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Blue Jays Minor League Musings: JoJo Parker notches fourth-consecutive multi-hit game
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Photo credit: © Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Aug 29, 2026, 14:30 EDTUpdated: Aug 29, 2026, 15:12 EDT
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Toronto Blue Jays’ prospect JoJo Parker may have a short stint in High-A.
On Friday afternoon, the shortstop prospect went 2-6 with two singles to bring his High-A slash line to .328/.435/.414 in 69 plate appearances. The shortstop is still hunting for his first home run since joining the C’s, but has managed to hit three doubles and a triple, giving him a 136 wRC+.
Drafted eighth overall in the 2025 MLB Draft, Parker is well on his way to being named the Northwest League’s Player of the Week. Entering the series against Spokane with a .256/.396/.359 slash line, Parker has a four-game multi-hit streak, amassing 10 hits (one double) so far this series.
Back in 2021, Orelvis Martínez’s stint with the Canadians lasted just 27 games, where he batted .214/.282/.491 to end the season. Due to hitting 28 home runs (nine in High-A), as well as some injuries, the then Blue Jays’ prospect began the 2022 season with the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats. I wonder if the Jays do the same thing with Parker to begin the 2027 season.
Either way, the C’s are in the hunt for their fourth Northwest League Championship Series appearance in their last five seasons. Friday’s game was not pretty, as they blew a 13-4 lead before winning 15-14 via a balk in extra innings. At the end of the day, a win is a win, and the lone Canadian team now has a game and a half cushion at the top of the standings, although they technically have a three-game cushion.
Unsurprisingly, Parker wasn’t the only noteworthy performer for the C’s on Friday. Jaxson West hit his first High-A home run, a grand slam, to put the C’s up 6-0 early. He added two more RBIs and went 3-5 with a double.
West was one of three players who had a three-hit game. Dameury Pena and Canadian David Calabrese each hit three singles. Along with Smith, Casey was the other C’s hitter to notch an extra-base hit, as he hit his 10th double at the level.
As for the C’s pitching, it wasn’t great. Troy Guthrie gave up seven earned runs in four and two-thirds innings, while Brandon Barriera gave up five earned runs in one and one-third innings, his first taste of High-A action.
Also picking up a victory on Friday were the Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays. A four run bottom of the sixth was enough to turn a 4-1 deficit into a 5-4 win over the Palm Beach Cardinals. Ryan Franden drove in the final two runs of the game with his first professional home run. Blaine Bullard and Rhylan Thomas each hit a double in a multi-hit game effort. Thomas drove in a run and Jake Bennett drove in the preceding two runs before Franden’s home run. 
On the mound, Carson Messina struck out five and walked three over four innings of work, giving up an unearned run. Gavin Seebold picked up his second professional save, striking out three over two innings of work to bring his season ERA to 1.
Things didn’t go as well for the Fisher Cats or the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, though. The Fisher Cats fell 8-4, with Aaron Parker making his professional debut in left field and going 2-5 with a double. Eric Snow and Adrian Pinto each walked three times, while Tucker Toman drove in two runs.
As for the Bisons’ game, the notable prospects were the usual suspects, as Jay Harry hit two doubles, his 15th and 16th since joining the Fisher Cats. Additionally, Sean Keys hit his third triple. Both players could be of use to the Blue Jays in September.
Jameson Taillon started the game, Joe Mantiply pitched an inning, and Josh Smith went 0-3. In the end, the Bisons fell 5-3 to the Rochester Red Wings, pushing them to five and a half games behind the International League East leaders.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, DFOEdmonton, and DFOCalgary. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.
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