Article: Dunedin Blue Jays 2025 Season Roster Preview

[Brian Labude]

The Blue Jays drafted some big-time college arms early in the 2024 draft, and they will begin their professional careers in the Florida State League with Dunedin. See who will join them on the Dunedin Blue Jays Opening Day roster. 

The Low-A Dunedin Blue Jays recently released their opening day roster, and we now know who will be playing for the team in 2025. Most of the players at the Low-A level are very raw and a long way from helping the big league club, but they can possess the most potential at times. The season kicks off Friday, April 4th. The roster has a few of these high potential prospects and even a few that made the Jays Centre Top 20 Prospect List. 

Prospects to Know
On the hitting side, Manuel Beltre will be repeating the level but could make quick work of it if he can show improvement from last season. This will be his third season at Low-A Dunedin, in 2024 he hit .236/.334/.326, with five home runs, and 23 stolen bases. 

Kendry Chirinos is finally ready for a test at full-season ball. He displayed some potential in 2024, as he repeated Rookie-ball in the Florida Complex League. He hit .300/.402/.443 with 15 extra base hits in 43 games. He should be competing with Peyton Powell for at-bats at third base (Powell can also play catcher, so it will be interesting to see how they use him).

For the pitchers, Trey Yesavage is the highest profile player on the roster. He looks to make quick work of the lower levels early in the season and force his way to the more intense upper levels of the Toronto system. He brings with him to the mound a natural ability to strikeout hitters, in his junior season in college his strikeout rate was an eye-popping 40.4%. He has high expectations after being drafted 20th overall in the 2024 MLB Draft by Toronto and he surely is the fan favorite on the Dunedin roster to begin the 2025 season. 

Khal Stephen will join him in the rotation, forming a formidable duo at the top, however, long it may last. He doesn't have as much fanfare as Yesavage, due to the less flashy numbers in his final year in college (27.9% strikeout rate). However, he was playing in the SEC, so those numbers should not be taken lightly. 

Brandon Barriera also makes the team, but will begin the season on the 60-day IL as he recovers from surgery.

Catchers: Edward Duran, Brock Tibbitts

Infielders: Bryce Arnold, Manuel Beltre, Kendry Chirinos, Peyton Powell, J.R. Freethy, Sam Shaw, Tucker Toman

Outfielders: Yhoangel Aponte, Braden Barry, Alexis Hernandez, Yeuni Munoz, Jaden Rudd

Pitchers: Austin Cates, Javen Coleman, Jack Eshleman, Eminen Flores, Bennett Flynn, Daniel Guerra, Colby Holcombe, Colby Martin, Christian Mracna, Jay Schueler, Johan Simon, Gage Stanifer, Khal Stephen, Trey Yesavage.

 

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