Blue Jays Minor League Recap: Pinango and Schreck to Buffalo, Homers Ensue

[Simon Li]

CURRENT W-L Records

• Buffalo Bisons: 23-34
• New Hampshire Fisher Cats: 23-30
• Vancouver Canadians: 25-28
• Dunedin Blue Jays: 26-26
• FCL Blue Jays: 15-8
• DSL Blue Jays Blue: 1-1 
• DSL Blue Jays Red: 0-2

Transactions

• 06/04/25 - Buffalo Bisons activated LHP Trenton Wallace.
• 06/04/25 - LF RJ Schreck assigned to Buffalo Bisons from New Hampshire Fisher Cats.
• 06/04/25 - Toronto Blue Jays sent C Ali Sánchez outright to Buffalo Bisons.
• 06/04/25 - CF Gabriel Martinez assigned to New Hampshire Fisher Cats from Vancouver Canadians.
• 06/03/25 - Buffalo Bisons activated C Christian Bethancourt from the 7-day injured list.
• 06/03/25 - LHP Trenton Wallace roster status changed by Buffalo Bisons.
• 06/03/25 - Buffalo Bisons placed SS Leo Jiménez on the 7-day injured list.
• 06/03/25 - Buffalo Bisons sent 3B Will Wagner on a rehab assignment to FCL Blue Jays.
• 06/03/25 - Buffalo Bisons placed RHP Kevin Gowdy on the temporarily inactive list.
• 06/03/25 - Toronto Blue Jays sent RHP Nick Sandlin on a rehab assignment to FCL Blue Jays.
• 06/03/25 - FCL Blue Jays placed SS Gavin Smith on the full-season injured list.
• 06/03/25 - New Hampshire Fisher Cats placed RHP Dahian Santos on the full-season injured list.
• 06/03/25 - C Hayden Gilliland assigned to Vancouver Canadians from New Hampshire Fisher Cats.
• 06/03/25 - Vancouver Canadians placed OF Brennan Orf on the full-season injured list.

Buffalo Bisons
Buffalo (8), Syracuse (5) - 6/3
Box Score

The Buffalo Bisons kicked off their week-long series with the Syracuse Mets on Tuesday, and it sure was an exciting one. The Mets started with rehabbing major leaguer Frankie Montas on the mound, and Buffalo struck quickly in the first inning. Will Robertson pulled a cutter over the plate for a 405-foot home run to right field. The lead didn't last long for Buffalo, as the Mets got to the Bisons' starter for four runs in the first inning: one run on an RBI single, and three runs on a Donovan Walton home run. All of the runs were unearned, though, because Buffalo committed three errors in the inning, one by CJ Van Eyk and two by Damiano Palmegiani.

In the third inning, Buffalo began clawing back, with Will Robertson hitting his second home run off of Montas and Orelvis Martinez launching a 408-foot home run right after to go back-to-back. In the fifth inning, the same combination went wild again, with Robertson hitting his third home run of the game, once again off of Montas. Martinez would get to face Colin Poche instead of Montas, but the result was the same. He hit a 112-mph, 428-foot blast to left field for his second home run of the game, giving Buffalo a two-run lead. In the ninth inning, Buffalo added two more runs, with Robertson just missing his fourth home run of the game. This time, he settled for an RBI double. Martinez added a rocket single, and Rainer Nunez drove in the second run. Buffalo would finish this game off and win 8-5. 

Will Roberton: 4-5, 4 R, 5 RBI, 0 BB, 1 K, 3 HR, 1 2B

CJ Van Eyk: 5 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K

Buffalo (6), Syracuse (7) - 6/4
Box Score

In the Wednesday game of the series, Buffalo again got on the scoreboard first. This time it was via a home run from RJ Schreck, who is continuing his home run swing, which began in May. He now has 10 home runs since May 2. In the bottom of the third, the Mets would even up the score on an RBI triple and an RBI single. In the top of the sixth, Martinez hit a towering home run to left field, his eighth home run of the season. In the Mets' half of the sixth, though, they would put up a four-spot again, with three hits and an error. In the top of the ninth inning, down four, Buffalo put together a string of hits. Nunez singled, Josh Rivera walked, and then Yohendrick Pinango hit a three-run home run, his first at Triple A. Robertson singled, and then Martinez came up to bat. He got a slider in the zone from Dedniel Núñez and hit a missile to shortstop at 102.1 mph. Unfortunately, it was a groundball and resulted in the game-ending double play. Buffalo lost this one 7-6. 

Orelvis Martinez: 2-5, 2 R, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 0 K, 1 HR
Martinez is looking very confident at the plate so far in June. He is hitting the ball very hard and often, while limiting the strikeouts and even taking a competitive walk when needed. He still swings a lot, and often at breaking balls off the plate, but he is finding a groove and now has hit three home runs in his last two games. A big June could see him get another chance in the major leagues sooner than his season numbers would suggest. He is turning a very slow April start around in a big way right now. 

Lazaro Estrada: 4.1 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 K

New Hampshire Fisher Cats
New Hampshire (4), Altoona (0) -  6/3
Box Score

New Hampshire opened a new series on Tuesday against the Altoona Curve. They sent Ryan Watson to the mound, and it may have been the best performance of his career. He went deep into the game, 6.2 innings, and only gave up two hits. His pièce de résistance was the nine strikeouts he racked up on his way to keeping Altoona off the scoreboard entirely. As for the offense, Jace Bohrofen launched his eighth home run of the season to center field in the bottom of the second inning. In the fifth, a sacrifice bunt by Jacob Sharp scored Dasan Brown. Who says small ball is dead? The bunt was followed up by an RBI single from Schreck. The final run in the game for New Hampshire came in the eighth inning on a Cade Doughty single. The Fisher Cats shut out the Curve 4-0. 

Jace Bohrofen: 1-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 1 SB

Ryan Watson: 6.2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 9 K

New Hampshire (3), Altoona (0) -  6/4
Box Score

Wednesday's game would ultimately extend the New Hampshire win streak to three, as they dominated for the second straight game. Devereaux Harrison took the mound for his first start in June and was looking to find more consistency in his results. He certainly could not have asked for a better game against the Curve. He went six innings in this one, matching much of what Watson did the night before. He only allowed two hits, walked three, and struck out five en route to blanking Altoona on the scoreboard.

Geison Urbaez and Conor Larkin would come out of the bullpen to pitch the final three innings and complete the shutout of the Curve. Bohrofen provided all of the offense the Fisher Cats would need, with a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning. Just for good measure, Doughty singled home Bohrofen in the third. New Hampshire now has two straight shutouts of Altoona, as they win 3-0.

Jace Bohrofen: 3-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, 0 BB. 1 K, 1 HR
It was Bohrofen's second home run in as many days and his ninth of the season. After a rough May, he has started June on fire.

Devereaux Harrison: 6 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 BB, 5 K

Vancouver Canadians
Vancouver (4), Tri-City (2) - 6/3
Box Score

This was an epic pitching duel, as Khal Stephen and Austin Gordon both went six innings or more, with Stephen allowing one earned run, and an extra unearned run, while Gordon gave up just a solo shot to red-hot Nick Goodwin in the top of the fifth. The bullpen also came through for the Canadians, as Yondrei Rojas, Julio Ortiz and Aaron Munson didn’t allow a run in three innings. A Devils error in the ninth proved to be extremely costly, as Goodwin came on in the top of the ninth with a runner on first and third with two outs, and hit a three-run homer to give the Canadians a win. 

Nick Goodwin: 3-4, 2 R, 4 RBI, 2 HR
Goodwin lived up to his last name, as he led the Canadians to a good win, with a two-homer night, knocking in all four of their runs in a tight game against Tri-City. Goodwin has joined a plethora of other Jays prospects swinging a hot bat in recent weeks. 

Khal Stephen: 6 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 11 K
Stephen, after being just okay in his few Vancouver starts, had his best start of his short pro career, striking out a career-high 11 batters, getting 17 swings and misses, and not allowing a walk. The second-rounder has been showing top-100 stuff, and his command of his secondaries has been exceptional early on in his career.

Vancouver (5), Tri-City (7) - 6/4
Box Score

The balls were flying in this one, as the two teams combined for nine extra base hits, including two homers apiece, with Victor Arias and Je'Von Ward both getting their second homers of the season. Jackson Wentworth struggled once again, this time allowing seven runs in four innings of work. Tri-City starter Keythel Key wasn’t much better, as he allowed five runs in five innings. However, after the starters came out for both teams, the bullpens for both teams were stellar, as they both allowed zero runs. The Canadians pen struck out seven batters in five innings, while the Devils bullpen mustered five in four innings. 

Victor Arias: 3-5, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 HR, 2 K
Arias has made loud contact all season long, but because of sub-optimal launch angles, he hasn’t been able to tap into much of his power yet. However, he did hit a low liner to the opposite field for a bomb on the second pitch of the game. He added another two hits on the night, and he’s been one of many bright spots in the Canadians offense. 

Jonathan Todd: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 4 K

Dunedin Blue Jays 
Dunedin (3), St. Lucie (2) - 6/3
Box Score

Colby Holcombe’s blonde locks took the mound, but he struggled early with command, giving up four walks and getting taken out of the game early with just 2 ⅔ innings under his belt. The bullpen locked it down once Holcombe left, combining for eight strikeouts without giving up a run. The game remained close going into the eighth inning, but Tucker Toman hit an RBI single in the eighth that made it even, and although Edward Duran had his hit streak broken, he was the winning run with Kendry Chirinos driving him in. 

Tucker Toman: 2-4, 1 R, 1 RBI
Toman was the second Jays farm system hitter to give the team a chance to win it in the top of the ninth with two outs.

Eminen Flores: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 5 K

Dunedin, St. Lucie - 6/4
PPD

FCL Blue Jays
F-BLU (0), F-YAN (5) - 6/3
Box Score

Nick Sandlin, who is rehabbing in the Complex League for the Blue Jays, got the start in this one and pitched a relatively clean first inning. He only walked one batter and didn't give up a hit or run. In the top of the third inning, the Yankees' squad got three runs off of Sann Omosoko on six hits. The Yankees would add one more in the fourth and one in the fifth to take a 5-0 lead. The Blue Jays' hitters only managed four singles in the game and didn't really threaten to score after the first inning, when David Beckles was thrown out at home following an error. The Blue Jays' squad would lose 5-0. 

Maykel Minosa: 1-2, 0 R, 0 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K

Raimundo De Los Santos: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

DSL Blue Jays Blue 
D-BJB (6), D-PIG (1) F/7 - 6/3
Box Score

BJB got into the win column for the first time in the 2025 season on Tuesday. Going up against the Gold team from the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, the BJB's bats were quiet until the top of the third inning. J.T. Bain singled in Darwin Núñez, Cristopher Polanco doubled home Bain, and Polanco would score on Rafael Flores’ single. After giving up their lone run of the game in the fourth, BJB added two more runs in the fifth inning. Polanco scored on Juarlin Soto's groundout, who then came around to score on a single from Carlos Garcia. In the top of the sixth, Núñez had an RBI single scoring Daniel Dominguez. BJB coasted to a 6-1 victory in this one. 

Cristopher Polanco: 2-3, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 2B

Michael De La Cruz: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB. 5 K

DSL Blue Jays Red
D-BJR (8), D-NAT (12) - 6/3
Box Score

Tuesday's game between BJR and the Washington Nationals DSL team went in a typical fashion. The Nationals scored nine runs by the end of the top of the fourth inning, and BJR was sitting with a goose egg. In the bottom half of the fourth inning, BJR got onto the scoreboard with a Nestor Urbina double, scoring Diego Arce. In the bottom of the fifth, Pascual Archila's two-RBI double brought BJR to within six runs. The Nationals team added three more runs before Arce scored on a groundout in the bottom of the eighth, and Luis Felipe scored on a wild pitch. BJR would add three more runs on a single, an error, and a groundout. The lead for the Nationals team was too large for BJR to come back from, and they lost 12-8. 

Luis Felipe: 3-5, 2 R, 1 RBI, 2 K, 1 2B

Luis Victorino: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K

Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Players of the Period

• Pitcher of the Period: RHP Khal Stephen (Vancouver) - 6 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 11 K
• Hitter of the Period: OF Will Robertson (Buffalo) - 5-9, 4 R, 5 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 3 HR, 1 2B

Prospect Summary (Last 2 Days)

 

 

View full article

[Orgfiller]

Nice to see Stephen shove in A+ and the power come alive in AAA.

I like the new format for the top 20 hitters/pitchers as it makes it much cleaner to read, but as a small nitpick, the blue rows are slightly hard on the eye, maybe a lighter font could help here? Something to play around with perhaps.

[Orgfiller]

Another small nitpick that would likely help, perhaps adding a section for injured top prospects? Bit depressing to always see zeros next to Barriera, Ricky T, Bloss, Kasevich, etc. Maybe we replace them with the next top vote getters in the top 20 rankings @Brock Beauchamp and have a section just for injured long-term guys.

[Brock Beauchamp]

25 minutes ago, Orgfiller said:

Another small nitpick that would likely help, perhaps adding a section for injured top prospects? Bit depressing to always see zeros next to Barriera, Ricky T, Bloss, Kasevich, etc. Maybe we replace them with the next top vote getters in the top 20 rankings @Brock Beauchamp and have a section just for injured long-term guys.

Do you mean in the bottom of the recap articles or on the prospect list itself? Noting injured players is an interested idea, I'll need to think about that more.

[Orgfiller]

16 minutes ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

Do you mean in the bottom of the recap articles or on the prospect list itself? Noting injured players is an interested idea, I'll need to think about that more.

Mostly in the bottom of the recap articles since that's where we get tangible updates on performance. Tagged you since you would know who the next X non injured prospects in the top ~21-26 range would be to replace the injured guys with.

But could be helpful to note the guys that will be out for some time, usually/almost always pitchers.

[Brock Beauchamp]

10 minutes ago, Orgfiller said:

Mostly in the bottom of the recap articles since that's where we get tangible updates on performance. Tagged you since you would know who the next X non injured prospects in the top ~21-26 range would be to replace the injured guys with.

But could be helpful to note the guys that will be out for some time, usually/almost always pitchers.

Hmm, yeah. I was thinking of adding something to our top prospect ranking, I'm going to talk to Seth about the feasibility of cooking in injuries and approximate timelines for recovery.