Blue Jays Minor League Recap: New Hampshire Gets It Going, and Dunedin Scores a Bunch of Runs

CURRENT W-L Records

• Buffalo Bisons: 5-13
• New Hampshire Fisher Cats: 6-6
• Vancouver Canadians: 7-8
• Dunedin Blue Jays: 7-8

FCL Blue Jays: 0-0 (Season not started)

DSL Blue Jays: 0-0 (Season not started)

TRANSACTIONS

• 04/20/25: Toronto Blue Jays selected the contract of RHP Paxton Schultz from Buffalo Bisons.
• 04/20/25: Toronto Blue Jays recalled RHP Dillon Tate from Buffalo Bisons.
• 04/19/25: Toronto Blue Jays sent CF Daulton Varsho on a rehab assignment to Dunedin Blue Jays.
• 04/19/25: Dunedin Blue Jays placed SS Tucker Toman on the temporarily inactive list.
• 04/19/25: Toronto Blue Jays sent CF Daulton Varsho on a rehab assignment to Dunedin Blue Jays.
• 04/19/25: SS Jacob Lojewski assigned to Dunedin Blue Jays from FCL Blue Jays.
• 04/19/25: C Nate LaRue assigned to Dunedin Blue Jays from FCL Blue Jays.
• 04/19/25: RHP Edinson Batista assigned to Vancouver Canadians from Dunedin Blue Jays.
• 04/19/25: C Nate LaRue assigned to Dunedin Blue Jays from FCL Blue Jays.
• 04/19/25: SS Jacob Lojewski assigned to Dunedin Blue Jays from FCL Blue Jays.
• 04/19/25: Vancouver Canadians activated RHP Edinson Batista.
• 04/19/25: RHP Edinson Batista assigned to Vancouver Canadians from Dunedin Blue Jays.
• 04/18/25: Dunedin Blue Jays placed OF Jaden Rudd on the 7-day injured list.
• 04/18/25: Dunedin Blue Jays placed LF Alexis Hernandez on the 7-day injured list.
• 04/18/25: CF Jean Joseph assigned to Dunedin Blue Jays from FCL Blue Jays.
• 04/18/25: New Hampshire Fisher Cats activated CF Gabriel Martinez.
• 04/18/25: Vancouver Canadians transferred OF Carter Cunningham to the Development List.

Buffalo Bisons

Buffalo (0), Syracuse (3) - 4/18 - Game 1

Box Score

In the first game of the doubleheader with Syracuse on Friday, the Bisons continued their long season of frustration and not scoring runs. In this game, though, it was more understandable, as Brandon Sproat was on the mound for Syracuse. He made quick work, as he pitched six innings with ease on only 76 pitches. For Buffalo, Eric Lauer started the game on the mound and went five innings. He gave up five hits while surrendering two earned runs, managing to strike out five hitters. On the hitting side, the Bisons never got on the scoreboard and only managed four hits in the game. Syracuse would score in the fifth and sixth innings to win the game 3-0. Jonatan Clase led the way for Buffalo, going 2-for-3.

Jonatan Clase: 2-3, 2 1Bs, 0 R, 0 RBI, 0 BB, 0 K

Eric Lauer: 5 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K

Buffalo (5), Syracuse (11) - 4/18 - Game 2

Box Score

Things went a little better for the Bisons in the second game of the doubleheader, but it still ended in an easy defeat. Syracuse started the game with two runs in the first, second, and third innings. Beginning in the fifth inning, Buffalo started to chip away at the lead, scoring four runs. Christian Bethancourt got things started with a two-run home run to left field. After a single from Michael Turconi and a double by Steward Berroa, Joey Loperfido cashed in one run with a sacrifice fly. Riley Tirotta would push across the fourth run of the inning with a rocket double to center field. Unfortunately, Syracuse would add five more runs immediately in the bottom half of the inning. A Rainer Nunez home run would inch Buffalo one run closer, but the game remained out of reach to the end. Syracuse won again, 11-5. 

Rainer Nunez: 2-3, 2 R, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 0 K, 1 HR

Eric Pardinho: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

Buffalo (5), Syracuse (1) - 4/19 

Box Score

Buffalo finally got things going in all facets of the game on Saturday. The hits kept coming, and the pitching was on point. Trenton Wallace got the start for the Bisons and dominated Syracuse. He spun almost five perfect innings, as he went 4.1 innings while giving up one hit, zero earned runs, and only two walks. He also struck out six batters. In the third inning, Ali Sánchez got the Bisons a run on a 351-foot home run to right field. Steward Berroa would add a run on a single in the seventh inning. Riley Tirotta and Ali Sánchez (a second time) would add home runs in the eighth and ninth innings, respectively. Buffalo would have 12 hits on the game and, in positive news, Orelvis Martinez went 2-for-4 with a double off of Dedniel Núñez. Hopefully, his timing is getting better, and the hits start piling up. 

Ali Sánchez: 3-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, 0 BB, 1 K, 2 HR

Trenton Wallace: 4.1 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K

Buffalo (1), Syracuse (2) - 4/20

Box Score

In the final game of the series, it was a return of the slow-starting offense for the Bisons. They only managed five hits and one run off of the Syracuse pitchers in a game that turned into a pitchers duel. Blade Tidwell started for Syracuse and struck out nine batters, while Jake Bloss started for Buffalo and pitched one of his best games in the Blue Jays system. He went 4.2 innings, gave up six hits, zero runs, and struck out seven batters. The lone run for Buffalo came in the sixth inning on a home run from Riley Tirotta to cut the lead to just one. Orelvis Martinez went 1-for-3, and Jonatan Clase had a single to go with two more stolen bases. The Bisons would strike out 16 times in the game on a pitching-dominant day. 

Riley Tirotta: 2-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 1 K, 1 HR

Jake Bloss: 4.2 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K

New Hampshire Fisher Cats

New Hampshire (6), Harrisburg (5) - 4/18

Box Score

This game started out with more of the same from the New Hampshire Fisher Cats: An error in the first inning led to two unearned runs for Harrisburg. A Daylen Lile single would add a run to New Hampshire's deficit in the second inning. The Fisher Cats would finally answer in the bottom of the fourth inning when the hottest hitter on the team, Jace Bohrofen, hit his third home run of the season. It was a solo shot to right field and brought New Hampshire back to within two runs of Harrisburg. That's where the scoring remained, until Bohrofen came up to the plate in the bottom of the seventh with Peyton Williams on first base. He used his smooth-looking swing to launch his second home run of the game and tie it up at three runs apiece. New Hampshire kept pushing in the seventh and added three more runs, by way of Josh Rivera's first home run of the season. The bullpen faltered again late, but Jimmy Burnette would come into the game in the ninth inning and strike out the side to get the win for New Hampshire.

Jace Bohrofen: 2-4, 2 R, 3 RBI, 0 BB, 0 K, 2 HR,

Bohrofen continued his recent power streak and hit two more home runs on Friday night, giving him four on the season. He is looking much improved at the plate and could be a big breakout if his hot hitting continues.

CJ Van Eyk: 5 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K

Van Eyk weathered the early error that led to two unearned runs and would pitch mostly to contact to shut down Harrisburg for the final three innings he pitched. He did manage to get 10 swings and misses on the night, but he could not get them to put away the at-bats. 

New Hampshire (4), Harrisburg (2) - 4/19

Box Score

Saturday's game began the same way Friday's did, with another error leading to an unearned run to open things up for both teams. This time, the error came from Eddinson Paulino at second base. New Hampshire would even things back up in the bottom of the second inning on a Yohendrick Pinango single that scored Ryan McCarty. The scoreboard would see-saw in the fifth on home runs from each team, Carlos De La Cruz for Harrisburg and Eddinson Paulino for New Hampshire. Bohrofen would cash in a triple from Pinango in the bottom of the seventh inning and give the Fisher Cats the lead for good. On the mound, Rafael Sanchez continued his early-season dominance and held Harrisburg to only one earned run on five hits across five innings. The bullpen would lock it down from there, and New Hampshire would secure the back–to-back wins. 

Yohendrick Pinango: 4-4, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 3B

Pinango has taken over as the team leader in batting average, raising his average to .324 on the season. 

Rafael Sanchez: 5 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 K

New Hampshire (0), Harrisburg (3) - 4/20

Box Score

It was a windy Sunday afternoon, as New Hampshire wrapped up their series with Harrisburg. Ryan Watson pitched over an error on his way to turning in a quality start. He went six innings, giving up five hits and three earned runs. The bullpen came in and was masterful, going three innings and not giving up a hit, walk, or run. The pitching left open a door for the bats to take over the game. Unfortunately, the bats stayed silent, only managing three singles and a triple, which they couldn't get across the plate. They fell to Harrisburg in the final game of the series, 3-0.

Yohendrick Pinango: 2-4, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 K

Pinango wrapped up this series going 7-12 in the final three games and brought his season batting average up to .342.

Ryan Watson: 6 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

Watson had command of the strike zone on Sunday, issuing zero walks on his way to a quality start. He brought his ERA down to 2.25 and his WHIP down to 0.75 on the season.

Vancouver Canadians

Vancouver (3), Eugene (5) - 04/18

Box Score

Juaron Watts-Brown looked mortal, allowing three runs in five innings of work as he walked two and gave up six hits. He still struck out five batters, and his slider is still one of the better ones in the system. He just was not at his best in this game. That gave Eugene an early 3-0 lead in the fifth, but an extra-base hit from Aaron Parker and a two-run homer from Victor Arias gave the Canadians a chance of winning the game. However, Aaron Munson gave up two runs in the seventh, and the Canadians were out of offensive juice, leading to a 5-3 Canadians loss.

Juaron Watts-Brown - 5 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K

Although not at his best, Watts-Brown was still able to go five innings and keep the Canadians close enough to come back, but unfortunately, they could not. Watts-Brown is now up to a 3.14 ERA on the season, with a 1.84 FIP and a 35.0% strikeout rate to a much-improved-from-last-year 6.7% walk rate. 

Victor Arias - 1-3, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 0 K

Arias is continuing to heat up after starting off a bit cold, hitting his first bomb on the season and showing some excellent plate discipline, with a walk rate over 13% on the season to pair with a reasonable 22.4% strikeout rate. 

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Vancouver (2), Eugene (5) - 04/19

Box Score

The Canadians ran a bullpen day, with reliever Kevin Miranda getting his first start of the season. He was piggybacked by Pat Gallagher after Miranda gave up two runs. Vancouver only had four hits on the day, with three walks and struggled to come up with any offensive momentum all game. By the seventh, Jonathan Todd had given up a homer to James Tibbs III, and the Canadians were at risk of getting shut out. A couple of hitters got on base, and Je’Von Ward hit a single to give the Canadians the first runs on the board in the bottom of the seventh. That was all that they could muster, as they went down in the eighth and ninth and never came back.

Kai Peterson, 2.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 BB, 3 K

Kai Peterson continues to confound with his sinker/slider combo from the left-hand side. Despite an astronomical walk rate, he carries an even better strikeout rate. He does need to rein in the walks, but he’s one of the most interesting bullpen arms in the system. 

Vancouver (3), Eugene (8) - 04/20

Box Score

Eugene won three straight as Fernando Perez had the worst start of his career, not recording a single out while allowing four ER and walking three batters with two wild pitches in the same inning. As the bullpen had to come in early, they had to eat a lot of innings and performed reasonably well, other than Edinson Batista, who let in three runs in a third of an inning. The rest of the bullpen only allowed one run in eighth and two-thirds of an inning. The offense also sputtered, only getting on base eight times, with only one extra base hit from Aaron Parker, who knocked in one of the three runs scored by the Canadians. The Canadians will look to find their footing after this mini-slump.

Cutter Coffey - 2-4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 0 K

Julio Ortiz - 2 IP, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K

Dunedin Blue Jays

Dunedin (11), Lakeland (7) - 4/18

Box Score

This was a slugfest, with the Dunedin Blue Jays knocking around starter Zack Lee for eight runs in the first four innings, with Yeuni Munoz and Yhoangel Aponte both homering to score some of those runs. Austin Cates was scoreless heading into the fifth inning but let on a couple of runners and was taken out of the game, which allowed for the Flying Tigers to get a few runs on the board. Eminen Flores and Bennett Flynn were the ones who gave up some runs after Cates was taken out, but the Jays scored enough early to prevent Lakeland from getting close enough for a real comeback. Colby Martin shut the door in the ninth with two strikeouts, guaranteeing the win for the Dunedin Blue Jays.

Yeuni Munoz - 2-5. 2 R. 3. RBI, 1 HR, 2 K

Munoz was the designated hitter this game, and he immediately smashed a homer for his third straight game at 102 mph. Munoz struggled last season, being unable to play for most of it due to concussion symptoms, but has been the best hitter for Dunedin, showing very strong power and walking at a good rate. He is striking out around a third of the time, but he’s been one of the best power hitters in the Florida State League so far.

Austin Cates - 4.2 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 7 K

Cates was pitching very well through the first four innings, not allowing a single run and striking out six, before he fell apart a bit in the fifth inning. He still managed to strike one more batter before Flores came in relief and allowed an inherited runner to score. Cates was able to generate 14 whiffs on the day, relying on a 92-mph fastball with 21.1 inches of induced vertical break. He mixed in a solid slider, changeup and cutter, and it was his best showcase of his stuff on the season.

Dunedin (12), (Lakeland) (3) - 04/19

Box Score

For the third time in four games, Dunedin scored over 10 runs on the Flying Tigers. This time, the starters for both teams were electric, with Josh Randall only allowing one run, and Jays top prospect Trey Yesavage striking out 10 batters in five innings despite allowing three runs in the fifth. However, once the Tigers went to their bullpen, all hell broke loose. The sixth inning was an onslaught, with Briceno walking three batters and allowing five runs on a sac fly from Brock Tibbitts, a bases loaded walk to Yeuni Munoz, a bases clearing triple from Yhoangel Aponte, and a Bryce Arnold homer to give Dunedin an 8-3 lead in the sixth. Daulton Varsho had his rehab appearance, but the player who pinch hit for him, Jean Joseph, hit the second homer for the Jays in the bottom of the seventh, and Yeuni Munoz got his second RBI with a single to drive in Edward Duran. Bryce Arnold hit his second homer of the day to cap the game off in the bottom of the eighth, and Gage Stanifer went four innings in relief with seven strikeouts and no earned runs to finish off the game. 

Bryce Arnold - 3-4, 3 R, 3 RBI, 2 HR, 0 K

Hamilton Native Bryce Arnold just continues to mash, with him and Yeuni Munoz being some of the biggest bats for the Dunedin Blue Jays this season. Arnold had some slight success in Dunedin the previous two years, but he is putting together a great season. As of this game, he’s up to a 1.248 OPS and a 91.3 average exit velocity, with a 56% hard hit rate. 

Trey Yesavage - 5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 10 K

Yesavage had his strikeout stuff going this game, generating 18 whiffs and striking out 10. He flashed five plus pitches, with his four-seam fastball sitting 94-95 mph with 20.9 inches of induced vertical break. His splitter was highly effective as well, with the Lakeland Flying Tigers being unable to make contact with it (75% whiff rate). Yesavage also mixed in a cutter, a slider and a couple of looping curveballs that all were very effective despite more limited usage. He’ll most likely need to be challenged with higher levels of competition sooner than later. 

Gage Stanifer - 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 K

Stanifer was also excellent in relief, pitching another four strong innings while showcasing his high-powered sinker and utilizing his “death-ball” slider effectively to rack up seven Ks. He’s one of the most underrated arms in the system, as he’s arguably outperformed Trey Yesavage and Khal Stephen early on in the season. 

Dunedin (1), Lakeland (4)

Box Score

It was Easter Sunday, but Dunedin was unable to take the last game of the series, falling to the Flying Tigers in a lower-scoring affair as the offense had not risen. Colby Holcombe pitched a decent game, going five innings and only allowing two earned runs, but the Jays were only able to muster a single run the whole game. Varsho is still working his way back to being game-ready, going 0-for-3 with two strikeouts, and the rest of the lineup barely hit as well, with only Manuel Beltre, Kendry Chirinos, and Braden Berry notching hits. Some sloppy defense also allowed Holcombe to give up a third run, and Eshelman gave up another run as Dunedin got blanked after a last-ditch effort in the bottom of the seventh. 

Manuel Beltre - 2-4, 1 R, 0 K

Beltre got a multi-hit game and scored a run, and he’s been awesome at getting on base, with a .340 batting average and an .871 OPS. He may have figured out something offensively despite not showing much power at all. 

Colby Holcombe - 5.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K

Holcombe only generated four whiffs on the day, explaining just the one strikeout, and his cutter-fastball combo looked very run-of-the-mill. He was still able to generate a ton of weak contact but may need to find a genuine out pitch. 

FCL Blue Jays

No games

DSL Blue Jays

No games

Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Players of the Period

Pitcher of the Period: RHP Trey Yesavage (Dunedin) - 5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 10 Ks

Hitter of the Period: OF Yohendrick Pinango (New Hampshire): 7-12, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 3B

Prospect Summary (Last 3 Days)

1. Arjun Nimmala (Vancouver) - 1-11, 1 BB, 2 K

2. Trey Yesavage (Dunedin) - 5.0 IP, 4 H, 3 ER, 0 BB, 10 Ks

3. Ricky Tiedemann (Buffalo) - DNP

4. Orelvis Martinez (Buffalo) - 3-11, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 K

5. Jake Bloss (Buffalo) - 4.2 IP, 6 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K

6. Alan Roden (Toronto) - 0-5, 1 RBI, 0 BB, 3 K

7. Josh Kasevich (Buffalo) - DNP

8. Kendry Rojas (Vancouver) - DNP

9. Khal Stephen (Dunedin) - DNP

10. Charles McAdoo (New Hampshire) - 3-12, 5 K

11. Adam Macko (Buffalo) - DNP

12. Landen Maroudis (Dunedin) - DNP

13. Fernando Perez (Vancouver) - DNP

14. Will Wagner (Toronto) - 3-6, 1 R, 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) - 5 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K

19. Eddinson Paulino (New Hampshire) - 1-10, 2 R, 1 RBI, 0 BB. 4 K, 1 HR

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!