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Blue Jays prospect Nate Garkow discusses his journey through baseball
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Photo credit: © Peter Aiken-Imagn Images
Tristan Morgan
Feb 22, 2026, 16:00 ESTUpdated: Feb 22, 2026, 12:56 EST
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Right-handed relief pitcher Nate Garkow is one of the newest members of the Toronto Blue Jays’ major-league spring training camp.
When he signed a professional contract with the club in the summer of 2024, it marked a significant milestone in a career that has been a long road to where the 28-year-old reliever is today. The Glendora, California native had spent his early professional seasons in independent ball before drawing the attention of Blue Jays scouts that summer.
Since joining the organization, Garkow has carved out a meaningful role in the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats bullpen, posting strong results in his development — strong enough to earn an invitation to big-league spring training.

Early Development

Garkow’s career foundations began at Charter Oak High School, where he was a two-sport athlete competing in baseball and football. While he split time between the two, his long-term direction was never in doubt.
“Baseball has always been the main sport and the clear focus,” Garkow said, speaking to Blue Jays Nation. “I watched football all the time with my family, and the main reason for me playing football in high school was to continue to be an athlete.”
He also sees value in playing multiple sports for overall athletic development.
“I think that helps young kids excel later on in life, especially if they become professional athletes,” he said. “I thought that way when I was in high school, and I think that helps me in my career.”
Following high school in 2018, Garkow got an opportunity at Pasadena City College. At PCC, he was a key starter and a JUCO All-South Coast Conference North Division First Team selection, leading the team with 73 strikeouts in 75 innings while posting a 3.96 ERA.
“All I needed was just the opportunity, and I knew I would take care of the rest,” he said.
He later transferred to Point Loma Nazarene University, where he competed in Division II baseball from 2019 to 2022. Over four seasons, Garkow compiled a 4.30 ERA across 186.1 innings, striking out 201 batters. While his run prevention was modest, his strikeout ability, 3.7 BB/9, and durability made him a valuable arm at the Division II level. From that, being part of a PacWest championship team that reached the national runner-up spot in 2022.

Independent Ball

Going undrafted out of college, Garkow kept pushing, beginning his professional career in independent ball.
In 2022, with the Sioux Falls Canaries of the American Association of Professional Baseball, he appeared in 11 games, posting a 2.70 ERA and 31 strikeouts over 26.2 innings. That season also brought a personal milestone: the chance to play alongside his older brother, Tyler.
“It was awesome,” Garkow said. “He’s seven years older than me, and growing up, he was basically my pitching coach. So getting to play together — something we never got to do before — was special. We both cherish that.”
Tyler, a starting pitcher, had long been a mentor to his younger brother. Nathan also entered pro ball as a starter but found his niche in relief while in Sioux Falls. In one game, he followed his brother out of the bullpen after Tyler started.
“Nothing really changed when we were teammates,” he said. “It was just fun to grind together finally.”
The following offseason brought a reminder of the business realities of independent baseball, as Garkow was traded to the Gateway Grizzlies of the Frontier League.
“I didn’t even know you could get traded in independent ball until it happened,” he said.
In 2023, with the Grizzlies, Garkow was granted a larger role, where he posted a 3.80 ERA with 60 strikeouts in 47.1 innings, striking out batters at an 11.4 K/9 rate, in his most extended opportunity to that point.
The 2024 season began even stronger. Over 17 appearances before signing with Toronto, he dominated, lowering his ERA to 1.72 with 37 strikeouts in 15.2 innings, allowing just four hits and recording a 21.3 K/9. That stretch put Garkow on the map, gaining the attention of Charlie Wilson, the Blue Jays’ head of minor-league operations.

The Minor Leagues

On Canada Day, July 1, 2024, Garkow received an unexpected call from Gateway Grizzlies manager Steve Brook. He was told the Blue Jays were interested and would be calling soon. Within 24 hours, he had packed up and arrived at the Dunedin, Fla., Player Development Complex as a member of the Blue Jays Organization.
“It was surreal,” he said. “You dream about that moment. Not many people talk about how hard it is to go straight out of college into independent ball, so that opportunity was really special.”
Garkow began his minor-league journey on the back end of the 2024 season with Single-A Dunedin, where he logged 21 innings in relief, posting a 2.14 ERA with 30 strikeouts. He was quickly promoted to Double-A New Hampshire, throwing three scoreless innings with four strikeouts to close the season.
In 2025, primarily in Double-A but with some High-A time, he compiled a 3.19 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and 86 strikeouts in 53.2 innings. That performance now contributes to a career 2.78 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and 120 strikeouts in 77.2 minor-league innings.
Despite a fastball sitting in the low-90s, Garkow’s ability to miss bats consistently demonstrates his command, sequencing, and approach to keeping hitters off balance.

Pitching Profile

Garkow profiles as a crafty reliever with a standout changeup, one of the best in the Blue Jays system, supported by his fastball and a slider to create lateral movement. His changeup, with roughly a 10 mph difference from his fastball, generates significant whiffs and weak contact and is a defining part of his arsenal. 
“It’s all about protecting the changeup,” Garkow said. “Having command of the fastball and mixing in the slider as a wrinkle keeps hitters from sitting on it. They have to respect the other pitches.”
Having elite command of the changeup is critical to Garkow’s success, especially when he tunnels it well with his other offerings. To this point, it’s been paying off well in maximizing his effectiveness out of the bullpen.

Spring Training 

Earlier this month, Garkow earned a big-league spring training invite, a nod from the Blue Jays to his continued progression and performance in the minors. While a spring invite does not guarantee him a major-league debut, it is valuable exposure to the coaching staff and veteran players, providing a platform to demonstrate his readiness for higher levels of play.
“It was another surreal moment,” Garkow said of the invitation. “Once the initial excitement settled, it became, ‘What do I need to do to prepare and excel for this?” He then quickly answered by stating, “Knowing what’s gotten me here, I need to stick with what makes me good and keep building on it.”

Looking Ahead

As Garkow prepares for the 2026 minor league season, his goals remain consistent with his long-standing philosophy: excel at what has worked, and take advantage of the opportunities he’s been given.
When asked about his top goal heading into 2026, Garkow said, “Be great at what makes me good; pound the zone with the changeup, get ahead, and trust that everything else will play off it.”
Garkow is a reliable reliever with potentially elite strikeout ability, low home run rates, and a pitch arsenal that plays well above its velocity. He gives the Blue Jays much-needed organizational depth in the bullpen and is a potential candidate for Triple-A or higher if trends continue.
While the major leagues are still a step away, Garkow remains one to watch in the Blue Jays system through the 2026 season and beyond.
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