The Toronto Blue Jays have had themselves a perfectly average season so far. Unfortunately, sitting at a 20-20 record isn&#8217;t good enough for a team that ranks top five in MLB payrolls for the 2025 season.
While the team has plenty of time to add through trades or signings before the still far-off July 31st trade deadline, it&#8217;s still a fair question to ask if the team has any help coming soon from its minor league affiliates.
Let&#8217;s check in to see how each of the Jays&#8217; MiLB affiliate squads from single-A to triple-A are performing early into the season, and also look at their top player to watch moving forward. With the Florida Complex League just getting underway last week, we will skip them this time around.
Triple-A: Buffalo Bisons:
It has been a tough start for the Jays&#8217; triple-A affiliate as they&#8217;ve dragged their heels to a 14-23 record, third-to-last in the ten-team International League. A large reason why has been the less-than-stellar starting pitching.
Among all of the pitchers on the roster with at least five starts, Eric Lauer holds the best ERA with a 4.50&#8230; yikes. Easton Lucas has been the one brighter spot on the starting staff, posting a 3.00 ERA through his four starts.
The team&#8217;s hitting has been their saving grace, keeping them in games, as five of their batters hold an OPS above .800, with a few others hanging around the .750 range.
As with each of the levels, picking just one player to watch was a difficult task, but Ali Sanchez is one of the most intriguing names on the roster. A power-hitting catcher, Sanchez has slashed an impressive .284/.355/.522 with five home runs out of the gate.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
OUR CATCHERS ARE GOATED 
Ali Sanchez 3-Run Home Run!!!!!! <a href="https://t.co/JFWp7dYy7F">pic.twitter.com/JFWp7dYy7F</a>
&mdash; Buffalo Bisons (@BuffaloBisons) <a href="https://twitter.com/BuffaloBisons/status/1920646771555877011?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
While Alejandro Kirk isn&#8217;t expected to miss significant time due to a head contusion he suffered on May 11th, should anything else happen to the Jays&#8217; current catching tandem of Kirk and Tyler Heineman, Sanchez is likely to be the next man up.
Double-A: New Hampshire Fisher Cats
The Fisher Cats haven&#8217;t fared any better than the Bisons in their young season. Their 14-18 record places them in fourth place out of the six teams in the Eastern League&#8217;s Northeast Division.
Their pitching has admittedly been better than the Bisons, with only two of their consistent starters having an ERA above five, but their hitters have struggled. The power is there, but 13 of the crew&#8217;s 16 batters have an average of .235 or lower, with seven of them under the Mendoza Line.
That lack of putting the ball in play has cost them runs, as a lot of their long balls have been solo shots, and runners are frequently being left on base.
Yohendrick Pinango has been one of the few exceptions, posting a brilliant season as an outfielder. The 23-year-old who was acquired in the Nate Pearson trade last season has slashed an incredible .340/.438/.544 through 29 games and is tied for second in team home runs, having launched four already.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Yeah, this guy is good. Second hit of the day for Piña (<a href="https://twitter.com/ypinango_18?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ypinango_18</a>)
Mid 6 | NH 0, BNG 3<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DestinationCats?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DestinationCats</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BeyondBaseballNH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BeyondBaseballNH</a> <a href="https://t.co/xYDWmQLnjw">pic.twitter.com/xYDWmQLnjw</a>
&mdash; New Hampshire Fisher Cats (@FisherCats) <a href="https://twitter.com/FisherCats/status/1915456455370559913?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
While the Jays have a deep outfield system, Pinango could very well earn a call-up to Buffalo should his monstrous play continue.
High-A: Vancouver Canadians
While the Canadians are the closest out of all the teams listed so far to the .500 mark, they still fall shy at 15-18, which places them fifth out of the six teams in the competitive Northwest League.
The team does rank second in OPS (.744) of the six teams, but their pitching falls short, ranking fourth in ERA (4.57). They&#8217;ve had a lot of close games, so the record isn&#8217;t as bad as it appears. When the bats are hot, they can outhit any opposing squad.
A large reason why is the Jays&#8217; top prospect, 19-year-old shortstop Arjun Nimmala. The former 20th overall pick has dominated in his first season on the West Coast, smacking seven home runs on a .280/.348/.534 slashline, showing off his potent power and speed mix.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Arjun Nimmala to straight-away center! 🍁
The Top 100 prospect (<a href="https://twitter.com/BlueJays?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BlueJays</a>) homers for a third consecutive game for the High-A <a href="https://twitter.com/vancanadians?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@vancanadians</a>. <a href="https://t.co/go9tLxKiHF">pic.twitter.com/go9tLxKiHF</a>
&mdash; MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLBPipeline/status/1916633335381557498?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Expect him to quickly rise through the team&#8217;s system if his production continues, as a bat of his calibre at a premium position is an invaluable asset.
Single-A: Dunedin Blue Jays
As the only team thus far on this list to be above .500, the Dunedin Jays have shown plenty of promise across the board as they&#8217;ve played to a Florida State League East leading 20-13 record. Their pitchers lead the division with a 3.51 ERA, and their batters also lead the way with an impressive .788 OPS.
There&#8217;s not much to note other than the team is performing extremely well. Almost every player on the roster is pulling their weight, and a bunch could earn callups in due time as the team continues to dominate.
They&#8217;re led by another top prospect, Trey Yesavage, in his first professional season. The 20th overall pick in last year&#8217;s draft has shoved in his first six starts, pitching to a fantastic 2.22 ERA and 0.81 WHIP. Counterpart Khal Stephen has also fared well (1.78 ERA through seven starts), as well as Gage Stanifer, Gilberto Batista, Javen Coleman, Colby Holcombe, and flamethrower Colby Martin holding their own.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Trey Yesavage drops his Single-A <a href="https://twitter.com/DunedinBlueJays?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DunedinBlueJays</a> ERA to 2.22 after a 7-K outing across five frames.
The <a href="https://twitter.com/BlueJays?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BlueJays</a>&#39; 2024 first-rounder through 6 starts:
&#8211; 43 K&#39;s in 28.1 IP &#8211; 0.81 WHIP &#8211; .153 BAA <a href="https://t.co/airhAFtoLT">pic.twitter.com/airhAFtoLT</a>
&mdash; MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLBPipeline/status/1920313437864841226?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Don&#8217;t expect the Jays to rush anything with Yesavage or Stephen since they&#8217;ve dealt with injuries in other top pitching prospects such as Pearson and Ricky Tiedemann, but he&#8217;ll find his way through the ranks if he continues the course he&#8217;s on.
<hr />
<a href="https://nationgear.ca/collections/bluejaysnation"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-85322" src="https://publish.bluejaysnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2099/08/VLADDY_BJN-Merch_727x404_01.png" alt="" width="727" height="404" srcset="https://publish.bluejaysnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2099/08/VLADDY_BJN-Merch_727x404_01.png 727w, https://publish.bluejaysnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2099/08/VLADDY_BJN-Merch_727x404_01-300x167.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 727px) 100vw, 727px" /></a>
Celebrate <a href="https://nationgear.ca/collections/bluejaysnation">Vladdy’s big news</a> in style with the exclusive new <a href="https://nationgear.ca/collections/bluejaysnation">BlueJaysNation Vladdy merch</a> — available only at <a href="https://nationgear.ca/collections/bluejaysnation">NationGear.ca</a>! Rep a future Hall of Famer and wear your team&#8217;s pride loud. Limited drop. Don’t miss out.

The Toronto Blue Jays have had themselves a perfectly average season so far. Unfortunately, sitting at a 20-20 record isn't good enough for a team that ranks top five in MLB payrolls for the 2025 season.

While the team has plenty of time to add through trades or signings before the still far-off July 31st trade deadline, it's still a fair question to ask if the team has any help coming soon from its minor league affiliates.

Let's check in to see how each of the Jays' MiLB affiliate squads from single-A to triple-A are performing early into the season, and also look at their top player to watch moving forward. With the Florida Complex League just getting underway last week, we will skip them this time around.

Triple-A: Buffalo Bisons:

It has been a tough start for the Jays' triple-A affiliate as they've dragged their heels to a 14-23 record, third-to-last in the ten-team International League. A large reason why has been the less-than-stellar starting pitching.

Among all of the pitchers on the roster with at least five starts, Eric Lauer holds the best ERA with a 4.50... yikes. Easton Lucas has been the one brighter spot on the starting staff, posting a 3.00 ERA through his four starts.

The team's hitting has been their saving grace, keeping them in games, as five of their batters hold an OPS above .800, with a few others hanging around the .750 range.

As with each of the levels, picking just one player to watch was a difficult task, but Ali Sanchez is one of the most intriguing names on the roster. A power-hitting catcher, Sanchez has slashed an impressive .284/.355/.522 with five home runs out of the gate.

https://twitter.com/BuffaloBisons/status/1920646771555877011

While Alejandro Kirk isn't expected to miss significant time due to a head contusion he suffered on May 11th, should anything else happen to the Jays' current catching tandem of Kirk and Tyler Heineman, Sanchez is likely to be the next man up.

Double-A: New Hampshire Fisher Cats

The Fisher Cats haven't fared any better than the Bisons in their young season. Their 14-18 record places them in fourth place out of the six teams in the Eastern League's Northeast Division.

Their pitching has admittedly been better than the Bisons, with only two of their consistent starters having an ERA above five, but their hitters have struggled. The power is there, but 13 of the crew's 16 batters have an average of .235 or lower, with seven of them under the Mendoza Line.

That lack of putting the ball in play has cost them runs, as a lot of their long balls have been solo shots, and runners are frequently being left on base.

Yohendrick Pinango has been one of the few exceptions, posting a brilliant season as an outfielder. The 23-year-old who was acquired in the Nate Pearson trade last season has slashed an incredible .340/.438/.544 through 29 games and is tied for second in team home runs, having launched four already.

https://twitter.com/FisherCats/status/1915456455370559913

While the Jays have a deep outfield system, Pinango could very well earn a call-up to Buffalo should his monstrous play continue.

High-A: Vancouver Canadians

While the Canadians are the closest out of all the teams listed so far to the .500 mark, they still fall shy at 15-18, which places them fifth out of the six teams in the competitive Northwest League.

The team does rank second in OPS (.744) of the six teams, but their pitching falls short, ranking fourth in ERA (4.57). They've had a lot of close games, so the record isn't as bad as it appears. When the bats are hot, they can outhit any opposing squad.

A large reason why is the Jays' top prospect, 19-year-old shortstop Arjun Nimmala. The former 20th overall pick has dominated in his first season on the West Coast, smacking seven home runs on a .280/.348/.534 slashline, showing off his potent power and speed mix.

https://twitter.com/MLBPipeline/status/1916633335381557498

Expect him to quickly rise through the team's system if his production continues, as a bat of his calibre at a premium position is an invaluable asset.

Single-A: Dunedin Blue Jays

As the only team thus far on this list to be above .500, the Dunedin Jays have shown plenty of promise across the board as they've played to a Florida State League East leading 20-13 record. Their pitchers lead the division with a 3.51 ERA, and their batters also lead the way with an impressive .788 OPS.

There's not much to note other than the team is performing extremely well. Almost every player on the roster is pulling their weight, and a bunch could earn callups in due time as the team continues to dominate.

They're led by another top prospect, Trey Yesavage, in his first professional season. The 20th overall pick in last year's draft has shoved in his first six starts, pitching to a fantastic 2.22 ERA and 0.81 WHIP. Counterpart Khal Stephen has also fared well (1.78 ERA through seven starts), as well as Gage Stanifer, Gilberto Batista, Javen Coleman, Colby Holcombe, and flamethrower Colby Martin holding their own.

https://twitter.com/MLBPipeline/status/1920313437864841226

Don't expect the Jays to rush anything with Yesavage or Stephen since they've dealt with injuries in other top pitching prospects such as Pearson and Ricky Tiedemann, but he'll find his way through the ranks if he continues the course he's on.

<hr />

<a href="https://nationgear.ca/collections/bluejaysnation"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-85322" src="https://publish.bluejaysnation.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2099/08/VLADDY_BJN-Merch_727x404_01.png" alt="" width="727" height="404" /></a>

Celebrate <a href="https://nationgear.ca/collections/bluejaysnation">Vladdy’s big news</a> in style with the exclusive new <a href="https://nationgear.ca/collections/bluejaysnation">BlueJaysNation Vladdy merch</a> — available only at <a href="https://nationgear.ca/collections/bluejaysnation">NationGear.ca</a>! Rep a future Hall of Famer and wear your team's pride loud. Limited drop. Don’t miss out.

State of the Farm: How Blue Jays minor league teams are performing

Recent articles from Trevor Fitzpatrick

Breaking News