Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Starting Pitchers of the Month - August 2025

[Simon Li]

Starting pitching has been one of the Blue Jays' farm system's strengths all year, and this past month was more of the same, despite the departure of two of their best arms (Khal Stephen and Kendry Rojas). Vancouver led the way with a stacked rotation, but others joined in on the fun. August saw a couple of Minor League Players of the Week in the organization, as well as a ton of promotions due to strong performance.

Here were the Jays' top minor league starters this past month.

Honourable Mentions
Alex Amalfi - Double-A New Hampshire
6 GS, 25 IP, 4.32 ERA, 3.57 FIP, 20.6% K%, 9.8% BB%

Amalfi was on the top relievers list in July but found himself pushed to the rotation after the departure of a few starters in the system. He started six games, and although he only averaged a little over four innings per start, he pitched admirably.

CJ Van Eyk - Triple-A Buffalo
5 G, 3 GS, 21 ⅓ IP, 2.11 ERA, 27.8% K%, 8.9% BB%

Van Eyk split time between the bullpen and the rotation, which is why he didn’t make the proper list. Still, he was excellent, mixing six different pitches and throwing each at least 8% of the time (and five at least 11.8% of the time). The stuff quality is more average, but he was able to keep hitters off balance.

Jackson Wentworth - High-A Vancouver
5 GS, 24 ⅔ IP, 3.65 ERA, 2.94 FIP, 20.8% K%, 4.7% BB%

Wentworth had a strong start to his pro career with an excellent April, in which he pitched to a 4.15 ERA with a 29% strikeout rate and a 12.9% walk rate. This was his best month yet, however, as although he struck out fewer batters, he was able to limit walks and homers. While he had to deal with some poor BABIP, he was able to pitch around traffic. 

Daniel Guerra - Low-A Dunedin
5 G, 3 GS, 23 IP, 2.74 ERA, 3.03 FIP, 31.9% K%, 8.8% BB%

Guerra was the hardest cut off this list, and the main reason he didn't make it is that he only started three out of the five games that he appeared in. However, he arguably had the best start out of every one of the starters on this list, earning Pitcher of the Week honours in the Florida State League. He pitched six near-perfect innings with eight strikeouts, retiring the first 16 batters that he faced. The rest of his month wasn’t shabby either, with a great strikeout rate and a strong walk rate. 

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5. Silvano Hechavarria - Low-A Dunedin/High-A Vancouver
5 GS, 24 ⅔ IP, 2.55 ERA, 2.52 FIP, 23.3% K%, 7.8% BB%

Silvano Hechavarria is another breakout pitching prospect in the Jays farm system, and although he hasn't made headlines the way some other names on this list have, the Cuban righty dominated Single A. After earning a promotion to Vancouver, he has continued that success for the most part. The big righty has struck out fewer batters since getting promoted, but he did not allow a homer on the month and maintained a low walk rate. He’s one of the few Jays prospects who have been promoted multiple levels this season, and for good reason. 

4. Fernando Perez - High-A Vancouver/Double-A New Hampshire
5 GS, 27 IP, 1.67 ERA, 2.82 FIP, 22.1% K%, 5.8% BB%

The 2024 Futures Game pitcher has really found his footing in the second half of the season; Fernando Perez barely gave up any walks this month, except for his start on August 21, in which he gave up five. He went five or more innings in every other start he made in August, and he has a more respectable strikeout rate than he had earlier in the season. After a rough start to the year (he reportedly came into camp out of shape), he’s turned it around, enjoying potentially his best year as a professional baseball player. 

3. Trey Yesavage - Double-A New Hampshire/Triple-A Buffalo
5 G, 4 GS, 20 IP, 4.05 ERA, 1.86 FIP, 41.5% K%, 9.8% BB%

The prized first-round pick of the 2024 draft for the Jays has not disappointed at all. After pushing his way up another level, Trey Yesavage is knocking on the door to the big leagues. He was not added to the 40-man roster by September 1, so he may not make his way up to the big leagues this year (players who aren’t on the 40-man by that date can only appear in the postseason if their team is granted an exemption in case of injury), but he’s very close to ready. He did have a poor outing in his first start in Triple-A (first-time jitters have become increasingly common for Yesavage), but he has maintained his absurd strikeout rate and has even pitched some innings in relief. 

2. Austin Cates - Low-A Dunedin/High-A Vancouver
6 GS, 28 ⅓, 2.86 ERA, 2.43 FIP, 29.9% K%, 6.5% BB%

2024 seventh-rounder Austin Cates was absolutely outstanding this month, earning Player of the Week honours in the last week of August for the Northwest League. His last three starts of the month saw him record 10, eight, and nine strikeouts, respectively. He’s really taken to High-A Vancouver spectacularly, and his high-riding fastball has been devastating for hitters. Just like Guerra, he also had a near-perfect start in August, allowing just one hit rather than Guerra's one walk. 

1. Gage Stanifer - High-A Vancouver
6 GS, 32 IP, 1.69 ERA, 2.68 FIP, 33.1% K%, 8.7% BB%

It has been an incredible year for Gage Stanifer. The former 19th-round pick had two seasons with an ERA over 6.00 in 2023 and '24. So far in 2025, he's pitched to a 2.56 ERA across two minor league levels. He has blown past his previous career-high innings count with over 100 this year, and he still has an absurd 36.6% strikeout rate to an 11.7% walk rate on the season.

Stanifer lowered his ERA even more this month and has pitched five innings or more in each of his last five starts. He’s been so impressive that the Jays promoted him to Double-A New Hampshire for the last few weeks of the season. For a prospect that was barely on anyone’s radar, he put in the work over the offseason, and it is showing. He’s arguably been the most impressive pitching prospect in a system with a ton of pitching breakouts. 

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