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Blue Jays farm system notes (April 18): Carter Cunningham hits sixth home run of the season
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Photo credit: © Nathan Ray Seebeck - Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Apr 19, 2026, 10:00 EDTUpdated: Apr 19, 2026, 16:41 EDT
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The Toronto Blue Jays may not be winning many games, but their farm system looks great.
Thursday’s slate of games was all about pitching, as two pitchers reached double-digit strikeouts in just five innings of work. On Saturday, the long ball stood out, as eight different players hit a home run at the four levels.
Let’s take a look at the storylines from Saturday’s games, as well as other notes regarding Friday’s slate of games.

Johnny King dominating in High-A

The one pitching performance that stood out on Saturday was Johnny King. In the Vancouver Canadians’ 11-1 win over Spokane, the left-handed starter went three and one-third innings, giving up one earned run, two walks, and striking out seven. 
After a tough High-A debut, King’s ERA is down to 1.23, with a 2.01 FIP in seven and one-third innings. Of the 32 batters King has faced, he’s struck out 15 of them, though he also has a 15.6 BB% through those three starts.
He’s a legitimate pitching prospect for the team.

Canadians’ bats hit three home runs

The C’s bats were a big reason they won Saturday’s game. On a 3-0 pitch in the top of the first, shortstop prospect Arjun Nimmala went deep for just the second time all season. They never relinquished the lead and headed to the top of the fourth up 4-1.
Then, Carter Cunningham hit his organization-leading sixth home run of the season, a solo home run. He’s a bit older for the level and mainly plays first base (with some right field), but the pop is legitimate. You have to wonder if he’ll join the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats sooner rather than later.
Tucker Toman then hit a two-run home run in the top of the seventh, making it an 8-1 game. Drafted with a compensation pick in 2022, Toman had a good second half of the 2025 season and has performed well in High-A. Through 10 games, the third baseman is slashing .382/.523/.588 with two home runs. The 22-year-old’s career home runs came last season, finishing with six.
Overall, Toman went 3-3 with two walks and 3 RBI. Nimmala and Cunningham had a two-hit game, as did Manuel Beltre. Jacob Sharp hit his fourth double of the season. On the pitching side of things, 2024 draftee Holden Wilkerson struck out six over four one-hit innings.

JoJo Parker hits second career home run

Sticking in the lower levels of the minor leagues, the Dunedin Blue Jays defeated the Clearwater Threeshers 8-5. Like the C’s, three home runs were hit, including JoJo Parker’s second career home run that came off the bat at 101.4 mph.
The batter before him, Dariel Ramon, also hit his second home run of the season after hitting his first career home run on Thursday. In the bottom of the seventh, Aldo Gaxiola hit his third home run of the season.
Gaxiola was one of two players with a three-hit game, with Jaxson West hitting three singles. Parker also hit a double, his sixth of the season, while Enmanuel Bonilla had a two-hit game. Bonilla signed to one of the largest international free agency bonuses in franchise history and struggled the past two seasons, but he’s off to a good start in Single-A.

Sean Keys hits fifth home run of the season

All four “A” levels have been hitting well, and there’s an argument that the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats’ have been the best of the four teams. They fell 8-6 on Saturday, but Sean Keys hit his fifth home run of the season.
Keys was also one of four players with a multi-hit game, with Alex Stone and Jace Bohrofen also finishing with two hits. Jackson Hornung’s terrific start to 2026 continued, as he went 3-5 with a strikeout and his sixth double of the season. Cade Doughty hit his first double of the season.

Riley Tirotta hits third home run of the season

The Buffalo Bisons defeated the Rochester Red Wings by a score of 6-3 on Saturday. Riley Tirotta hit his third home run of the season, but the utility player has struggled to hit for an average in the early goings. Their best hitter of the game was William Simoneit, who went 3-4 with three RBIs thanks to two doubles.
Tyler Fitzgerald went 2-4 with two singles, as did Charles McAdoo. This season, McAdoo is slashing .356/.433/.610 with three home runs, four doubles, and a triple. If the Blue Jays look to call up a prospect, the corner infielder could be an option.
CJ Van Eyk started this game, going four and one-third innings with two earned runs allowed, a walk, and three strikeouts. Michael Plassmeyer picked up the win, throwing a scoreless inning and a third. Hayden Juenger picked up the save, striking out two of the four batters he faced.

Other notes

  • The Bisons split their doubleheader on Friday, winning 6-2 and losing 5-3. In the win, Rafael Lantigua hit his third home run, while McAdoo hit his second homer and went 3-4. Chad Dallas started the game, striking out six in three innings of work
  • In the loss, McAdoo hit a three-run home run, driving in all three runs the Bisons scored. It was also just one of three hits they hit in the loss, as Josh Kasevich had the other two, one was a double. Brendon Little threw another scoreless outing, Grant Rogers struggled.
  • The Fisher Cats won 7-6, walking off the Chesapeake Baysox in 10 innings. Hornung and Eddie Micheletti Jr. each hit their fifth doubles of the season, Ismael Munguia hit his third double. Fisher Cats pitchers struck out 10.
  • Unlike the Canadians’ game on Saturday, their bats were freezing cold on Friday, falling 1-0. Cunningham hit a double and Dub Gleed had a two-hit game.
  • The D-Jays fell 5-3 to the Threshers on Friday, with Peyton Williams hitting their lone home run. West and Ramon each hit a double, while Gaxiola hit two doubles. Karson Ligon left that game early with an apparent injury.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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