Blue Jays Nation’s Mid-Season Prospect Countdown – No. 13: Jonatan Clase

Photo credit: © Isaiah J. Downing - USA Today

Sep 16, 2024, 14:00 EDTUpdated: Sep 16, 2024, 14:12 EDT

The prospect we’ll look at today arguably has the highest ceiling of any position player the Toronto Blue Jays acquired at the trade deadline.

This is Blue Jays Nation’s annual Mid-Season top prospect list, where we’ll look at the 35 best prospects in the Blue Jays system. We’ll look at the player’s stats, my observations, and other publication’s scouting reports if available.

Let’s take a look at our 13th-best prospect, Jonatan Clase!

Getting to know Jonatan Clase…

Position: Outfielder

Bats: Switch

Born: May 23, 2002

Acquired: Trade with the Seattle Mariners

Previous ranking: Not ranked

Jonatan Clase signed with the Seattle Mariners during the 2018 international free agency period for $35,000. He made his debut the following season in the Dominican Summer League, where he slashed .300/.434/.444 with two home runs in 286 plate appearances.

He had just 57 plate appearances in 2021 with the Arizona Complex League team, but returned to action in 2022, slashing .267/.373/.463 with 13 home runs in 499 plate appearances in High-A. The 2023 season was good for Clase as well, as he slashed .242/.353/.449 in 595 plate appearances between High-A and Double-A.

Tacoma Rainiers

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380 feet later, Jonatan Clase has his first-career Triple-A home run!

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2:47 AM · Apr 11, 2024

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Clase started the 2024 season for Seattle’s Triple-A team, slashing .274/.373/.483 with 10 homers in 280 plate appearances, along with a 14.3 BB% and a 25.7 K%. He earned a shot with the big league team, where he slashed .195/.233/.220 with no home runs in 43 plate appearances.

Prior to the trade deadline, the Mariners traded him, along with prospect catcher Jacob Sharp, to the Blue Jays in exchange for Yimi García. Since the trade, Clase has slashed .232/.274/.352 with two home runs in 135 plate appearances with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons.

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OFFICIAL: We’ve acquired OF Jonatan Clase and C Jacob Sharp from the Mariners in exchange for RHP Yimi García. Welcome to our #BlueJays family!

9:20 PM · Jul 26, 2024

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Clase ranks as MLB Pipeline’s sixth-best Blue Jays prospect. Prior to the trade, he had a 20 home run/70 stolen base season, the first player to do so since minor league records were tracked in 1961.

Standing at 5’10”, Clase has good pop in his bat that provides good exit velocities. The strikeout rate and hit tool are worrisome, but the Blue Jays do a terrific job of helping those two tools improve. Defensively, he can play centre field because of his speed, which also makes him a factor on the base paths.