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Minor League end of season review: JoJo Parker, Nolan Perry, and others stood at Single-A Dunedin
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Photo credit: © Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Cynthia Ryley Delaney
Sep 26, 2026, 20:00 EDTUpdated: Sep 26, 2026, 19:28 EDT
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The 2026 minor league season has come and gone, and there were some standouts and breakouts in the Toronto Blue Jays organization.
As a team, the Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays finished with a 62-66 record, fifth-placed in a six-team Florida State League West division. They had a better second half, finishing with a 32-31 record, well behind the division leading Tampa Tarpons. That said, there were several standouts from the D-Jays this season.
Over the coming days, we’ll look at the top performers from each of the four “A” level affiliates, beginning with the Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays in this article. Let’s dig in!

Notable players for the D-Jays in 2026

JoJo Parker emerged onto the scene and quickly became the top prospect in the Blue Jays’ farm system, as well as a top 100 prospect in baseball. The shortstop appeared in 87 games with the D-Jays, slashing .258/.388/.471 with 13 home runs in 399 plate appearances.
While he didn’t have a slow start to his season, the first half of his Single-A tenure wasn’t nearly as good as the second half. From June 1st until August 7th, shortly before his call-up, Parker slashed .285/.403/.570 with 10 of his 13 home runs coming in this stretch. He’ll be included in the High-A article as well.
Nolan Perry emerged as a top 100 prospect in baseball this season, and it all started during his tenure with the D-Jays. Over five outings, he had a 1.71 ERA and 2.49 FIP in 21 innings of work, striking out 41 percent of batters and walking just 7.7 percent of the batters he faced. Rule 5 eligible at the end of the season, Perry could find his way to the big league as soon as 2027.
Jake Bennett was selected in the eighth-round of the 2026 MLB Draft, then signed for a bonus of just $1,000. Drafting him is already appearing to be a good bet, as the first baseman/left fielder/designated hitter hit seven home runs in just 85 plate appearances. While he slashed .278/.388/.639, Bennett posted a worrisome 32.9 K%.
Dean West was another player the Blue Jays selected in the 2026 MLB Draft, and he appeared in 19 games with the D-Jays to end the season. The speedy outfielder slashed .244/.492/.317 with three doubles in 63 plate appearances, with a 27 BB% and 7.9 K%.
By the end of the season, Giaconino Lasaracina and Owen Carapellotti were the catching tandem. Lasaracina, 23, slashed .262/.365/.500 with eight home runs in 148 plate appearances for a 124 wRC+. Carapellotti was acquired in the Hayden Juenger trade, and he hit seven home runs in 85 plate appearances with the D-Jays.
Aldo Gaxiola had a breakout season, smacking 18 home runs in 369 plate appearances with the D-Jays in 2026. For context, the corner infielder hit just two home runs in 225 plate appearances last season. The increase in his strikeout rate (17.8 percent to 27.4 percent) is a concern, but he has emerged as a legitimate prospect.
There were a handful of prospects who played for the D-Jays who also took a step back. Jake Cook began his professional debut and slashed .250/.367/.371 in 328 plate appearances with the D-Jays. While he hit five home runs, Cook’s K% sat at 28.4%, a rather concerning development.
Blaine Bullard had a rough second half of the season and ended up slashing .245/.328/.365 with eight home runs in 477 plate appearances, with a 27.3 K%. Like many others already listed, the strikeout rate is a bit of a concern, but Bullard showcased his plus speed and stole 37 bases in 42 attempts.
The 2026 season was already going to be a challenge for Juan Sanchez, who skipped the Florida Complex League entirely. On a surface level, his numbers weren’t great, as he slashed just .213/.296/.342 with seven home runs in 402 plate appearances. Even more concerning are the underlying metrics, as he whiffed a ton and didn’t thump the ball as expected. He’ll start next season with the D-Jays.
Perry wasn’t the only standout pitcher for the D-Jays this season. Denis Samudio finished the year with a 3.70 ERA and 4.07 FIP in 56 innings of work, along with a 31 K% and 11.7 BB%. The Blue Jays acquired him in June of this year from the Kansas City Royals.
A trio of high school-drafted players had notable seasons as well. Carson Messina started 14 games after a mid-season promotion from the FCL, finishing his Single-A tenure with a 3.70 ERA and 4.84 FIP, with a 25.3 K% and 17.9 BB%.
Troy Guthrie, selected in the same draft as Messina, posted a 3.97 ERA and 4.19 FIP in 79.1 innings of work with the D-Jays before earning a call-up to the High-A Vancouver Canadians. While his 22.4 K% didn’t jump off the page, Guthrie has shown solid command for a 20-year-old, owning a 5 BB% at the level.
Lastly, Bradon Barriera set a career-high in inning pitched, with 32 of his 38.2 innings of work coming with the D-Jays. In 12 starts with the Single-A team, the southpaw had a 4.22 ERA and 5.05 FIP, with a 22.9 K% and 15.3 BB%. His final four starts saw him strike out 16 in 13.2 innings of work, not allowing a run before his promotion to the Canadians.
Cynthia Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, DFOEdmonton, and DFOCalgary. She can be followed on Twitter @CynthiaRDelaney.
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