Story by
How Blue Jays Prospects Are Faring in the Arizona Fall League
- Story by
- How Blue Jays Prospects Are Faring in the Arizona Fall League
Aaron Parker, redit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Blue Jays sent eight prospects to the Mesa Solar Sox for the Arizona Fall League.
The eight are there for different reasons: to make up for lost time due to injury, to learn a new position, to tinker with swing adjustments, and to refine their mechanics.
Advertisement
While development is far more important than small-sample-size stats, the game stats
So let's check in on the good, the bad, and the 'just a biiiiit outside.' And as a bonus, we will check in on a former Blue Jays top prospect who is also on the Solar Sox, which is a combination of prospects from the Jays, A's, Angels, Cubs, and Red Sox.
Pitchers
Toronto sent five pitchers to the AFL. The pitchers have had mixed success, with Jake Bloss pitching extremely well, especially in his Tuesday outing, while the others showed much of the same wildness the Blue Jays sent them to Arizona to address.
| Pitcher |
IP |
ERA |
WHIP |
K |
BB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J ake Bloss |
6.2 |
2.70 |
.75 |
6 |
1 |
| Yondrei Rojas |
6.0 |
3.00 |
1.33 |
5 |
4 |
| Brandon Barriera |
3.2 |
4.91 |
2.18 |
2 |
6 |
| Gilberto Batista |
5.0 |
5.40 |
2.00 |
6 |
5 |
| Fernando Perez |
3.0 |
6.00 |
3.00 |
2 |
5 |
RHP Jake Bloss (#11 Prospect) Has Very Encouraging Outing
Bloss is one of the few AFL players to have already made his Major League debut .
Advertisement
Despite injuries and ineffectiveness, Bloss has not lived up to the promise he showed in the Houston organization, which led the Blue Jays to acquire him at the 2024 Trade Deadline.
Jake bloss, Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Bloss has a chance to be part of the Blue Jays pitching staff in 2027, and being out of options might help Bloss's chances of breaking camp with the team, potentially as a multi-inning reliever or even a 5th starter depending on other offseason moves.
Toronto wants Bloss to get 15-20 innings in Arizona to make up for pitching only 39.1 innings in the Minor League season, with a 6.18 ERA. His outing Tuesday was encouraging both for the velocity and the swing-and-miss stuff.
The Four Other Pitching Prospects Are Struggling
The other four pitching prospects Toronto sent to Mesa have combined to walk 20 batters and strike out only 15. Unfortunately, this was not out of character. None are ranked in the Blue Jays' Top 30 prospects according to MLB Pipeline.
Advertisement
Hitters
The Blue Jays also sent three position players to the Solar Sox.
Aaron Parker Parks One
Many Blue Jays fans know JoJo Parker, the club's No. 1 prospect, but there is another Parker in the Toronto system, one level up from JoJo.
Aaron Parker hit 19 home runs in Double-A this year.
Parker, however, is a catcher, a position where the Blue Jays not only have Alejandro Kirk and Gold Glove finalist Brandon Valenzuela at the Major League Level, but also #5 prospect Will Brick and three other catchers within their Top 30 prospects.
Toronto sent Parker to Arizona to get some reps in left field after playing just three games there with New Hampshire. As a catcher, he also threw out just 14% of runners attempting to steal, so he may not stick behind the dish even in another organization.
Advertisement
Parker not only hit a home run on Monday in Arizona but is also hitting .368 with a .500 OBP.
Jake Casey, "The Mayor's Son" is Struggling
The Blue Jays' #23 prospect, Jake Casey, is the son of long-time Major Leaguer Sean Casey.
When he played in the Cape Cod League, the elder Casey chatted up everyone from concessionaires to runners reaching first base. One of his coaches joked that he was trying to talk everyone up to get votes for a mayoral run, and he became known as "The Mayor".
He was once voted the friendliest player in Major League Baseball.
While Sean was always quick to start a conversation with a runner on first, Jake is quick with his feet. The Blue Jays sent him to the Arizona Fall League to capitalize on his 60-grade speed.
Sloan Park, where the Solar Sox play. | Adam Steinmetz
Casey broke his hamate bone in his first game at High-A Vancouver, but recovered to hit .243/.377/.504 with 13 home runs and 10 stolen bases. Casey's bat has been quiet so far in the AFL has been hit by more pitches (5) in 32 at-bats than he has hits (3).
Advertisement
His 40% strikeout rate is even more concerning than his .094, but he has still managed to steal six bags and is using his time in Arizona to tinker with his swing and make mechanical adjustments, so results are secondary.
The Blue Jays are trying to let Jake Cook
Jake Cook is the third Toronto hitter wintering in Mesa.
Southern Miss Golden Eagles outfielder Jake Cook | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Cook was the Blue Jays' 3rd-round pick in 2025 out of Southern Miss and is their 20th-ranked prospect.
Cook ran the second-fastest time in MLB Draft Combine history, clocking 3.51 seconds in the 30-yard dash, and recently went home to first in an AFL game in 3.81 seconds, close to Chandler Simpson's 3.78 seconds during the MLB playoffs.
Advertisement
Cook is an eye-popping athlete and the fastest player in the Toronto organization and among the fastest in Minor League Baseball, with an 80 grade in speed and a 65 in fielding. He also pitched in college and reached 96 mph but was extremely wild, so he stopped pitching and focused solely on center field.
The Brewers and Rays show how important speed is, both defensively and in pressuring the opposing defense. Cook could be part of a new wave of more athletic Blue Jays who can help the team transition from being one of the slowest in the Majors.
Cook is hitting .333 in Arizona and ranks 3rd in the AFL with 8 steals. Cook stole 22 bases in 77 games during the Minor League season, but is an extremely raw prospect who posted only a .738 OPS in A-ball.
Former Blue Jays Prospect Arjun Nimmala is also with Mesa
Former Blue Jays prospect Arjun Nimmala is also on the Solar Sox , batting .267/.400/.489. The Angels traded him to the Blue Jays for Jose Soriano at the trade deadline.
Advertisement
Today's best reads
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/bluejays/onsi as How Blue Jays Prospects Are Faring in the Arizona Fall League .
