Blue Jays – Three prospect pitchers that are impressing early this spring

With spring training for the Blue Jays officially hitting the two-week mark, the Jays have five games under their belt as March peaks its way into focus. For the Jays, it’s just another day at the ballpark, with Toronto set to take on the Philadelphia Phillies later today with right-hander José Berríos slated to make his first spring training appearance.

So far, the Jays own a 2-3 record, which doesn’t mean much given the lineups the club has put forward; a mix of veteran and prospect talent that is getting some of the regular roster members some early reps while letting some of the younger players get a chance to showcase their talents on a bigger stage.

Last season, the Blue Jays pitching staff put on a dominant performance, led by ace Kevin Gausman and the rest of the core rotation members as well as a bullpen crew that was efficient when called into action, with Markham, Ont. product Jordan Romano locking down games in the ninth inning. While spring training is in the early stages of development, a few Jays prospect pitchers have already been called into action more than once. Some have impressed early while others are still shaking off the rust or working on specific points in their mechanics or pitches.

Here are three prospect pitchers who are standing out through Toronto’s first five spring games.

A fifth-round pick in 2022, left-hander Mason Fluharty is poised to improve upon his first full professional campaign with the Jays organization.

Starting the year in high-A, Fluharty impressed early with the Canadians to the tune of one earned run off of seven hits while striking out 21 batters through 15 1/3 innings. That earned him a ticket across the country to double-A New Hampshire, where he finished the campaign in the bullpen for the Fisher Cats. Through 42 1/3 innings with his new club, he posted nine holds and four saves through 36 outings to the tune of a 4.25 ERA with an 11.7 K/9.

Fluharty earned an invite to big league camp this year and has impressed so far, appearing in two games and striking out two batters while allowing zero hits through his two innings of work. The southpaw works predominantly with a slider and a fastball that sits in the high 80s while his offspeed ranges roughly 10 MPH lower and keeps hitters off balance.

He should continue to get regular reps in the bullpen over the next two to four weeks and will likely start the year back in double-A, although another strong start to the campaign could see him in Buffalo sooner than later as he continues to chalk up innings in the upper levels of the Minor Leagues.

A member of the Blue Jays since 2019, reliever Andrew Bash has worked his way up through each level of the Minor Leagues over the past five years (including the cancelled COVID-19 campaign).

In 2023, Bash began the season in New Hampshire, returning to where he left off from the season prior, and spent the majority of the campaign with the Fisher Cats. Through 23 outings (two starts), Bash held opponents to a .239 average while boasting a 9.3 K/9 and a 2.88 ERA through 40 2/3 innings. He received a promotion to Buffalo in late July (a return to triple-A after a brief cup of coffee in 2022) and saw more action in the rotation compared to the bullpen, making nine starts across 13 total outings. He pitched to a 2.22 ERA while allowing just 12 earned runs and earned a 1.09 WHIP while going roughly four to five innings per start.

This is Bash’s second time through big league spring training, as the swingman made one relief appearance last year for the Jays. So far, the right-hander has made two appearances and pitched a clean sheet other than one walk in his first outing, racking up four strikeouts through 2 1/3 innings collectively.

It will be interesting to see if the Blue Jays will have Bash continue to start games down in the minors, as the Jays starting depth at the time could use a boost although his track to the big leagues may be more suited in the bullpen. Regardless of the role, the California product should start the campaign in Buffalo back with the Bisons.

If you are looking for a prospect with an impressive slider/fastball combo, T.J. Brock is likely one name to keep an eye on in 2024.

A late addition to the Blue Jays spring training invite group, Brock was a sixth-round draft pick in 2022 and finished out his draft campaign split between single-A Dunedin and high-A. In 2023, Brock returned to Vancouver to begin the season and was a dominant reliever for the club, posting a 1.77 ERA through 15 outings which included 12 games finished and four saves through 20 1/3 innings. He earned a promotion to double-A to finish out the year but struggled at times, composing a 6.68 ERA through 32 1/3 innings but working in high-leverage situations, adding 20 games finished and nine saves to his resume.

This is Brock’s second spring training stint with the Jays and the right-hander has fared well in his two outings against the Phillies and the Rays, pitching a clean inning in both outings. He has two strikeouts on his record but also has two walks via his last appearance, finding himself in some trouble during his save opportunity against the Rays but he was able to get out with the save for the Jays.

Boasting his plus slider and a fastball/sinker that sits in the high 90s, Brock will likely return to New Hampshire to start the season.