The Toronto Blue Jays used their first three picks in the 2024 MLB Draft on pitchers, selecting Trey Yesavage and Khal Stephen in the first and second rounds, respectively. Both arms have found success in the minor leagues, with Yesavage advancing to double-A while Stephen is currently with the Vancouver Canadians on the West Coast.

Rounding out the group is left-hander Johnny King, a prep star that the Jays signed overslot in the third round to persuade him from heading to the University of Miami. King was just 17 during the draft and was projected as an electric arm on the mound that was expected to continue developing in a professional setting. He came with the usual caveats that follow a prep starter, such as command and whether he will continue the same arm action, but the early indications are nothing but remarkable this season.

The Jays usually don’t have highly drafted pitchers suit up in affiliated ball following the draft, and King was no exception. He instead worked in the complex and entered the 2025 season in rookie ball with the Florida Complex League. King was also named to the Blue Jays’ Spring Breakout roster against the Twins but didn’t see any action on the mound.

The left-hander’s first start came on May 10th against the Yankees FCL squad, and he went two innings in relief and allowed just one hit and two walks, striking out three. He would finish the month of May with two more outings – both starts – and he would allow just two hits, one run (unearned), one walk, and struck out five batters. He held opposing batters to a .115 average and posted a 0.75 WHIP through May, and King was only getting started.

Toronto’s #11th prospect would make four more appearences in the FCL before being promoted to Dunedin on June 29th. Through his seven outings and 24 innings in rookie ball, the southpaw generated a 1.13 ERA and allowed just three earned runs off of 17 hits and seven walks. He struck out 41 batters to the tune of a 15.4 K/9 and didn’t surrender a home run, tying up opposing hitters to the tune of a 6.38 H/9 and a .195 average.

Following the promotion to single-A Dunedin, King continued his impressive work on the mound, striking out six batters while allowing just one hit through three innings. He did see an uptick in the free passes during his Blue Jays debut, allowing four on the day, but he was able to keep the runners from plating. King was sitting in the low-90s with his sinker and using his high-spin curveball and slider to generate some swings and misses. The slider accounted for five of the six K’s on the day.

King is slated to make his next start later this week, and the left-hander is just the most recent success story in Toronto’s farm system when it comes to the pitching side of development. Across all the minor league levels, King ranks second in K% (42.3%) for pitchers with minimum of 20 IP and are 20 years old or younger, and also ranks second in K-BB% (32.4%) and K/9 (15.7). The Jays’ prospect also ranks first in FIP, putting together a 1.88 mark.

The 18 year-old is still years away from a potential big league stage and the Jays likely won’t rush the arm through the system, but the organization has to be feeling good about having a strong start to the campaign given the setbacks organization wide heading into the new year – both injury and performance related – in the farm system for their pitching staff.