Blue Jays Minor League Recap: Trey Yesavage's Big Vancouver Debut and Some Shaky Rehab Outings

[Simon Li]

CURRENT W-L Records

• Buffalo Bisons: 17-28
• New Hampshire Fisher Cats: 16-24
• Vancouver Canadians: 17-24
• Dunedin Blue Jays: 23-18
• FCL Blue Jays: 7-6

DSL Blue Jays: 0-0 (Season not started)

TRANSACTIONS

• 05/20/25: Buffalo Bisons sent SS Josh Kasevich on a rehab assignment to FCL Blue Jays.
• 05/20/25: Buffalo Bisons placed RHP Anders Tolhurst on the temporarily inactive list.
• 05/20/25: RHP CJ Van Eyk assigned to Buffalo Bisons from New Hampshire Fisher Cats.
• 05/20/25: New Hampshire Fisher Cats transferred 2B Charles McAdoo to the Development List.
• 05/20/25: RHP Juaron Watts-Brown assigned to New Hampshire Fisher Cats from Vancouver Canadians.
• 05/20/25: RHP Kevin Miranda assigned to New Hampshire Fisher Cats from Vancouver Canadians.
• 05/20/25: SS Ryan McCarty assigned to Buffalo Bisons from New Hampshire Fisher Cats.
• 05/20/25: RHP Nate Garkow assigned to New Hampshire Fisher Cats from Vancouver Canadians.
• 05/20/25: RHP CJ Van Eyk assigned to Buffalo Bisons from New Hampshire Fisher Cats.
• 05/20/25: RHP Grant Rogers assigned to New Hampshire Fisher Cats from Vancouver Canadians.

Buffalo Bisons
Buffalo (4), Lehigh (5) - 5/20
Box Score

Buffalo began a series with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs this week. Buffalo got this game started right at the jump, when Alan Roden took a 3-1 high fastball over the fence for a home run. The lead was short-lived lived though, as Lehigh Valley second baseman Otto Kemp took the Buffalo starter CJ Van Eyk deep in their half of the first inning. Things were silent until the third, when Kemp again had a key hit that drove in Rodolfo Castro for the IronPigs. An RBI groundout would give Lehigh Valley the two-run lead after three innings.

In the fifth inning, Josh Rivera launched his second home run at Triple A, a two-run shot to tie the game. In the bottom of the eighth, the IronPigs would take control and add to their lead on a run via a throwing error from the Buffalo catcher and an RBI single from Castro. Buffalo mounted a ninth-inning rally, but it fell short when Davis Schneider grounded out to end the game.

Alan Roden: 2-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 0 K, 1 HR, 1 2B

CJ Van Eyk: 5 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K

Buffalo (5), Lehigh (8) - 5/21- 8 Innings
Box Score

In the second game of the series, Buffalo was up against the tall test that would be Andrew Painter. Painter is the top prospect in the Phillies' minor league system, and he did not disappoint in this one. He made easy work of the Buffalo lineup, cruising through four innings pitched while allowing just three hits and one earned run. He baffled the Bisons’ hitters and was able to strike out seven of them. Lazaro Estrada was almost equally good, as he only surrendered two runs, both of which came in the third inning on a Cal Stevenson home run and an Otto Kemp RBI single.

Once both starters left the game, the runs came in bunches. Buffalo hit the scoreboard first in the top of the fifth inning. They scored one run on a Davis Schneider single and two runs on a Rainer Nunez double to take a 4-2 lead. The lead was short-lived once again, as two Lehigh Valley runs scored on an error by Nunez at first base, and then two more scored on a Stevenson single. The IronPigs would add two more runs on singles in the sixth inning to take an 8-4 lead and were pulling away. Joey Loperfido drove in a run in the seventh inning to bring things closer, but after the eighth inning, the game was shut down by rain, and the game was called in a Lehigh Valley victory.

Alan Roden: 2-4, 2 R, 0 RBI, 0 BB, 1 K

Lazaro Estrada: 4 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 K

New Hampshire Fisher Cats
New Hampshire (0) Reading (5) - 5/20
Box Score

On Tuesday, New Hampshire opened a new series against the New York Yankees' Double-A affiliate, Somerset. This one was a stark contrast to some of the Fisher Cats’ more recent performances on the field. In the top of the first inning, Somerset got the scoring started with a two-run single by Tyler Hardman. They added to their lead in the third inning on a single from Grant Richardson that scored one. A sacrifice fly by George Lombard Jr. extended the Somerset lead to four in the fifth inning.

As for the New Hampshire bats, they got a single to start their half of the first inning, and then their bats were blanked until the bottom of the ninth. They got back-to-back singles by Dasan Brown and RJ Schreck. Nothing would come of it, however, as Cade Doughty struck out to end the game. New Hampshire was shut out in this one, dropping it 5-0 and only getting three hits.

Yohendrick Pinango: 1-4, 1 K, 2 SB
The two stolen bases from Pinango nearly doubled his season total and are a pleasant addition to his profile. He only has five stolen bases on the year, but he can become vastly more dangerous if he can be a threat on the basepaths. It's something worth monitoring to see if he will steal more, or if he just happened to be more opportunistic in this game.

Alex Amalfi: 2.2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K

New Hampshire (1), Reading (4) -  5/21
Box Score

Grant Rogers took the mound on Wednesday for New Hampshire, after a recent promotion, for what would be his Double A debut. He was pretty pinpoint with his command, only walking one. Unfortunately for him and the Fisher Cats, he got into some trouble in the top of the fifth inning. After a single and a walk, Antonio Gomez got to him with a two-run double. Two batters later, Somerset cashed in another run on a single by the highly ranked George Lombard Jr. Gomez added another run to Somerset's lead with his single in the top of the seventh inning.

Just like in Tuesday's game, New Hampshire was kept off the scoreboard until the bottom of the ninth when they started a mini rally. Dasan Brown singled, and Cade Doughty knocked him in with a double. Yohendrick Pinango would end the threat and the game by striking out. New Hampshire fell again to Somerset, this time by a score of 4-1.

Cade Doughty: 2-4, 1 RBI, 1 2B

Grant Rogers: 5 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
Rogers took a perfect game into the fifth inning and was really working his offspeed pitches this game. He has a six-pitch mix that includes a four-seam fastball, sinker, cutter, slider, changeup, and splitter. He is someone to watch closely over the next couple of months.

Vancouver Canadians
Vancouver (4), Eugene (6) - 5/20
Box Score

It was a day of debuts for the Canadians, as a few highly touted prospects came up from Dunedin to make their first appearances with Vancouver. Despite going down early on a Charlie Szykowny two-run shot in the first, the Canadians rallied in the third inning, scoring three runs on an Arjun Nimmala homer. Trey Yesavage settled in after the second inning, and in the fifth, he was replaced with Gage Stanifer, who made his own debut for the Canadians. Stanifer got two quick outs, but the zone tightened a bit, and he walked three batters straight. Quinn McDaniel hit a bases-clearing double off of Stanifer, giving the Marauders the lead. Stanifer did settle down after that. Although he walked two more batters, he struck out six in the remaining innings and showcased why his stuff was too good for Low-A. He’ll have to adjust to more advanced hitters and the lack of ABS, but the stuff will play. Despite threatening every inning, Vancouver couldn’t score a run, resulting in the Marauders winning 6-4.

Arjun Nimmala: 3-3. 1 R, 4 RBI, 1 BB, 1 3B, 1 HR
Nimmala had himself a day, being responsible for all four runs that Vancouver scored and raising his homer total to take the Northwest League lead. The 19-year-old is continuing to turn heads, as he’s been excellent to start the season.

Trey Yesavage: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 10 K
Yesavage made his debut for the Canadians, and it started off a little shaky. He walked a batter and gave up a homer in the first inning, although he did strike out three in that frame. Then, in the second, he loaded the bases with no outs. After that, Yesavage was dominant, getting the next nine batters out, ending off a very strong debut.

Vancouver (4), Eugene (8) - 5/21
Box Score

Fernando Perez looked to continue his strong start stretch but got hit around, allowing seven hits, three homers, and six total earned runs in five innings of work. He did also strike out 5 batters, but he’s struggled to get whiffs so far this season. The Canadians scored a couple of runs on a Jackson Hornung single and a throwing error, but with the barrage of extra base hits, they got down early quickly. Aaron Parker hit a two-run homer to make it close in the sixth, but Edinson Batista and Pat Gallagher both gave up bases-loaded walks to make it 8-4 for Eugene, which ended up being the final score.

Aaron Parker: 1-4, 1 R, 2 RBI, 2 K
Parker hit his fourth homer of the year, again showing his strong bat speed.

Jonathan Todd - 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K

Dunedin Blue Jays
Dunedin (4), Tampa (7) - 5/20
Box Score

Chris McElvain wasn’t as sharp in his second rehab start in Dunedin, only going three innings and allowing six earned runs on seven hits and two walks. Peyton Powell and Leo Jimenez helped Dunedin take an early lead with a couple of RBI singles, but McElvain could not hold onto it, allowing five runs across the third and fourth innings. The bullpen was a huge relief, as Juanmi Vasquez, converted catcher Nate LaRue, and Jay Schueler only allowed one run in six innings of work, but the lead was just too much for the D-Jays to surmount, as they only scored one more run the rest of the game on a Bryce Arnold sacrifice fly.

Bryce Arnold: 2-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 SB
The Hamilton Native has been one of the better hitters for Dunedin and may be knocking on the door to return to Canada. He’s a bit old for the level and has repeated A-ball.

Juanmi Vazquez: 3 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 4 K

Dunedin (5), Tampa (9) - 05/21
Box Score

The D-Jays tried to bounce back from a loss as Spencer Turnbull made his second start, but it didn’t go too well. He gave up five earned runs in three innings as well, making it two straight games in which a pitcher who won't be in Dunedin for long put the team in a pretty significant hole early on. Ryan Burr and Erik Swanson both also made rehab appearances in Dunedin, with Burr allowing two earned runs himself and Swanson looking a bit sharper than that.

Edward Duran raised his hitting streak to 15 games. Currently one of the hotter hitters in the Florida State League, the defensively skilled catcher has been a name to watch. Manuel Beltre was a threat on the basepaths, scoring two runs and wreaking havoc with two stolen bases as well. The hole was too big to overcome for the D-Jays, as although they were able to score five, they could not match the Tarpons' nine.

Sam Shaw - 3-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 2B
Sam Shaw has really become an extra-base hit machine, especially compared to last season. He’s already up to 11 XBH on the season, and that ties his previous two seasons combined.

Bennett Flynn - 2.1 IP, 2 H, 4 K

FCL Blue Jays
F-BLU (4), F-PHI (11) - 5/20
Box Score

The Phillies' team got on the scoreboard first in this one, via a sacrifice fly in the second inning. Both teams remained quiet until the fourth inning. That was when the hits started pouring in. Manolfi Jimenez homered for the Phillies, and then they would add six more runs in the top of the fifth inning to take an 8-0 lead. The Blue Jays' squad answered back quickly though, scoring a run on an interference call and a double by Drew Jemison in the bottom of the fifth. In the sixth, the Blue Jays added a run on a wild pitch, but the Phillies' team added three more runs to run away with this game. The Blue Jays would lose 11-4.

Drew Jemison: 2-2, 1 R, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 0 K, 1 3B

Troy Guthrie: 3 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

DSL Blue Jays

No games

Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Players of the Day

• Pitcher of the Period: RHP Trey Yesavage (Vancouver) - 4 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 10 K
• Hitter of the Period: SS Arjun Nimmala (Vancouver) - 3-7, 1 R, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 1 3B, 1 SB

Prospect Summary (Last 2 Days)
1. Arjun Nimmala (Vancouver) - 3-7, 1 R, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 1 3B, 1 SB
2. Ricky Tiedemann (Buffalo) - DNP
3. Trey Yesavage (Vancouver) - 4 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 10 K
4. Orelvis Martinez (Buffalo) - 2-8, 3 K
5. Khal Stephen (Vancouver) - DNP
6. Jake Bloss (Buffalo) - DNP
7. Alan Roden (Buffalo) - 4-7, 3 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 1 HR, 1 2B
8. Landen Maroudis (FCL Jays) - DNP
9. Jonatan Clase (Toronto) - 1-1, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 2B
10. Kendry Rojas (Vancouver) - DNP
11. Josh Kasevich (Buffalo) - 1-2
12. Johnny King (FCL Blue Jays) - DNP
13. Gage Stanifer (Vancouver) - 3.2 IP, 1 H, 4 ER, 5 BB, 6 K
14. Adam Macko (FCL Jays) - DNP
15. Charles McAdoo (New Hampshire) - DNP
16. Fernando Perez (Vancouver) - 5 IP, 7 H, 6 ER, 1 BB, 5 K
17. Brandon Barriera (Dunedin) - DNP
18. Emmanuel Bonilla (FCL Blue Jays) - DNP
19. Juaron Watts-Brown (New Hampshire) - DNP
20. Jace Bohrofen (New Hampshire) - DNP

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