Here’s a sneak peek, the Blue Jays pipeline might be better than most think! The Toronto Blue Jays farm system only had one prospect ranked inside MLB Pipelines Top-100 this season. With the Blue Jays contending and more focused on adding to the Major League roster, prospects are usually the first to go. With former Jays prospects like Gabriel Moreno, Austin Martin, and Jordan Groshans being moved in trades, let’s look at the current Top 5 Blue Jays prospects.
1. Ricky Tiedemann, Pitcher
Let’s start with the only Blue Jay featured in MLB Pipelines Top 100, Left-handed pitcher Ricky Tiedemann. The 20-year-old from Long Beach, CA, skyrocketed through the Blue Jays system in 2022, pitching across three levels. Last season Tiedemann pitched in eleven innings at the double-A level, posting a 2.45 earned run average and striking out fourteen. It’s unclear what Blue Jays management wants to do with Ricky, a significant piece of this Blue Jays prospect system. It’s unlikely for now he gets dealt, but if so, he should bring over some serious assets. Tiedemann is projected to reach the Majors in 2024, but if he jumps like he did this season, perhaps he gets to Toronto even sooner.
2. Orelvis Martinez, Third Baseman/Shortstop
The second-ranked prospect on my list is Orelvis Martinez, the 21-year-old third baseman. This ranking might be high to some, especially after seeing Martinez slash .203/.286/.446 in double-A New Hampshire last season. However, the pop in the bat of Orelvis Martinez can’t be ignored, especially after hitting thirty home runs as a 20-year-old. The issue with Orelvis is his high strikeout rate, if the 21-year-old can get on better pitches and cut down the swing and miss, Martinez can become one of the next best-hitting prospects in all of baseball. The power, athleticism, and projected debut of 2024 is what puts Martinez ahead of Barierra for now, but not by much. The third base and shortstop position might be held down in the Majors for now, but I’m still very intrigued about what Orelvis can bring to the Blue Jays.
3. Brandon Barriera, Pitcher
The third prospect on my ranking list is still far away from making the Major League level, drafted in 2022, Brandon Barriera looks to be one of the most interesting picks of the draft. The left-handed pitcher is projected to debut in 2026 and certainly doesn’t lack the confidence needed as a pro. The 18-year-old from Brooklyn, New York, comes with good arm speed and a three-pitch mix. With the athleticism and high velocity of his pitches, it looks like the Jays could have a potential steal on their hands from the 2022 MLB Draft.
4. Yosver Zulueta, Pitcher
The fourth prospect on my list is right-handed pitcher Yosver Zulueta, the 25-year-old who pitched across four levels in the Minors last year, including making his way to triple-A Buffalo. Although it was only four innings with Buffalo, Yosver has serious potential to be a key contributor to the Blue Jays as soon as next season. After coming over in international free agency, Zulueta brings a potential swing-and-miss asset the Blue Jays have lacked. Across fifty-five minor league innings, Yosver has strike-out a whopping eighty-four batters, showing how filthy his stuff can be. If Zulueta can find success early, it won’t be long before he pitches at Rogers Centre.
5. Tucker Toman, Third Baseman/Shortstop
The fifth and final prospect on my list is a third baseman and shortstop Tucker Toman. Now this one was tough. I’m very high on Addison Barger, especially for this fifth spot. However, after breaking down the two individuals in-depth, I think Tucker holds the spot, at least for now. The seventy-seventh overall pick from the 2022 MLB Draft looks to be another fine draft pick from the recent class. The switch-hitting infielder shows good athleticism and had a .290 batting average through forty-six at-bats in his age-18 season last year. With a projected debut in 2026, we will likely not see Tucker for a while, still at the Major League level. However, this does make an interesting name to keep an eye on moving forward. I’d love for the Blue Jays to hold onto Tucker, but with a plethora of options at the third base and shortstop positions in the pipeline. It wouldn’t necessarily shock me if a team showed interest in Toman.
The Blue Jays’ window for contention is just beginning to open, it’ll be interesting to see not only how these prospects develop but which ones stick around. Blue Jays management has gotten aggressive with the recent trades, and I truly don’t think any name in the pipeline is untouchable. Of course, Tiedemann’s value is superior to the others so far, but Ross Atkins and Mark Shapiro have pulled many surprises on us before. The future of baseball in Toronto is in good hands. Thanks for reading! For more baseball content, follow me on Twitter at ITR_Anselmo.
