Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Pitchers of the Month - August 2026

[Jesse Burrill]

The Blue Jays minor league pitching system underwent plenty of change in August. Several players who impressed early in the season have moved up the farm system, while Toronto’s trade deadline acquisitions got their first look in the organization. With the major league pitching staff also taking a step forward this month, there were plenty of performances worth highlighting throughout the system. Here are the Jays Centre Minor League pitchers of the month for August.

Blue Jays Minor League Pitchers of the Month - Honorable Mentions

Josh Winckowski - Single-A Dunedin 
Stats in August: 3.1 IP, 2.70 ERA, 3 H, 3 BB, 3 K

Winckowski made his long-awaited return to affiliated baseball after undergoing internal brace surgery in 2025. Winckowski, a former 15th-round pick of the Blue Jays, spent four years pitching in the big leagues with the Red Sox and has been brought back to Toronto on a minor league deal while he recovers from surgery. His performance on the mound hasn’t been anything special as of yet, but the fact he’s back throwing professional pitches again is worth celebrating in itself. 

Gage Stanifer - Double-A New Hampshire - Jays Centre's No. 10 Prospect
Stats in August: 14.0 IP, 3.86 ERA, 34.9 K%, 20.6 BB%

August was a unique month for Stanifer, as the Blue Jays decided to move him from starter to bullpen. The move was partly innings-related, but also an audition for a late-inning MLB bullpen role. The walks remain an issue with Stanifer, but he has the ability to miss bats, including striking out six of the ten batters he faced in the final appearance of the month. Whether or not he returns to starting again in 2027 remains to be seen, but Stanifer still has the ability to rack up strikeouts, and there is a chance his stuff will play up with a move to the bullpen. All eyes will be on Stanifer to see how the transition plays out as he moves into the bullpen for the rest of the season.

Dasan Hill - High-A Vancouver - Jays Centre's No. 7 Prospect
Stats in August: 13.1 IP, 4.05 ERA, 29.3 K%, 10.3 BB%

The Blue Jays got their first look at Hill in the system after coming over from the Twins at the trade deadline in the Jeff Hoffman trade. Through four appearances, Hill has had two excellent outings (4.0 IP, 0 ER and 4.2IP, 0 ER) and two rougher ones (2.0 IP, 2 ER and 2.2 IP, 4 ER). The results have been inconsistent, but the command has shown encouraging signs. Hill has allowed just one or fewer walks in two of his four appearances with the Canadians, something he did only five times in his 16 starts this season with the Twins org. He remains one of the most intriguing arms in the Blue Jays farm system, and improved command could be a key factor in his development going forward.

Ricky Tiedemann - Triple-A Buffalo/MLB Toronto - Jays Centre's No. 11 Prospect
Minor League Stats in August: 8.0 IP, 4.50 ERA, 27.8 K%, 11.1 BB%

Since Tiedemann has made his return to the organization after his injuries, he’s been predominantly in relief, and the left-hander has found success. His last four minor league outings have all been scoreless, and he was rewarded with his big-league debut earlier in the month. Whether Tiedemann can still be the frontline starter many once envisioned remains to be seen, but he’s still been able to provide value for the club while he builds his way back from his injuries. He’s currently on the 40-man roster and likely will get another look in the big leagues shortly, especially if he keeps putting up zeros in Buffalo.

Daniel Guerra - High-A Dunedin/Triple-A Buffalo
Stats in August: 9.0 IP, 4.00 ERA, 42.1 K%, 10.5 BB%

No Blue Jays pitching prospect has moved faster through the system in August than Guerra. Jumping two levels of the minors this quickly means the Blue Jays are taking notice, and for good reason. Had he had enough innings to qualify, his 42.1K% would have led all Blue Jays pitchers in that department. He’s run into some home run problems early on in Buffalo, but the strikeouts remain incredibly high. If he keeps up the pace he’s on, there’s a real chance we see him in the majors as early as next season.

No. 3. Johnny King

• High-A Vancouver/Double-A New Hampshire
• Stats in August: 21.0 IP, 3.00 ERA, 28.6 K%, 15.0 BB%
• Jays Centre's No. 1 Prospect

Johnny King is still one of the most intriguing prospects in the system; the 20-year-old left-hander just received the bump up to Double A and has had mixed results. His AA debut featured a five-walk, two-earned-run start over four innings. His next two have been better, with one and three walks combined over allowing just one earned run during that time. King still has some of the best stuff in the system, and he’ll need to get better at putting the ball in the zone consistently to take the next step in his development

No. 2 Brandon Barriera

• Single-A Dunedin/High-A Vancouver
• Stats in August: 15.0 IP, 3.00 ERA, 27.7 K%, 16.9 BB%

This past month has been the best month Brandon Barriera has had in professional baseball. Injuries have plagued the former first-round pick. But at the moment he’s healthy. He fired 13.1 consecutive scoreless innings this month, earning a call-up to High-A Vancouver; while his debut there was shaky (3H, 3BB, 5 ER over 1.1IP), his larger body of work has shown the Blue Jays why he was a first-round pick back in 2022. He’ll be an interesting name to follow the rest of the minor league season.

No. 1. Brendan Cellucci

• Triple-A Buffalo
• Stats in August: 10.2 IP, 0.84 ERA, 40.5 K%, 5.4 BB%

What Brendan Cellucci has done down in Buffalo this month has been nothing short of spectacular. The left-handed-throwing 28-year-old career minor leaguer is in the middle of his best stretch of organized baseball. He’s allowed just one earned run on the month (a solo HR) and otherwise has been dominant. Out of the 37 batters he’s faced this month, he’s struck out 15 of them and only seven have reached base. He’s a three-pitch pitcher (fastball/curveball/splitter) who historically had command issues, but he appears to have made a significant improvement in that department lately. Cellucci was added to the 40-man roster earlier this month, and although he was called up, he has yet to get into a game. With Mason Fluharty and Brendon Little the only left-handers on the depth chart ahead of him, if the Blue Jays are in need of another left-handed reliever, don’t be surprised if he’s the one who gets the call to make his big-league debut later this month. 

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