The Toronto Blue Jays signed 19 of the 21 players they drafted in 2024, a strong success rate that should hopefully add some thunder to a low-ranking farm system. The Jays also added some interesting names after the MLB Draft bell, inking a handful of players to free-agent deals after the draft dust settled.

Whether all the newcomers are well-known or under the radar, one of the most interesting things about many sports’ development systems, including baseball, is the background and stories that lead up to their professional careers. Here are three names that you’ll want to monitor this upcoming season and some background on their baseball careers leading up to their time with the Blue Jays.

Right-hander Trey Yesavage is the most obvious choice to be featured in this article as he was Toronto’s first-round selection in last year’s draft. The Jays have been overly cautious with having any starting pitchers taken in the draft pitch in affiliated ball to round out the season, and Yesavage was no exception to the rule after 93 1/3 innings this past year.

Yesavage spent three seasons at East Carolina University, spending his first season primarily as a reliever in the American Athletic Conference. His endeavours as a reliever did not go very well as he posted a 4.50 ERA, a 1.73 WHIP, and a 6.6 BB/9, but he put up an impressive K/9 of 15.6 and finished third on the team in appearances (34).

Following his freshman year, he pitched in five games with the Charlottesville Tom Sox of the Valley Baseball League, a collegiate summer league in Virginia that is sanctioned by the NCAA. Four of his five outings with the Tom Sox were starts, and despite the limited sample size, he maintained a double-digit K/9 while lowering his walk rate and posting a 2.50 ERA.

From there, the Pottstown, PA native shined extremely bright as a collegiate starter. As a sophomore, Yesavage made 16 appearances (14 starts), pitching to a 7-1 record, 2.61 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 12.4 K/9, and a 2.7 BB/9 with improved figures across the board compared to his freshmen season. He rounded out his collegiate career by continuing to trend upward, posting an 11-1 record, 2.03 ERA, and 0.868 WHIP over 15 starts during his Junior campaign with the Pirates. He suffered from a partially collapsed lung before the AAC Tournament, putting the remainder of his college career in jeopardy. However, he made it back just in time to pitch in the NCAA Greenville Regional. East Carolina’s season would end with a 6-5 loss to Evansville in that regional on June 3rd.

His pitch mix includes a fastball that sits around 93-95 mph and benefits from a high arm slot. He also features a slider, curveball, and splitter, and has even considered adding a cutter. He’s attributed his increased pitch mix to his successful transition in going from a reliever to a starter, as well as his ability to handle his adrenaline over longer increments of time.

Aside from having a stud pitcher’s kind of last name, it’s been very easy for fans to pick up on Yesavage’s “I’m the man” mentality, whether it be John Schneider pointing out Yesavage’s firm handshake when the two met or him saying at the MLB Combine, “Put me up against two grizzly bears and I’m not afraid.”

Trending upward has been an evident part of Yesavage’s baseball career, and while he will likely start at single-A in 2025, the widely considered top pitching prospect in Toronto’s system will look to carry over his collegiate success into the professional ranks.

Khal Stephen was selected in the second round of the MLB Draft out of Mississippi State, inking a $1.12 million signing bonus. He spent his first two collegiate seasons at Purdue University but he decided to enter the transfer portal on the final day of the window in 2023. He too did not pitch for the Blue Jays following the draft

Like Yesavage, Stephen worked as a reliever in his first year of Division 1 baseball. He made 23 appearances out of the bullpen as a freshman, posting a 3-4 record with an 8.29 ERA, 1.69 WHIP, and a 10.2 K/9. He transitioned to the starting rotation for his sophomore season which improved his numbers some. He made 14 starts, gathering a 7-4 record, a 5.21 ERA, and a 1.34 WHIP over 76 total innings. His strikeout rate decreased to 7.8 K/9, but he also saw a slight dip in his walk rate as well.

Upon transferring to Mississippi State, Stephen fell into their starting rotation behind ace Nate Dohm (eventual third-round pick by the Mets). Unfortunately, Dohm suffered an injury that kept him out for multiple months, leaving Stephen in a position to assume the top role in the rotation. He ended the year with an 8-3 record across 16 starts, posting a 3.28 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 10.0 K/9, and a career-low 2.0 BB/9.

Also like Yesavage, Stephen pitched in various summer leagues during his college offseasons. After his freshman year, he pitched in the Prospect League for the Danville Dans and held excellent stats through his five appearances there (2.03 ERA, 12.2 K/9 vs. 1.4 BB/9). Following his sophomore season, he also pitched in the Cape Cod League for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox, also posting solid numbers in six games there.

Stephen primarily used his fastball during his one season at Mississippi State, throwing it almost 70% of the time while he worked out of the bullpen. Although only averaging at 93 mph, its vertical break assisted with its effectiveness. Stephen was lauded for his feel of four different pitches alongside the fastball; the rest of his mix features a mid-80s changeup, as well as a slider and curveball.

The Jays signed one lone Canadian this summer, infielder Owen Gregg, a product of the FieldHouse Pirates. The infielder committed to the University of Utah but the shortstop ultimately signed with the Jays, foregoing his college commitment.

Gregg, who turned 18 years old earlier this month, played for Team Canada at the U18 Pan-American Championships in Panama. The Jays allowed Gregg to suit up for the team following the draft, as he was not going to play in affiliated ball to finish the year.

He started in all seven games and recorded three hits through 17 at-bats including a double, two RBIs, four walks, and six runs. He also recorded only one error out of 13 defensive chances in those seven games. Outside of this tournament, Gregg also suited up for the Junior National Team for their Dominican Pro Academy tour and extended Spring Training camps down in Florida.

The Blue Jays, who have stayed true to their bounty of infield prospects, have another one to develop here, and they were able to snag him from their own backyard. Gregg will likely debut in Rookie Ball next season.