Johnny King, Carson Messina and Sean Keys. I also think R.J. Schreck has a chance to take another step forward.

 

Anonymous

7 hours ago

any guys in the lower minors that you have your eye on

Geoff Pontes

3 hours ago

All the recent draftees particularly Carson Messina and Johnny King.

 

Anonymous

7 hours ago

any pitchers not on the top 10 that can move up

Geoff Pontes

3 hours ago

Khal Stephen, Johnny King, Carson Messina would be my top picks.

 

Anonymous

7 hours ago

Is there any player that you’ve been hearing good stuff about after the season like during instructs

Geoff Pontes

3 hours ago

Khal Stephan has the name that's come up the most with them internally.

 

Anonymous

7 hours ago

Juaron Watts Brown was a 3rd round pick but didn't have a good time in Vancouver. Is there hope for him to bounce back?

Geoff Pontes

3 hours ago

It's okay, I'm not a huge believer in him sticking as a starter. The fastball doesn't really play and he throws it too much. It's a good slider.

 

Anonymous

7 hours ago

do you actually see Tiedemann staying a starter or is he a future bullpen guy

Geoff Pontes

3 hours ago

Time will tell but I think he's still a starter, he hurt himself in early May of 2023 and was just trying to pitch through it for a year plus.

 

Anonymous

6 hours ago

what mistakes have the jays made from a scouting/ drafting/ developmental standpoint that's kept them from having high tier talent in the farm under this FO?

Geoff Pontes

3 hours ago

I think up until recently they've drafted a lot of safe model style players. Players with good bat-to-ball skills and approach, but at the expense of upside and that's led to some misses on college position picks in early rounds.

 

Anonymous

6 hours ago

Any draft guys that popped after draft

Geoff Pontes

3 hours ago

The feedback around Nick Mitchell, Brock Tibbitts and Sean Keys all popped.

 

SF

Sad Jays Fan

4 hours ago

Orelvis Martinez was previously the top ranked prospect. How much of the drop to 4 is due to his glove work, and how much of it is due to suspension?

Geoff Pontes

3 hours ago

I think it a lot of ways I just froze where he is. I always preferred Tiedemann to Martinez but was outvoted during T100 meetings last year and he dropped. Yesavage was No. 11 on our draft list and is a good prospect and Nimmala after his return was really good. I think it's more a reflection of an improved system.

 

Anonymous

4 hours ago

What is the Jays player development dept doing wrong? Seems like this system hasn't been producing or hitting on 1st round picks

Geoff Pontes

3 hours ago

I don't think I can answer that. IMO it's been more of an issue with who they draft. Nimmala was a nice development story for them. They also seem to do well developing there hitters after day one (Schneider, Horwitz, now Roden).

 

Anonymous

4 hours ago

Shane Farrell recently left as scouting director and everyone knows the Bluejays have had problems drafting and developing players. How is tramuta viewed in mlb

Geoff Pontes

3 hours ago

I've heard very positive things about Tramuta. He's a highly decorated evaluator.

 

Anonymous

4 hours ago

Jimenez and barger were ineligible? Was clase close to #10?

Geoff Pontes

3 hours ago

Yes both graduated in 2024. Not really, but he's on the top 30.

 

Anonymous

4 hours ago

About the overall farm system, past drafts were pretty well regarded. Were the initial evaluations overhyped or is the problem solely on player development?

Geoff Pontes

3 hours ago

I think the 2022 draft was a really big missed opportunity. They had four picks in the top 100 and only Kasevich and Roden rank insde the top 10 now. Even crazier of those five players Kasevich and Roden got the 3rd and 5th highest bonuses.

 

AA

Andrew (Alberta)

4 hours ago

With Marc Tramuta becoming the Jays Amateur Scouting Director, will be see a shift in how they target talent in the Rule 4 draft? i.e. a hitter/pitcher type?

Geoff Pontes

3 hours ago

I think time will tell but I get the feeling that they could be aggressive on the position side this year.

 

AA

Andrew (Alberta)

4 hours ago

Who are a couple sleeper prospects in the system we can follow throughout the 2025 season?

Geoff Pontes

3 hours ago

Carson Messina and Sean Keys.

 

Anonymous

4 hours ago

Is there any buzz around Edward Duran?

J

James

4 hours ago

Why do some pitchers (Bloss, AJSM, Bundy) dominate at the lowers levels but don't against better competition?

Geoff Pontes

3 hours ago

I think Bloss was rushed, there was no reason he should have debuted outside the Astros running out of healthy arms.

 

F

Frederick

4 hours ago

Hi Geoff, thanks for the chat! Do you think Tiedemann's issues the last two years could be "fixed" with the surgery? Is his outlook still as a possible SP1?

Geoff Pontes

3 hours ago

I can't say for sure but I am hopeful. I can say he was hurt in May of 2023. They thought they got around needing TJS but he was never right for the next 12+ months.

 

LT

Lui from Toronto

4 hours ago

Why have the Jays seemed to backed up on their international program when it used to be a strength of the organization?

Geoff Pontes

3 hours ago

There's been a pretty noticeable shift in how funds have been allocated over the last few classes. It does seem like they've gone away from investing as heavily.

 

Anonymous

4 hours ago

I was surprised to see Charles McAdoo excluded after a promising beginning with PIT. What does he need to do in order to gain top prospect status again?

Geoff Pontes

3 hours ago

He's at 11 or 12 and was on at certain. I think my big question is where does he play and will he improve over the next year? He's pretty maxed out and the bat is solid but not spectacular, he had his struggles against better pitching. I saw a bit of him in New Hampshire this year.

[Spanky99]

The haters are never going to admit it, but this farm system is sneaky good.

 

This says a lot friendo, certainly trending in the right direction...

 

Anonymous

6 hours ago

 

which blue jays prospects are in the top 100 for baseball america

 

Geoff Pontes

4 hours ago

 

I would personally vote for Tiedemann, Yesavage, Nimmala and Orelvis. With Bloss, Kasevich, Maroudis, Roden and Rojas all within 125-200. I can tell you there are people on staff that will not vote for any Blue Jays. I have a more positive outlook on this top 10 than most.

 

I'm on team Geoff Pontes!

[Terminator]

 

I'm on team Geoff Pontes!

 

I haven't heard of him until 5 minutes ago but I'm a huge fan and he really knows his stuff

[P2F]

I haven't heard of him until 5 minutes ago but I'm a huge fan and he really knows his stuff

 

He's formerly Ralph Lifshitz (aka Prospect Jesus) from Razzball. He also co-founded Prospects Live a few years ago.

[L54]

We need a Nimmala breakout

[saskjayfan]

This says a lot friendo, certainly trending in the right direction...

 

Anonymous

6 hours ago

 

which blue jays prospects are in the top 100 for baseball america

 

Geoff Pontes

4 hours ago

 

I would personally vote for Tiedemann, Yesavage, Nimmala and Orelvis. With Bloss, Kasevich, Maroudis, Roden and Rojas all within 125-200. I can tell you there are people on staff that will not vote for any Blue Jays. I have a more positive outlook on this top 10 than most.

 

I'm on team Geoff Pontes!

 

Our international signings have been objectively bad the last several years. Who's the next star. A 3+ win difference maker. The Vlad, the Bo, not the guy who might make it to the big leagues and be a non impact player. Our system isn't great. Those trying to dress it up are stretching things. Look at other systems. Martinez is already 23 years old and now linked to PEDs. I think the odds of him being a 3 plus win player are pretty low. Yesevage hasn't pitched an inning yet. Could he be a 3 plus win player. Maybe. Pitchers are really hard to project, especially with the injuries.

 

Right now the 2 highest potential stars are Tiedemann who unfortunately has succumbed to injuries but could definitely bounce back and Nimmala. Nimmala slashed .263/346/565 for a .911 OPS from June on last year. After a terrible start to the season he was really good from June 1 on. He's a short stop with power playing against older players. Playing at dunedin as an 18 year old and putting up those numbers is very encouraging. I'm excited to see his progression next year. I mean there could be some break outs next year, hopefully Yesevage. We need to be better at drafting, our international signings and development. I'm pretty sure every one of our top international signings over the past 4 years posted a sub .700 OPS in the minors last year.

[glory]

We need a Nimmala breakout

 

A Nimmala breakout + they need to absolutely nail the top 5 pick they are going to get in 2025. Then you might have the start of the system turning around.

[BatFlip]

I haven't heard of him until 5 minutes ago but I'm a huge fan and he really knows his stuff

 

lol

[L54]

A Nimmala breakout + they need to absolutely nail the top 5 pick they are going to get in 2025. Then you might have the start of the system turning around.

 

True. Both of those happening would be a nice development

[Jimcanuck]

Fair enough. Would you hesitate to trade anyone in our Top 10? I mean I could see an argument to keep Bloss (and maybe Yesavage) as we need SPing depth in AAA, but otherwise - anyone you would be pissed to see moved? I guess losing Nimmala might sting, as he has big upside as a SS, but so did Orelvis - and he's a PED using DH now.

 

I wouldn't move Nimmala. Was mentioned in the same sentence as Walcott by BA. Teams are really averse to moving guys with loud tools. Except for the Chisox. FTJ oops.

[Brownie19]

I wouldn't move Nimmala. Was mentioned in the same sentence as Walcott by BA. Teams are really averse to moving guys with loud tools. Except for the Chisox. FTJ oops.

 

Agreed. He's the only guy I'd be concerned about losing. 121 wRC+ at age 18 in A ball with legit SS defense is pretty sexy. He's probably the one keeper in the system. I'll also see your FTJ and raise you a Yordan oops from the Dodgers.

[Spanky99]

Our international signings have been objectively bad the last several years. Who's the next star. A 3+ win difference maker. The Vlad, the Bo, not the guy who might make it to the big leagues and be a non impact player. Our system isn't great. Those trying to dress it up are stretching things. Look at other systems. Martinez is already 23 years old and now linked to PEDs. I think the odds of him being a 3 plus win player are pretty low. Yesevage hasn't pitched an inning yet. Could he be a 3 plus win player. Maybe. Pitchers are really hard to project, especially with the injuries.

 

Right now the 2 highest potential stars are Tiedemann who unfortunately has succumbed to injuries but could definitely bounce back and Nimmala. Nimmala slashed .263/346/565 for a .911 OPS from June on last year. After a terrible start to the season he was really good from June 1 on. He's a short stop with power playing against older players. Playing at dunedin as an 18 year old and putting up those numbers is very encouraging. I'm excited to see his progression next year. I mean there could be some break outs next year, hopefully Yesevage. We need to be better at drafting, our international signings and development. I'm pretty sure every one of our top international signings over the past 4 years posted a sub .700 OPS in the minors last year.

 

I'm going to roll with BA staff and MLB scout and crosschecker resources over some British dude living in Saskatchewan, thanks.

[L54]

I'm going to roll with BA staff and MLB scout and crosschecker resources over some British dude living in Saskatchewan, thanks.

 

Sounds like some of the BA staff would have zero Jays prospects in the top 100