Blue Jays Minor League Recap: Johnny King Strikes Out Everyone, New Hampshire Bats Go Wild, And David Beckles Powers Rookie-Ball

[Daniel Labude]

CURRENT W-L Records
-Buffalo Bisons: 36-58
-New Hampshire Fisher Cats: 35-54
-Vancouver Canadians: 50-39
-Dunedin Blue Jays: 41-44
-FCL Blue Jays: 34-23
-DSL Blue Jays Blue: 15-20
-DSL Blue Jays Red: 17-18

Transactions

• 07/21/25 - Toronto Blue Jays recalled LHP Mason Fluharty from Buffalo Bisons.
• 07/21/25 - Toronto Blue Jays optioned RHP Robinson Piña to Buffalo Bisons.
• 07/20/25 - Toronto Blue Jays sent RHP Alek Manoah on a rehab assignment to Dunedin Blue Jays.
• 07/20/25 - New Hampshire Fisher Cats transferred RHP Geison Urbaez to the Development List.
• 07/20/25 - New Hampshire Fisher Cats activated RHP Johnathan Lavallee from the 7-day injured list.
• 07/20/25 - RHP Khal Stephen assigned to New Hampshire Fisher Cats from Vancouver Canadians.
• 07/19/25 - Buffalo Bisons sent LHP Trenton Wallace on a rehab assignment to FCL Blue Jays.
• 07/19/25 - Buffalo Bisons transferred RHP Jacob Barnes to the Development List.
• 07/19/25 - Buffalo Bisons activated LHP Easton Lucas from the 7-day injured list.

Buffalo Bisons
Buffalo (3), Omaha (2) - 7/19

Box Score

In the Saturday tilt between the Buffalo Bisons and Omaha Storm Chasers, the long ball started things off on the scoreboard. Christian Bethancourt launched his sixth long ball of the season in the third inning, a solo shot to center field. Ali Sánchez's single to right field added a run for Buffalo in the fourth. The Buffalo pitchers kept the Storm Chasers in check all night. Starter CJ Van Eyk went 3 1/3 innings, gave up four hits, zero earned runs, walked two, and struck out three. In the seventh, a wild pitch would bring home Bethancourt to give the Bisons a three-run lead. Amir Garrett came on to close the game in the ninth for Buffalo. He walked the first batter, and the second hitter of the inning launched a triple to bring in a run. Former Blue Jay, Cavan Biggio, brought in a second run via a sacrifice fly. Garrett would induce a ground out from Drew Waters to finish the inning, and Buffalo would win the game 3-2. 

Christian Bethancourt- 2-4, 2 R, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 1 2B

CJ Van Eyk- 3.1 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K

Buffalo (6), Omaha (8) - 7/20

Box Score

As good as Saturday was, Sunday started off the complete opposite for the Bisons. Adam Kloffenstein was starting on the mound for Buffalo and he was roughed up. In the first inning, MJ Melendez launched a home run to center field to give the Storm Chasers a one run lead. In the second, a bases loaded walk brought in another. A Carter Jensen solo shot in the third brought the lead for the Storm Chasers to three. Drew Waters’ RBI double and Jensen's RBI single increased the lead to six in the fourth. In the seventh, Buffalo finally got on the board with a Buddy Kennedy RBI single to left field. Riley Tirotta would add an RBI single of his own to cut the lead to four. Two RBI doubles for the Storm Chasers in the eighth extended the lead back to six. In the bottom of the eighth, Jonatan Clase doubled in Michael Stefanic and then RJ Schreck blasted a two-run home run. Clase doubled in another run in the ninth, but Buffalo couldn't get it any closer. They lost this one 8-6. 

RJ Schreck- 2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, 0 BB, 0 K, 1 HR

Dillon Tate- 1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

New Hampshire Fisher Cats
New Hampshire (11), Binghamton (6) - 7/19

Box Score

Saturday's game between New Hampshire and Binghamton was an offensive explosion for the Fisher Cats’ bats, but a worrisome sight for the bullpen. Juaron Watts-Brown started the game for New Hampshire and it was one of his worst outings of the season. In the first inning, his command eluded him, as he walked a batter, gave up a single, and then hit another batter. JT Schwartz then smacked a ball to left field for a sacrifice fly and Chris Suero singled home the other two baserunners, giving Binghamton the quick 3-0 lead. In the second, Watts-Brown started off hot, striking out the first two hitters, but then Jett Williams manufactured a run after his single by stealing second base and then scoring on a Carson Benge single. New Hampshire fought back in the bottom of the second inning, getting a crooked number of their own. They scored one on a double play ball to second base and another on a passed ball by the catcher. Jackson Hornung then launched his second home run at Double-A, a big three-run shot to center, scoring three. In the bottom of the third, Devonte Brown added a run to New Hampshire's lead with a long ball of his own to right field. After giving the run back to Binghamton in the top of the fifth, New Hampshire's bats kept the offensive outburst going in the bottom half of the inning. Two runs would score on Cade Doughty's single to center, two more would score on Gabriel Martinez's triple, who himself would score on a wild pitch. New Hampshire's bullpen held strong the rest of the game, only surrendering one more run when Nick Lorusso doubled home Schwartz in the seventh. The Fisher Cats cruised to a big win, 11-6. 

Jackson Hornung: 2-5, 1 R, 3 RBI, 1 K, 1 HR

Michael Dominguez: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

New Hampshire (9), Binghamton (12) - 7/20

Box Score

Sunday's finale with Binghamton was not the Double-A debut that Khal Stephen was hoping for. He got hit hard during his four innings and got touched up with a couple of long balls. Jacob Reimer lead-off the second inning with one of those home runs, a solo shot to center. Binghamton would score two more runs in the inning, one on a fielder’s choice and the other on a sacrifice bunt. In the bottom half of the inning, New Hampshire scored their first run of the game on a sacrifice fly by Dasan Brown. Stephen then surrendered his second home run of the game in the top of the third inning, this one a two-run shot by Nick Lorusso. In the bottom half, Victor Arias would scamper home on an error, cutting Binghamton's lead to three. The Rumble Ponies would then put up a three-spot on the scoreboard in the fifth, highlighted by Kevin Parada's two-run triple. New Hampshire started a comeback in the seventh, Jackson Hornung singled home Brown, Ryan McCarty drew a bases-loaded walk, and then Cade Doughty knocked in Hornung on a single. The Fisher Cats weren't done though, they batted around, scoring three more, with the big hit being Brown's second hit of the inning, a double scoring two. In all, New Hampshire would score seven runs in the inning and take the lead 9-8. The momentum was short-lived however, Binghamton tied it up in the ninth, before JT Schwartz unloaded on a pitch, a three-run home run, for what would be the game winning runs. New Hampshire fell in a wild one, 12-9. 

Dasan Brown: 2-4, 1 R, 3 RBI, 1 2B, 1 SB

Khal Stephen: 4 IP, 5 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

Vancouver Canadians
Vancouver (1), Spokane (2) - 7/19

Box Score

This was a low scoring affair, as Jackson Wentworth and Braxton Hyde both only gave up one run. In the bottom of the third inning, Bryce Arnold hit a double with no outs, and then fellow Canadian Sam Shaw had his first RBI in Vancouver with a double of his own. Arjun Nimmala had a chance to break the game open with runners on the corner with one out, but grounded into a double play to break the momentum for Vancouver. Wentworth had the lead going into the sixth inning, but gave up a solo shot to GJ Hill with one out. The Canadians had another opportunity in the bottom of the seventh, as Shaw’s single with Arnold at first with one out putting two runners on base, and then Cutter Coffey walked to load the bases. Unfortunately, Eddie Micheletti Jr. and Arjun Nimmala couldn’t deliver as they left all three runners on base. Irv Carter replaced Wentworth and pitched well, but in the top of the eighth a speedy runner on base led to a run, as Caleb Hobson stole two bases and then scored on a wild pitch, which ended up being the winning run for Spokane. 

Cutter Coffey - 2-3, 2 BB, 1 2B

Jackson Wentworth - 6 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K

Wentworth was taken out of the game early in his previous start after a trainer came to the mound, but pitched a great game the start immediately after, assuaging injury concerns. 

Vancouver (4), Spokane (6) - 7/20

Box Score

The third game of the series, and the Canadians immediately went down early in the first inning with an Aidan Longwell homer off of Edinson Batista. No runs scored until Edinson Batista was taken out in the fifth inning, and Jonathan Todd got two quick outs before Longwell singled and then Blake Wright hit a homer to extend the lead for Spokane. Kai Peterson came in after Todd and after a walk, a Tevin Tucker steal, and a GJ Hill single, Carter Cunningham committed a throwing error which allowed Tucker to score. Peterson was able to strike out three batters after in the inning but the lead was again raised. JJ Sanchez similarly had issues with runners on base after giving up a single to Jean Perez, who immediately stole two bases and then scored on a wild pitch. Darius Perry homered for the third Spokane homer on the night, as the Canadians had just the bottom of the ninth to come back into the game. It started with Peyton Powell’s first High-A hit, then Dunedin teammate Sam Shaw also singled before Cutter Coffey hit an RBI-double to put the Canadians on the board. Eddie Micheletti Jr. hit a single for the fourth Canadians hit in a row to score Shaw and Coffey to put the game within three. Arjun Nimmala was hit by a pitch, and after a Sean Keys sac fly, Edward Duran had the fifth hit for the Canadians during the inning to score Micheletti Jr., but that was the last run for the Canadians as Cunningham and Jay Harry struck out after Cade Denton came in to shut the door. 

Cutter Coffey - 2-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 2B

Coffey has been a doubles machine for the Canadians, with his two doubles in this game tying him for the second most doubles in the Northwest League, with 22 on the season. The former Red Sox second rounder hasn’t shown the homer power that he did last season, but has shown much better gap power in exchange. 

Edinson Batista - 4 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

Batista has been very flexible for the Jays organization after acquiring him in a trade from the Astros earlier this season. The results have not been the prettiest, but he’s been moving in and out of the rotation and the bullpen as changes have been going on within the organization. 

Dunedin Blue Jays 
Dunedin (12), Tampa (4) - 7/20

Box Score

The D-Jays had an offensive explosion, as they had 11 hits, with six of them being for extra bases. They were able to get to Xavier Rivas early and often, tacking on seven runs within only three innings, with the first four being off just productive outs and wild pitches, but then Aponte gave the Jays a 7-0 lead with a three run homer in the bottom of the third. Hans Montero got to Austin Cates in the fifth with a homer, but then Alexis Hernandez answered back with one of his own in the bottom of the same inning. Daniel Guerra replaced Cates and pitched four strong innings to earn the save, but gave up a two-runner to Tyler Wilson. Kendry Chirinos and Yhoangel Aponte erased that homer with a homer each. The Jays had some of the most homers they’ve had and it’s even more impressive after the ground of promotions within the team. 

Yhoangel Aponte - 3-4, 3 R, 4 RBI, 2 HR

Aponte has struggled after starting off the season strong, as he hadn’t had an extra base hit in a month. However, he had three hits today including two homers, breaking the extra base hitless streak and homerless streak. 

Austin Cates - 5 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 7 K

Cates has not much left to prove in Dunedin but is blocked by a crowded rotation in the level above him. Fastball velocity was up and he was averaging 21 inches of induced vertical break, and a strong whiff rate with the splitter.

Dunedin (7), Tampa (1) - 7/21

Box Score

A lot of high profile major leaguers were on rehab assignment for Dunedin, with Daulton Varsho in center field and Alek Manoah on the bump. Manoah didn’t have the velo as he had in his rookie ball start, but was able to go two innings, only giving up one run, with three hits and two strikeouts. Varsho tied the game after Manoah was taken out in the bottom of the third with an RBI-ground out, and then in the fifth inning Varsho had a three run homer. Tucker Toman added a homer himself that same inning, to make it five to one for the D-Jays. Toman did it again in the seventh, with his fifth homer of the season and second of the game. Johnny King, Jay Schueler, and Juanmi Vazquez were able to pitch seven scoreless innings with 11 strikeouts in relief after Manoah was taken out, with the D-Jays winning two dominant games in a row. 

Tucker Toman - 2-3, 2 R, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 2 HR

Toman tied his career high in homers, as the former second rounder has struggled early in his career but has had his best game of the season for Dunedin.

Johnny King - 4 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 9 K

FCL Blue Jays

F-BLU (4), F-PHI (3) - 7/19

Box Score 

The FCL Blue Jays struck first in this game, when David Beckles got a hold of a ball and launched it over the left centerfield fence for a solo blast. The bats were quiet after that for both teams until the eighth. A triple for the Phillies team tied things up at one and then in the ninth they added a sacrifice fly and an RBI single to take the lead by two. In the bottom of the ninth, Beckles walked, Aldo Gaxiola singled, and Enmanuel Bonilla added a single to load the bases with one out. From there, Raimundo De Los Santos singled home two runs, aided by an error to tie the game. Drew Jemison walked to load the bases again, and then Dariel Ramon took ball four for the walk-off walk!

David Beckles- 2-2, 2 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 1 HR

Eduar Gonzalez- 3 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

F-BLU (4), F-PHI (3) - F/10 - 7/21

Box Score

The Tigers squad got things started in this game. On a double steal in the bottom of the first inning, the catcher's throw was off and a run scored on the error. In the fourth, David Beckles continued his hot streak by crushing his sixth home run of the season, this one a solo shot. In the sixth, it was again Beckles who got a hold of a pitch and deposited it over the wall for his second home run of the game. Raimundo De Los Santos followed later in the inning with an RBI double. A two-run double for the Tigers team tied the game in the eighth and it would then go to extras. In the tenth, the Blue Jays team would go down in order on two fly outs and a strikeout looking. In the Tigers’ half of the inning, a bunt single and then later a sacrifice fly would end this game with a walk-off for the Tigers. 

David Beckles- 2-5, 2 R, 2 RBI, 0 BB, 0 K, 2 HR

Lluveres Severino- 3 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K

DSL Blue Jays Blue 

D-BJB (4), D-WSX (10) F/7 - 7/21

Box Score

After a little break for the DSL All-Star game, BJB was back in game action against WSX. They started the game down 5-0, after giving up a grand slam in the top of the first inning to Jose Mendoza. WSX added three more runs in the third inning to extend the lead to eight runs and create an almost insurmountable lead. Juarlin Soto started to chip away at the lead with an RBI single in the bottom half of the inning, scoring Esmeiquel Arrieche. After giving up another two runs in the fourth, BJB added a run to their total with Elian Reyes’ single to right field, which scored Rafael Flores. The scoring would go stagnant until the bottom of the ninth inning, when Soto hit another RBI single and Franklin Rojas added a sacrifice fly. BJB wouldn't get anything else though, dropping the game 10-4. 

Juarlin Soto: 2-5, 2 RBI, 1 K

Geremy Barroso: 3.2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K

DSL Blue Jays Red

D-BJR (6), D-MRN (3) - 7/21

Box Score

BJR faced off against MRN down on the island Monday morning. They got some big performances in route to their win. The first runs of the game were scored by BJR in the top of the fifth. Kennew Blanco singled home Keegan Pieternella and two more would score later in the inning on an error by MRN. After Dawel Joseph tied the game at three in the seventh with a home run, BJB took control of the game in the eighth. Luis Felipe's RBI single started the scoring in the inning and Juan Sanchez's two-RBI double capped it off. It was only fitting that BJB came away with the win, as Luis Fonseca twirled a gem, going four innings, not giving up a run and striking out nine. BJB rolled to a 6-3 win. 

Juan Sanchez: 2-4, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 2B

Luis Fonseca: 4 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 9 K

Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Players of the Day
Pitcher of the Period: LHP Johnny King (Dunedin) - 4 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 4 BB, 9 K

Hitter of the Period: 1B David Beckles (FCL Jays) - 4-7, 4 R, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 3 HR

Prospect Summary (Last 3 Days)

Toronto Blue Jays Top 20 Hitters
Rank	Player	Team	PA	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	K	SB	CS
1	Arjun Nimmala	Vancouver	9	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
5	Alan Roden	Buffalo	9	1	2	1	0	0	0	2	2	0	0
6	Orelvis Martinez	Buffalo	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
11	Yohendrick Pinango	Buffalo	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0
13	Josh Kasevich	FCL Jays	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
14	Jonatan Clase	Buffalo	9	1	2	2	0	0	1	0	4	0	0
17	RJ Schreck	Buffalo	4	2	2	0	0	1	2	0	0	0	0
19	Sam Shaw	Vancouver	9	1	3	1	0	0	1	0	5	0	0
20	Victor Arias	New Hampshire	10	2	0	0	0	0	0	4	3	0	0

Toronto Blue Jays Top 20 Pitchers
Rank	Player	Team	BF	G	GS	IP	H	HR	ER	BB	K
2	Trey Yesavage	New Hampshire	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3	Ricky Tiedemann	Buffalo	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4	Khal Stephen	New Hampshire	18	1	1	4	5	2	4	1	2
7	Johnny King	Dunedin	18	1	0	4	1	0	0	4	9
8	Kendry Rojas	New Hampshire	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
9	Landen Maroudis	Dunedin	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
10	Gage Stanifer	Vancouver	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
12	Jake Bloss	Buffalo	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
15	Juaron Watts-Brown	New Hampshire	16	1	1	2.2	5	0	4	2	4
16	Adam Macko	Buffalo	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
18	Brandon Barriera	FCL Jays	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

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