Blue Jays Minor League Recap: Dunedin Pitchers Shine and Buffalo Sees A Power Surge

CURRENT W-L Records
-Buffalo Bisons: 4-8
-New Hampshire Fisher Cats: 3-3
-Vancouver Canadians: 5-4
-Dunedin Blue Jays: 4-5
-FCL Blue Jays: 0-0 (Season not started)
-DSL Blue Jays: 0-0 (Season not started) 

TRANSACTIONS
-04/11/25 - Buffalo Bisons activated RHP Tommy Nance from the temporarily inactive list.
-04/11/25 - RHP Ryan Boyer assigned to New Hampshire Fisher Cats from Buffalo Bisons.
-04/11/25 - RHP Bryan Borbon assigned to DSL Blue Jays 2 from DSL Blue Jays 2.
-04/11/25 - New Hampshire Fisher Cats activated RHP Ryan Boyer.
-04/11/25 - New Hampshire Fisher Cats transferred C Nicolas Deschamps to the Development List.
-04/11/25 - RHP Ryan Boyer assigned to New Hampshire Fisher Cats from Buffalo Bisons.

Buffalo Bisons
Buffalo (8), Durham (5) - 4/11

Box Score

The Buffalo Bisons came out swinging in this one and crushed the baseball on their way to beating the Durham Bulls. Lazaro Estrada started the game for the Bisons and gave up three quick runs to the Bulls in the first and second innings. Carson Williams for the Bulls did the damage on a triple that drove in two runs. The Bisons got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the 2nd inning, when Riley Tirotta hit his first home run of the season, a 389 FT shot to left field. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Orelvis Martinez got a hold of an 83 MPH cutter and launched it over the left field fence. A classic Martinez home run with an exit velocity of 112.1 MPH, a launch angle of 29 degrees, and traveled 427 FT. Rainer Nunez followed right after, by taking a pitch over the right field wall, going 362 FT for an opposite field home run. The Bisons would take the game over with RBI singles in the 6th, 7th, and 8th innings by Ali Sanchez, Michael Stefanic, and Ali Sanchez again. Addison Barger and Orelvis Martinez capped off the scoring with RBI walks. 

Orelvis Martinez: 1-4, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HR
Orelvis Martinez has had a rough start to the minor league season, but got all of his home run in this game. He seems to be in Spring Training mode after he missed the first weekend of games due to a viral illness. It has caused his timing to be off at the plate and he is working to find it again. 

Paxton Schultz: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K
Schultz has made a habit of coming in after bad starts for the Bisons starting pitchers. He hasn't given up an earned run this season and looks to be finding his groove striking out hitters. 

Buffalo (1), Durham (4) - 4/12 - Game 1

Box Score

In game one of the double header, the Bisons were shut down by the Bulls’ starter Logan Workman. Addison Barger got the Bisons on the board with a first inning home run that went 407 FT and left the bat at 113.6 MPH. They would only add two more singles for the rest of the seven inning game. Eric Lauer started for the Bisons and gave up four runs over five innings. Eric Pardino finished the last two innings, while allowing just one hit. 

Addison Barger: 1-3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 0 K, 1 HR

Eric Pardinho: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

Buffalo (1), Durham (2) - 4/12 - Game 2

Box Score

In game two of the double header, things got worse offensively for the Bisons. They only managed two hits all game over the seven innings. After Durham took the lead in the fourth inning on a Carson Williams home run, Michael Stefanic hit an RBI single to inch the Bisons within one run. That would be it though, as the Bisons would lose their second game on the day. Jonatan Clase continued to add to his early season success, going 1-2 with a single and a walk. Bobby Milacki started the game for the Bisons and did well, pitching three innings while only allowing two hits, a walk, and no runs. 

Michael Stefanic: 1-3, 0 R, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 0 K

Bobby Milacki: 3 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

Buffalo (5), Durham (3) - 4/13

Box Score

The Buffalo Bisons prevented a three game losing streak by taking this game with a late inning barrage of runs. Trenton Wallace and Andrew Bash each pitched three innings for the Bisons and combined held the Bulls to just four hits and two runs, while striking out nine batters. In the third inning, catcher Christian Bethancourt got the Bisons a run on a 435 FT massive home run. The bats stayed quiet until the sixth inning for the Bisons. Joey Loperfido plated a run on a double and Rainer Nunez cashed him in to tie the game on a line drive to center field. Addison Barger added a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning and Will Robertson hit a home run in the eighth inning to put the game out of reach. 

Michael Stefanic: 3-4, 1 R, 0 RBI, 1 2B

Andrew Bash: 3 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K

New Hampshire Fisher Cats

New Hampshire (4), Portland (3) - 4/11

Box Score

New Hampshire came to play Friday night and it took a team effort to pull out the come from behind win against Portland on another cold night in Maine. After Portland got a run from a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first inning, New Hampshire would answer with an RBI single from Yohendrick Pinango that scored RJ Schreck. Down 3-1 in the top of the seventh inning, Robert Brooks cleared the Maine Monster in left field to bring New Hampshire to within one run of Portland. It was followed shortly by a Yohendrick Pinango RBI single, scoring Charles McAdoo. The bullpen would keep the Portland hitters in check, combining for five innings, allowing zero hits, zero walks, and striking out six. The game would head to extra innings, but not last long, as McAdoo led off the tenth inning with a blast off of the Maine Monster for an RBI double. 

Charles McAdoo: 2-4, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 2B, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 SB

McAdoo is starting to show the Blue Jays what he can do after a rough debut for them following being traded in 2024. He has nice power/speed tools, which were on full display Friday night. 

Johnathan Lavallee: 2.2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K

Lavallee has now pitched 3.2 innings on the season and has only given up one hit, while striking out four. 

New Hampshire/Portland - 4/12 - PPD

New Hampshire/Portland - 4/13 - Game 1 - PPD

New Hampshire/Portland - 4/13 - Game 2 - PPD

Vancouver Canadians

Vancouver (6), Spokane (8) - 4/11

Box Score

Vancouver got to Jordy Vargas early, with Keys hitting a 2-run homer, Victor Arias hitting a double and Eddie Michelleti Jr. taking a walk, which resulted in Vargas getting taken out before finishing the inning. However, Perdomo got out of the jam and Jackson Wentworth gave up a 2 out 3-run homer after a bloop single and a walk. Wentworth continued to struggle, giving up another 2 more runs before being taken out after 3.2 IP. Vancouver kept it close with Arias driving in a run, and another scoring after Coffey grounded into a double play. Jay Harry also got his 2nd homer of the season, to even it out at 5. Canadians reliever Julio Ortiz gave up another 3 runs himself, and the offense could not catch up after that, only scoring 1 run as an answer, leading to Spokane winning the game. 

Sean Keys - 1-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, 1HR, 1HBP
Keys blasted this homer off the scoreboard on a pitch from MLB Pipeline’s 14th ranked Rockies Prospect Jordy Vargas for his first of the season and for Vancouver. Keys has been looked at as a breakout candidate so it’s nice to see him display some of the thump he’s been touted for. 

Pat Gallagher - 1.2 IP, 1 H , 0 ER, 2 K

Vancouver (9), Spokane (3) - 4/12

Box Score

A strong start for the Canadians as they tacked on 7 runs against Aberto Pacheco, including 3 separate extra base hits in the 2nd. Watts-Brown had another strong start for the first 4.2 IP, and Irv Carter had a decent relief performance after a rough first appearance on April 8th, going 2.1 IP with 3 strikeouts. Aaron Munson finished off the game and the Canadians offense has been clicking, leading the Northwest league in homers. 

Adrian Pinto - 3-4, 2, R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 HR, 1 K, 1 SB
Pinto has been off to a roaring start, this being his 3rd multi-hit night on the season with a season high of 3. Although his homer looked like a flyout that kept carrying, Pinto’s been hitting the ball hard and showing that his approach can lead to hard contact. He also showed off the wheels today, stealing his first on the season, and he’s been an excellent lead off guy for the Canadians this season. Pinto just needs to show that he can stay on the field, and he easily get promoted to New Hampshire if he continues to hit like this. 

Arjun Nimmala - 1-5, 1 R, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 1 K, 1 HR, 1 SB
Nimmala also homered today, showing off his ability to pull flyballs. Nimmala again DH’d, so it seems like the Jays are taking it a bit slow to keep him healthier and to get him more at-bats, but it’d be great for him to get more experience out in the field. 

Juaron Watts-Brown - 4.2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
Juaron Watts-Brown had his second strong start in a row, and he’s been showing much improved command early on walking only 2 batters on the season after walking batters over 13 percent of the time last season. He’s been striking out batters 41% of the time and his slider has been excellent, generating a ton of whiffs. Brown’s frame and history of poor control makes it more likely that he’ll be a reliever, but if he’s found out how to command his pitches he’ll have a shot of making it as a back-end starter for the Jays. 

Vancouver (7), Spokane (1) - 4/13

Box Score

Connor O’Halloran hoped to continue his strong start to the season, but only went 2.2 IPl, with 1 ER and 3 Ks, before being taken out after 37 pitches. The bullpen however didn’t allow a single run after O’Halloran was taken off the bump. The offense continued to have success, with Nimmala, Harry and Ward with 2 hits, and the bottom of the order knocking in 6 runs. 

Eddie Micheletti Jr. - 1-2, 1 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 HR
Micheletti Jr. had strong plate discipline metrics in college, but there were concerns about his ability to hit for power with wood bats. Micheletti Jr. has shown the advanced plate skills, but he’s also been showing a little bit of his power stroke so far. 

Chay Yeager - 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 K

Dunedin Blue Jays 

Dunedin (4), Jupiter (5) - 4/11

Box Score

The Hammerheads got off to an early lead, scoring 4 runs off of starter Daniel Guerra by the 4th inning, and the Jays were blanked for the first 7 innings. Both recently acquired Batistas, Edinson and Gilberto pitched 4 solid innings combined to prevent the lead from getting out of control, with the only run given up resulting from an error from third baseman Tucker Toman. The Jays roared back in the top of the 8th with Bryce Arnold breaking the shutout with a 2-run, 100.2 mph homer to left field and then in the 9th, the Jays threatened with the bases loaded and no outs after scoring 2 runs with a large chance of taking the lead back before a flyout and a double play ruined their chances. 

Bryce Arnold - 1-3, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 1 HBP
Arnold has been one of the more interesting hitters for the Dunedin Jays, where he’s carried a high K rate along with an elevated walk rate and the ability to hit the ball hard. He’s shown all of it in this game, getting on base 3 times including his homer, and also striking out a couple of times. The Jays farm system has a lot of talented infield prospects so it may require some injuries to let Arnold get another crack at High-A like he did last season, but Arnold has been a stellar part of Dunedin’s offense so far. 

Gilberto Batista - 3.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 K
Batista had another solid outing in relief mixing up his 3 fastball types and making it hard for hitters to time up. Batista isn’t an overpowering arm sitting in the low 90s with his fastballs, but he’s been effective at getting outs since joining the Jays organization. 

Dunedin (6), Jupiter (13) - 4/12

Box Score

Austin Cates’ second start did not go nearly as well, as he gave up 5 runs in only 2.2 innings pitched while only striking out 1 batter. The rest of the Jays’ pitching did not pitch well either with Flores giving up 2 runs himself in only 1 inning and Christian Mracna only getting 1 out and walking 6 batters and allowing 5 runs. The batters did their best to keep them in the game, but struggled with runners in scoring position going only 2-for-16. Walks were a problem for the Hammerheads again, as they walked 10 batters, but the Jays also walked 13 themselves. 

Manuel Beltre - 3-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K
Beltre has had a great start to the season, and he’s continued that with a 3 hit night. He’s been consistently hitting the ball hard with an average exit velocity of over 88 mph and he’s had a 42.1% hard hit rate on the season. He still doesn’t have the above average raw power so he’ll never be a real big home run hitter, but he’s been hitting the ball across the field with authority and should do well in maximizing the contact he’s making so far. He’s been whiffing pretty consistently and his zone contact rate has been below average which is concerning, but maybe he’s been sacrificing contact ability to hit the ball harder. 

Javen Coleman - 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 BB, 4 K
The crafty lefty has been excellent for the Dunedin Jays, earning Florida State League pitcher of the week. After a shaky first appearance, Coleman hasn’t allowed a run, and struck out 9 batters in only 4.1 innings pitched. He is a little old for the level, being 23 years old and pitching to some teenagers, but as an undrafted free agent he’s been a nice find for the Jays so far. 

Dunedin (10), Jupiter (2) - 4/13

Box Score

The Dunedin offense scored early and often, with 5 runs off starter Luke Lashutka in the 2nd, and 4 runs off the next reliever in the top of the 5th. JR Freethy was great at the top of the order, as he drove 5 runs, and the Dunedin Jays got on base 22 times with 12 hits and 10 walks in total, with solid contributions from Manuel Beltre, Bryce Arnold, and Kendry Chirinos, Jaden Rudd, and Braden Barry. The pitching was also excellent, headlined by starter Trey Yesavage, and Gage Stanifer had his best outing of his young career with a career best 7 strikeouts in relief. 

Peyton Powell - 2-3, 1, R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 0 K
Powell got his first hit of his professional career today as well as his first RBI, getting on base 4 times. Although he played first this game, Powell is listed as a catcher and could see time behind the dish. 

Gage Stanifer - 4.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
Stanifer achieved a career high in strikeouts, off the back of his high powered sinker, which sat 96 mph. He also showed flashes of a strong power change at around 88 mph, which showed gaudy whiff rates and when hitters did make contact, could not do anything to it. He might be someone to watch rise up the rankings for the Jays farm system. 

Trey Yesavage - 4.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
Yesavage had a much better second start being much more efficient and in control, walking zero batters and completing 4 innings of work with only 55 pitches. His stuff looked solid as per usual, with his splitter generating a 66.7% whiff rate, while also sitting 94 mph with the fastball with good ride again. He should not be long for Dunedin as the weather begins to warm up. 

FCL Blue Jays

No games

DSL Blue Jays

No games

Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Players of the Period

Pitcher of the Period: RHP Gage Stanifer (Dunedin): 4.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K

Hitter of the Period: SS Michael Stefanic (Buffalo): 6-14, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 2B

Prospect Summary (Last 3 Days)

1. Arjun Nimmala (Vancouver) - 3-10, 1 R, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 2 K, 1 HR, 1 2B
2. Trey Yesavage (Dunedin) - 4.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K
3. Ricky Tiedemann (Buffalo) - DNP
4. Orelvis Martinez (Buffalo) - 1-10, 1 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 4 K, 1 HR
5. Jake Bloss (Buffalo) - DNP
6. Alan Roden (Toronto) - 2-5, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K
7. Josh Kasevich (Buffalo) - DNP
8. Kendry Rojas (Vancouver) - DNP
9. Khal Stephen (Dunedin) - DNP
10. Charles McAdoo (New Hampshire) - 2-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 2B, 1 SB
11. Adam Macko (Buffalo) - DNP
12. Landen Maroudis (Dunedin) - DNP
13. Fernando Perez (Vancouver) - DNP
14. Will Wagner (Toronto) - 0-6, 0 BB, 1 K
15. Johnny King (FCL Blue Jays) - DNP
16. Brandon Barriera (Dunedin) - DNP
17. Emmanuel Bonilla (FCL Blue Jays) - DNP
18. Juaron Watts-Brown (Vancouver) - 4.2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 K
19. Eddinson Paulino (New Hampshire) - 0-5, 0 BB, 2 K
20. Dahian Santos (New Hampshire) - DNP

Interested in learning more about the Toronto Blue Jays' top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!