Blue Jays Minor League Recap: Pitching On Full Display as Guerra, Stanifer, Cates, and Manoah Dominate

CURRENT W-L Records

• Buffalo Bisons: 53-75
• New Hampshire Fisher Cats: 50-75
• Vancouver Canadians: 72-54
• Dunedin Blue Jays: 58-63
• FCL Blue Jays: Season Complete
• DSL Blue Jays Blue: Season Complete
• DSL Blue Jays Red: Season Complete

Transactions

• 08/31/25 Vancouver Canadians placed OF Sam Shaw on the full-season injured list.
• 08/30/25 Toronto Blue Jays optioned LHP Justin Bruihl to Buffalo Bisons.
• 08/30/25 Toronto Blue Jays recalled LHP Easton Lucas from Buffalo Bisons.
• 08/30/25 RHP Elieser Hernández assigned to Buffalo Bisons from FCL Blue Jays.
• 08/30/25 RHP Elieser Hernández assigned to Buffalo Bisons from FCL Blue Jays.

Buffalo Bisons
Buffalo (1), Indianapolis (2) - 8/30
Box Score

The Saturday contest between Buffalo and Indianapolis was a rough one for fans of offense. The pitching for both sides was on point this game. Hunter Barco was great for three innings for Indianapolis, and Elieser Hernandez went a strong six innings for Buffalo. Hernandez only gave up one run and two hits while striking out three batters. Buffalo got their lone run of the game in the top of the first inning, when Yohendrick Pinango drove in a run with an RBI single. In the fifth inning, Jase Bowen tripled for Indianapolis to score two runs, aided by an error on RJ Schreck. Buffalo could barely muster any hits on the day, only managing three of them. Buffalo lost the game 2-1.

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

Elieser Hernandez - 6 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K

Buffalo (6), Indianapolis (2) - 8/31
Box Score

Alek Manoah got the start again for Buffalo, and he was much better at times in this game versus Indianapolis. He would go six innings and notch a quality start, only giving up two earned runs, five hits, four walks, and striking out three batters. Despite giving up some baserunners, he was able to get outs when needed. The only runs Manoah would give up were from a two-run home run to Sammy Siani in the second inning. Schreck answered right back in the third inning with a home run of his own, a solo shot to right field. In the sixth inning, Buffalo got things rolling with a bases-loaded walk, an RBI forceout, a sacrifice fly, a Michael Stefanic RBI single, and then a true oddity scored a fifth run: Orelvis Martinez stole home. Yes, that is right. It was a part of a double steal, but he did indeed steal a base, and it was home. Buffalo would use that momentum to finish off the game and win 6-2. 

Orelvis Martinez - 1-3, 1 R, 0 RBI, 1 BB, 0 K, 1 2B, 1 SB

Alek Manoah - 6 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 K

New Hampshire Fisher Cats
New Hampshire (2), Erie (7) - 8/30
Box Score

New Hampshire opened the weekend set of games against the Erie SeaWolves in a rough spot, having lost five games in a row and seven of their last eight. Saturday would not bring any relief to the slide the Fisher Cats were in, as they committed three errors, struggled with pitching, and were not with it at the plate. In the top of the second inning, Erie jumped out first, getting an RBI double from Ben Malgeri. In the bottom half of the inning, Je'Von Ward started things off for New Hampshire with a five-pitch walk. A couple of batters later, Eddinson Paulino hit his 11th home run of the season, giving the Fisher Cats a one-run lead. In the fourth, Malgeri proved to be a thorn in New Hampshire's side, hitting a big two-run home run over the right field fence. Later in the inning, Erie's prize prospect, Kevin McGonigle, smacked a ball to center for a bases-clearing single and gave the SeaWolves a four-run lead. Jake Holton's RBI single in the ninth scored Josue Briceño and capped off the scoring for the game, as New Hampshire fell 7-2 while amassing 14 strikeouts. 

Eddinson Paulino: 1-3, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 HR

Conor Larkin: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

New Hampshire (2), Erie (4) - 8/31
Box Score

Headed into Sunday's game, New Hampshire was on a six-game losing streak, with losses in eight of their last nine. Just as in Saturday's game, Erie was first on the scoreboard. McGonigle launched a first-inning home run to right field, scoring John Peck and giving Erie a quick 2-0 lead. Ward answered back for New Hampshire in the bottom half of the inning with an RBI single, but was thrown out trying to make it to second base, ending the inning. In the bottom of the third, Jackson Hornung tied the game up at two, with a big home run himself, his sixth at Double A. In the top of the sixth, Erie took the lead with back-to-back RBI doubles from Briceño and Justice Bigbie. It was still a two-run deficit for New Hampshire with two outs in the bottom of the eighth, when Hornung singled and Charles McAdoo walked. Ward couldn't cash in either run, as he flew out to center and ended the inning. In the bottom of the ninth, New Hampshire would load up the bases with one out, but Nicolas Deschamps flew out and Ryan McCarty struck out looking to end the game. New Hampshire lost their seventh game in a row, 4-2.

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

Yondrei Rojas: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K

Vancouver Canadians
Vancouver (2), Hillsboro (0) - 8/30
Box Score

After a few high-scoring games in a row, Gage Stanifer righted the ship, with an excellent five-inning scoreless start, where he struck out eight batters and only walked one. The Hops' pitching was also excellent to start, as for the first six innings for both teams, neither allowed a run to score. However, after Nick Goodwin reached on a single, then moved to second on a wild pitch, Edward Duran hit an RBI single to break the tie. Ricardo Yan replaced Lorenzo Encarnacion for the Hops and walked the bases loaded before walking in Sean Keys for another run. Javen Coleman got another hold, and JJ Sanchez earned his third save for a low-scoring affair that ended in a win for the Canadians. 

Nick Goodwin - 2-4, 1 R

Gage Stanifer - 5 IP, 5 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K
Stanifer had another excellent start in Vancouver, and he's now following his former Dunedin starting teammates Trey Yesavage and former Jays prospect Khal Stephen to Double-A New Hampshire. The progression of those three pitchers has been one of the biggest stories for the Jays' minor league system this year, and they are not slowing down at all. 

Vancouver (11), Hillsboro (1) - 8/31
Box Score

The Canadians' offense exploded in this game, and the pitching was also dominant, with Austin Cates having one of the best starts for a Jays prospect. Arjun Nimmala got the scoring going with a single to right field, but was thrown out at second. He played the bottom of the inning, making a throw from short to first, but was taken out of the game for Jay Harry in the bottom of the second. The Canadians were still able to get the ball rolling after that, as Keys hit a double and Duran walked before Carter Cunningham unloaded for a three-run homer to break the game open. A couple of walks in the top of the fifth inning led to a Duran RBI single, and then Cunningham got two more RBIs with a single of his own after Duran stole second. Cunningham was caught stealing to stop momentum for a little bit, but the Canadians were still up 7-0. The Canadians scored another two runs in the top of the sixth on an Eddie Micheletti Jr. RBI groundout, and then Harry joined the fun with an RBI single himself. In the top of the ninth, Cutter Coffey had another RBI single for Vancouver, this time driving in two runs for a total of 11 for the Canadians. 

Carter Cunningham - 2-5, 1 R, 5 RBI, 1 HR
Cunningham hit homer number 15 and also had a five-RBI day. The 24-year-old first baseman and outfielder has had a solid season offensively, showing more power compared to his short stint in Single A last season. 

Austin Cates - 6 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 9 K
Cates had arguably his best start of the season. He’s been excellent in Vancouver and should be a name to watch on breakout pitching prospect lists for next season. The fastball has been unhittable for High-A hitters so far, and he pairs his secondaries well off of it. 

Dunedin Blue Jays
Dunedin (6), Fort Myers (0) - 8/30
Box Score

Daniel Guerra had one of the most impressive starting pitching performances in a long while in the Jays' farm system, and the offense gave him enough support for a near-perfect outing. Jace Bohrofen got it going with a single to score Dariel Ramon, and David Beckles hit an RBI single to score Manuel Beltre in the sixth inning. Bohrofen extended the lead with a solo homer in the seventh, and in the eighth, the D-Jays tacked on three more. Beltre, who was recently moved to the outfield, got a sac fly, Ramon hit his second double of the night to score Beckles, and then Maddox Latta continued his hot start with Dunedin with an RBI single himself. The bullpen pitched almost perfectly as well. Although they gave up two hits, they combined for eight strikeouts in three innings pitched, with Danny Thompson Jr. contributing six of them and earning the hold. 

Jace Bohrofen - 2-5, 1 R, 2 RBI, 1 HR
Bohrofen has been playing very well on his rehab assignment, showcasing why he made it to the upper minors in the first place. He should rejoin New Hampshire shortly. 

Daniel Guerra - 6 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K
Guerra was near perfect through six innings. The big righty relied heavily on his four-seam fastball, and the Mighty Mussels could not touch it. His dominant performance led to him being named the Florida State League Pitcher of the Week. 

Dunedin (), Fort Myers () - 08/31
Cancelled

Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Players of the Day

• Pitcher of the Period: RHP Daniel Guerra (Dunedin) – 6 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K
• Hitter of the Period: 1B Jackson Hornung (New Hampshire) – 2-3, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 HR

Prospect Summary (Last Two Days)

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!