Baseball America and the Toronto Blue Jays’ Top Ten Prospects

BA Grade/Risk: 65/Very High

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 65 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 60 | Control: 55

Scouting Report: “Tiedemann is a tall, strong-bodied lefthander with the build prototypical of workhorse starters. Despite his physical appearance, his health and durability have been major question marks. When healthy, Tiedemann has an outlier combination of velocity, movement and deception, delivering the ball from a low three-quarters slot. Tiedemann’s command can come and go, but it’s reasonable to think a large chunk of the season was impacted by injury.”

BA Grade/Risk: 55/High

Scouting Grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 60 | Run: 45 | Fielding: 45 | Arm: 60

Scouting Report: “Martinez entered 2023 trending toward a power-over-everything hitter with major questions around his bat-to-ball skills and swing decisions. Instead, he showed a more refined and patient approach without sacrificing his aggressiveness. Martinez showed a willingness to make pitchers work and in turn saw better pitches in the zone. He’s not rangy afield but shows the ability to play multiple infield positions. He has focused on shortstop and third base in pro ball, but his best long-term position is likely second base, where he has enough range and his plus arm would be an asset.”

BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme

Scouting Grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 55 | Run: 50 | Fielding: 55 | Arm: 55

Scouting Report: “Nimmala is a young, projectable infielder with plenty of tools to still develop. He has an average build that projects to add strength in the coming years. He shows at least average bat-to-ball skills with a simple righthanded swing that has a steeper path optimized for power. He’s an average runner, but his quick footwork allows him to cover ground at shortstop, where his hands and actions are above-average. His above-average arm strength should be the final ingredient that allows him to stick at shortstop.”

BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 65 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 50

Scouting Report: “Since his time as an amateur, Barriera has added mass at the expense of his athleticism. He returned looking noticeably larger than his listed 180 pounds. The added strength didn’t translate to conditioning, and Barriera dealt with a trio of injuries. His command of his slider and fastball are average, and that pair of pitches accounts for a majority of his usage.”

BA Grade/Risk: 50/High.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 55 | Run: 45 | Fielding: 45 | Arm: 60

Scouting Report: “After showing a more aggressive approach and more in-game power in 2021 and 2022, Barger showed more patience in 2023 and a toned-down launch angle. This in turn produced a more consistent bat path, and he showed improvements in contact, in-zone contact and swing decisions. Barger is a fringe-average runner and not a threat to steal bases. In the field, he is unlikely to stick at shortstop full time, and he saw time in right field and at third base and second base in 2023. He has a plus arm that could work at a variety of positions, but it’s a matter of cleaning up some of his actions and footwork.”

BA Grade/Risk: 55/Extreme

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 50

Scouting Report: “Rojas has a whippy arm action with good arm speed and delivers the ball from a low three-quarters slot. He mixes a trio of pitches in his four-seam fastball, slider and changeup. Rojas’ fastball sits 92-93 mph and touches 94-95 at peak with above-average ride and cut. He commands the pitch at a fringe-average level, with intermittent bouts of wildness. Rojas’ primary secondary pitch is a mid-80s slider with some cut that he shows advanced feel to throw. Rojas has a projectable arsenal of pitches with command that should improve with time.”

BA Grade/Risk: 45/High

Scouting Grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 40 | Run: 45 | Fielding: 55 | Arm: 50

Scouting Report: “Jimenez does not wow with loud tools or flashy play, but he’s an instinctual, disciplined ballplayer. He employs a simple swing with a direct path and average bat speed. He’s a fringe-average runner capable of clocking an average run time on a hustle play down the line. He’s not a basestealing threat but has a quick first step and good infield instincts. He shows an average arm at shortstop, but his quick release and good internal clock allow him to make a majority of plays. Jimenez may end up at second base due to the limitations of his arm.”

BA Grade/Risk: 40/Medium

Scouting Grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 55 | Run: 45 | Fielding: 30 | Arm: 40

Scouting Report: “Undersized and somewhat positionless, Schneider is a bat-first player with an advanced plate approach. His bat-to-ball skills are fringy due to a longer swing with a steeper bat path. His advanced approach at the plate and ability to discern balls from strikes limits his exposure to pitches outside the zone. Schneider struggles with offspeed pitches and curveballs but does damage against fastballs and different slider types. He has above-average power potential despite just average exit velocities due to his excellent launch angles that allow him to get the most out of his power. In the field, Schneider is a well below-average defender at second base with a below-average arm. He saw some time in left field, but Schneider’s best long-term position is DH.”

BA Grade/Risk: 45 Risk: High

Scouting Grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 45 | Run: 50 | Fielding: 50 | Arm: 55

Scouting Report: “Roden has always shown elite bat-to-ball skills and approach. He has a stockier build with broad shoulders but is a better athlete than he appears. Roden is able to control his barrel with high accuracy, rarely swinging and missing. He shows fringe-average game power, but it’s not a matter of hard contact. It’s a lack of lift in his bat path. Most of Roden’s hardest-hit balls in play are line drives. He’s an average runner underway, which allows him to play an average to perhaps a touch better defense in the corner outfield. Roden has an above-average arm that plays well in the corners.”

BA Grade/Risk:45/High

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45

Scouting Report: “One of the best athletes in the Blue Jays organization, Cooke saw a giant leap in stuff in 2023. He mixes three pitches, all of which can flash above-average. Overall, Cooke shows high-leverage stuff and intensity.”