Article: Two Recently-Acquired Prospects That Might Help The Blue Jays In 2025

[Simon Li]

After the conclusion of Jays Centre's top 20 prospects, we want to highlight a few guys that just missed the cut or, with some good development, could break out and move their way onto the list. This time, we’ll look at some of the other guys who were acquired at the last trade deadline and see how close they are to potentially being impact players for the major league team in the future.

OF - RJ Schreck - 24 yrs old - (Double A - New Hampshire Fisher Cats)
RJ Schreck is one of my favourite prospects in the system, partly due to his name being a homophone of the hit Dreamworks movie but also because of his excellent plate approach and feel for the barrel. Schreck was acquired in a 1-for-1 trade from the Mariners in exchange for the aging first baseman and designated hitter Justin Turner and was mainly an afterthought among the more big-name deadline trades. Schreck was a late bloomer, only receiving $75,000 as a signing bonus in the 2023 draft from the Mariners.

He was merely an average hitter in his 110 plate appearances in his first stint in professional baseball. In 2024, Schreck was incredible for the Everett AquaSox, the Mariners’ High-A team, as he walked more than he struck out and hit for an .865 OPS, good for a 146 wRC+. He took a trip up to Double-A Arkansas, where he struggled a bit in a short sample before getting traded to the Jays. From there, he returned right back where he left from High-A ball, slashing .255/.371/.521 in 114 plate appearances for a 153 wRC+. Schreck reached the 85th percentile in wOBA, 75th percentile in wOBAcon, 93rd percentile in ISO, 69th percentile in whiff rate, 90th percentile in chase rate, and 84th percentile during his entire Double-A season with both organizations. He also pulled the ball over 50 percent of the time and lifted the ball over 50% of the time, leading to a heavy pulled fly ball approach.

Defensively, Schreck isn’t the most athletic, and although he has played center field, he is more suited for the corners. Schreck was able to see some action in spring, and although his results have not been very good, he’s still showing very good walk-to-strikeout numbers with a 21.1% BB rate to a miniscule 10.5% K rate as of March 13th, 2025. He’ll be expected to start the season in Triple-A Buffalo and hopefully have as much success as Shrek 2 did at the box office. I’m not sure it will happen, but I’m a believer.

OF - Jonatan Clase - 22 years old - (Triple-A Buffalo Bisons)
Jonatan Clase was the headliner in the return for Yimi Garcia, who eventually re-signed with the Jays following the 2024 season. The speedy switch-hitting outfielder has all the raw tools to succeed in the big leagues but hasn’t yet put it all together. Clase turned heads in 2023 for the Mariners organization, swiping 79 bags across High-A and Double-A while also hitting 20 homers. That outlier speed is his main calling card, and although he stole “only” 41 bases in 2024, he’s a threat on the basepaths whenever he can get on base. Clase paired his elite speed with a knack for getting on base, running an 11.5% BB rate, and an advanced ability to control the barrel with a 75th percentile in barrel rate and a 90th percentile sweet spot rate. That leads to a .384 xwOBACON, which is the 81st percentile.

Clase also pulls the ball at a decent rate, at around 40% in the minors, allowing his power to play up. However, Clase’s main weakness offensively is his strikeout rate. His contact skills aren’t bad, but he can be prone to chase, as shown in his 28.9% chase rate, below average. Defensively, he’s still a work in progress; despite his speed, he’s a below-average defender in center with below-average reactions and jumps.

Clase is on the 40-man roster and even got 66 PAs between the Mariners and the Jays with mixed success, but his stint with the Jays went much better, including his first homer of his major league career off of former Jays farmhand Josh Wincowski. He has struggled so far in spring training, so it’s more likely than not that he starts off the season in Triple-A again, but given his tools, if he can figure out how to strikeout less and improve his defense, he’ll be an exciting fourth outfielder for the Jays in the near future, and even if he cannot, his speed could be a game changer in a playoff series or as a pinch runner when the rosters expand. 

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[Orgfiller]

Again want to highlight how excellent the prospects coverage has been. These are terrific writeups for the 21st and 22nd best prospects in the org.

Schreck might be an interesting guy as a platoon corner OF. The short sample in AA is promising, he's no star level ceiling guy but seems like an advanced hitter, projections already peg him as a league average guy. 2025 is the year that determines if he's an Alan Roden type of riser, or a Will Robertson break-glass-in-case-of-emergency 4th OF AAAA dude.

Clase is probably underrated given his age. There are real tools there as a CF capable switch-hitter with legit speed and raw power. Won't turn 23 until late May. Jose Siri as a 55 CF defender (as opposed to Siri's 70) with more balanced splits anyone? He already takes way more walks than Siri ever did in the minors. High probability legit 4th OF option with some breakout potential.

[Orgfiller]

Also one thing I'm confused about is how Schreck can start the season in AAA. The depth chart as it stands:

MLB:
Varsho (IL)
Springer
Santander (DH)
Joey Loperfido/Myles Straw/Steward Berroa/Alan Roden (4th OF + Varsho replacement)

AAA/on the cusp:
Joey Loperfido
Myles Straw
Alan Roden
Nathan Lukes
Jonatan Clase
Steward Berroa
Will Robertson

Something has to give. Even if we forget about Schreck there's way too many OF guys in AAA, and at least 3-4 of those guys deserve regular ABs.

[Simon Li]

23 minutes ago, Orgfiller said:

Also one thing I'm confused about is how Schreck can start the season in AAA. The depth chart as it stands:

MLB:
Varsho (IL)
Springer
Santander (DH)
Joey Loperfido/Myles Straw/Steward Berroa/Alan Roden (4th OF + Varsho replacement)

AAA/on the cusp:
Joey Loperfido
Myles Straw
Alan Roden
Nathan Lukes
Jonatan Clase
Steward Berroa
Will Robertson

Something has to give. Even if we forget about Schreck there's way too many OF guys in AAA, and at least 3-4 of those guys deserve regular ABs.

Embarrassingly, forgot to include roster depth in where Schreck/Clase would end up, you're 100% right that something has to give regarding our OF depth, and some guys may have to stay in AA just to get regular ABs.