Article: Quick Takeaways From the Blue Jays' Spring Breakout Game

[Simon Li]

Although the Twins have a much higher-ranked farm system, the Blue Jays prospects beat them down in the Spring Breakout.

Over the weekend, prospects of the Blue Jays and Twins faced each other in the second year of the Spring Breakout games. The Spring Breakout was designed to get fans excited about notable prospects and introduce them to other, lesser-known prospects. Although MLB Pipeline recently ranked the Twins the 10th-best farm system and the Jays the 27th, the baby Jays lit up the Twins, 10-0. Let's see if we can take anything from that performance and what we can look forward to!

The Professional Debuts of Trey Yesavage and Khal Stephen
Yesavage immediately showed why he was a first-round pick, coming out the gates with a first-pitch fastball at 97 mph. Although he seemed a bit anxious in the first inning, he settled in after giving up two hits, ending up with three strikeouts in two innings pitched. He flashed three plus pitches: a good fastball with good life, an excellent cutter with a 100% whiff rate, and a splitter with a 100% chase rate. Expect to see him start off in Dunedin with a good chance of progressing through the system quickly.

Khal Stephen also came as advertised, leading with his four-seamer, which averaged around 18 inches of induced vertical break. He generated three whiffs on it, including a 94.6 mph to strike out Twins 20th-ranked prospect Yasser Mercedes. Stephen also flashed a few of his secondaries and his good command, running a 58% zone rate. He ended the outing with two innings pitched, one strikeout, and one hit. 

Jake Bloss Looked Excellent
Despite shaky results, Bloss’s stuff has been stellar all spring, and the Spring Breakout was no exception. His fastball averaged almost 96 mph with 17 inches of induced vertical break, and he showed a promising slider and changeup. Bloss dominated the Twins prospect hitters, striking out four in two innings pitched while generating seven whiffs. An interesting thing to note is that Bloss hadn’t really been throwing his sinker all spring, and he didn’t throw one at all in this game. It will be interesting to see how the Jays adjust his pitch mix throughout the season.

Kendry Rojas Found Another Gear
Kendry Rojas stunned in his two innings, averaging 96.2 mph on his fastball and topping out at 96.9 mph. This velocity was a significant jump from his appearances in the Arizona Fall League, where the fastball averaged 94.0 mph, and it follows a velocity jump in the 2024 season as well. If this velocity holds throughout the rest of the season, expect to see some helium behind his prospect stock. Rojas also showed his plus slider, zoning it 90% of the time and generating a bunch of soft contact.

Walks Are for Suckers
The Jays paired their good stuff with good command, throwing a no-walker (the less prestigious cousin of the no-hitter). On the other hand, the Jays hitters showed excellent plate discipline, walking eight times, which holds with the organization’s love for prospects with great approaches. To be fair to the Twins’ arms, the pitchers they used were not on their top 30 prospects lists, but the Jays hitters were able to get 11 hits in addition to the eight walks.

Both Bloss and Yesavage made the MLB Pipeline All-Spring Breakout Teams. 

Big Hits From Big Hitters
Arjun Nimmala was able to drive two singles over 100 mph, while driving in a run. Despite not lifting the ball, the power potential is still tantalizing for Jays Centre’s top prospect. 

Alan Roden hit a two-run double the opposite way to start off the scoring for the Jays. He’ll be one of the most exciting guys to watch this upcoming season, as he’ll very likely see some major league time given how he’s been hitting this spring.

Despite not getting a hit, Minor League Gold Glover hailing from Oakville, Ontario Dasan Brown showed some impressive exit velocities, blasting a 106.0-mph grounder that led to an error and a 97.4-mph lineout to center. For a guy whose main calling card is his defense and speed, showing any ability to hit will boost his chances of being a true big leaguer. 

Recent acquisitions from the Boston Red Sox in the Danny Jansen trade also had great games. The two infielders Cutter Coffey and Eddinson Paulino combined for three hits, one walk, and one RBI. Other trade acquisitions like Yohendrick Pinango and Jacob Sharp also got on base and scored a run each, and Jay Harry had this excellent defensive play against his former club. 

Lastly, Peyton Williams, the massive slugging first baseman also known as the Iowa Meat Truck, had a pair of hits, including a line drive single to drive in Yohendrick Pinango smoked at 103.0 mph. Although injuries prevented him from progressing up to double-A New Hampshire last season, if Williams stays healthy, he could definitely bring the Meat to the upper minors.

 

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[Seth Stohs]

Quote

The Spring Breakout was designed to get fans excited about notable prospects and introduce them to other, lesser-known prospects. Although MLB Pipeline recently ranked the Twins the 10th-best farm system and the Jays the 27th, the baby Jays lit up the Twins, 10-0.

As a long-time Twins fan and follower of Twins prospects, the Twins spring breakout roster would only intrigue prospect people like me who rank the team's Top 200 prospects. No Walker Jenkins, Emmanuel Rodriguez, Kaelen Culpepper. Not even Peyton Eeles or Kyle DeBarge... And they didn't use pitchers like Marco Raya, Andrew Morris, Charlee Soto, Cory Lewis, or any of their top pitching prospects. 

Meanwhile, the Jays prospects are impressive. Yesavage and Stephen were very impressive in their first pro outings. Jacob Bloss looked very advanced. They focused a lot on Arjun Nimmala, and he certainly has the world of potential and looks the part of a shortstop, but Roden looks ready. Dasan Smith looked really good. Peyton Williams looks like me, but man, can he hit. 

[Simon Li]

10 hours ago, Seth Stohs said:

As a long-time Twins fan and follower of Twins prospects, the Twins spring breakout roster would only intrigue prospect people like me who rank the team's Top 200 prospects. No Walker Jenkins, Emmanuel Rodriguez, Kaelen Culpepper. Not even Peyton Eeles or Kyle DeBarge... And they didn't use pitchers like Marco Raya, Andrew Morris, Charlee Soto, Cory Lewis, or any of their top pitching prospects. 

Meanwhile, the Jays prospects are impressive. Yesavage and Stephen were very impressive in their first pro outings. Jacob Bloss looked very advanced. They focused a lot on Arjun Nimmala, and he certainly has the world of potential and looks the part of a shortstop, but Roden looks ready. Dasan Smith looked really good. Peyton Williams looks like me, but man, can he hit. 

Yeah unfortunately, the Twins didn't send in many of their most talented prospects, I would have loved to see them go head to head. I tried to make note of that in the takeaways at least, but obviously am not so well-versed in their farm as you would be. 

[Laika]

Yeah I follow prospects at a deep level and even I only knew a few of the Twins prospects in the game. 

I don't think they used a single P prospect who would be in their top 30? 

Most of the Twins position prospects were "actual prospects" though so the Jays P gets some credit for dominating them. Even if guys like Bloss and Yesavage were just too advanced for most of the Twins sticks. 

I am pretty excited about Kendry Rojas.