While looking back at the past is not ideal in today’s day and age, it’s something that we, as sports fans, can’t help but do.

Especially when it comes to former prospects in your farm system, you want to see how others are faring in their new homes. While there are too many names to count, let’s highlight some of the most notable Blue Jays alumni in 2026.

From Cy Young potential to being designated for assignment at the end of last season, Alek Manoah is forever the most “what if” the Blue Jays have produced in a long while. Many fans in recent years recall Manoah’s impressive 2022 season, finishing third in Cy Young voting behind Dylan Cease and Justin Verlander. He even had more votes than Shohei Ohtani as a pitcher.

Fast forward to a disastrous 5.87 ERA in 19 starts in 2023, to needing Tommy John surgery in 2024, and things went off the rails quickly for the Florida product. While Manoah was progressing slowly from injury and posted a 2.97 ERA in seven starts in AAA for the Bisons, he was designated for assignment and claimed by the Atlanta Braves late in the season.

Manoah signed a one-year contract with the Angels this spring, and so far, his time in an Angels uniform has gotten off to a rocky start.

Across three outings, he has posted a 6.14 ERA, and his last game was by far his worst: 2 1/3 innings pitched, giving up five earned runs and allowing five walks. With his struggles on full display in the spring and the Angels not really having a backup plan regarding pitching depth, it could set Manoah back a ton in his recovery as well as his chances to stay in the majors in terms of producing quality starts.

When Austin Martin fell to fifth overall in the 2020 draft, many Blue Jays fans were shocked to see him still available. In 2021, he was ranked as the team’s second-best prospect, and for good reason, as he had a lot of tools for success at the plate.

He was traded alongside Simeon Woods-Richardson to the Minnesota Twins for Jose Berrios at the 2021 trade deadline, and the rest is history. Since going to Minnesota, he has 143 games across two seasons and is hitting a career .265 with two home runs, 23 RBIs, and a career .648 OPS.

So far this spring, Martin is slated to be playing in left field for the Twins and has only recorded four hits in 20 at-bats this spring. He does have a pair of stolen bases, which shows his speed is still a strength of his on the base paths, but given the Twins’ entering a rebuild, Martin still could be a name that sees a lot of playing time in the major leagues this season, despite a slow start.

The second part of the Berrios trade, Woods Richardson, has emerged going into 2026 as a strong candidate to break the Opening Day roster in the rotation. With Pablo Lopez slated to miss all of 2026, the Twins are going to lean on Woods-Richardson a lot more to help get them through quite a few starts this season. At only 25 years old, SWR owns a 4.21 ERA across 53 career games. This past season was his best on record with a 4.04 ERA and a 2.2 WAR across 111 2/3 innings.

So far this spring, Woods Richardson has gotten a lot of strikeouts (11) but has also surrendered a lot of runs (8) across 11 innings. While Spring Training stats aren’t the most important at the end of the day, the competition for a spot in the starting rotation is heating up, such as Taj Bradley and Mick Abel, who the Twins have continued to stretch out and creating some pressure on SWR to perform well.

Two seasons ago, Martinez was ranked as the Blue Jays’ second-best prospect going into the season. What followed next was disappointment after an 82-game suspension due to PEDs, and later being waived by Toronto in September of last season.

Martinez signed a minor league deal with the Washington Nationals this winter, and so far in eight games, he is 4 for 11 at the plate. A .855 OPS is promising even if he’s been caught stealing in both attempts this spring.

Given how corner infield is a priority for the Nationals, third base in particular, it opens up an opportunity for Martinez to get more playing time in the majors. While Brady House is the team’s top third base prospect and is having a strong spring currently, Martinez can at the very least push to be the backup option at third, or even move over to platoon second base with Luis Garcia Jr. He will start the campaign in the minor leagues, but should be next in line if injuries arise this year.

Once the Blue Jays’ top prospect in 2022, Moreno has had a very interesting run since being traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the winter of 2023.  Injuries have set him back a lot as he only played 97 games in 2024 and only 83 last season. When healthy, he’s a very good hitter as well as a bona fide catcher behind the plate with a rocket of an arm.

Across seven games for the Diamondbacks this spring (excluding today’s contest), he’s hitting for a .174 average with a home run and three RBIs. While the bat is slow to start for Moreno, he is getting extra work in at camp, as he wasn’t named to Venezuela’s roster for the World Baseball Classic.

Off The Roster is Toronto sports. Hosted by Cabbie Richards, Lindsay Dunn, and Dan Riccio, this is the go-to morning conversation for everything happening in the 6ix – Hockey, Baseball, Basketball and everything in between. From breakout performances and questionable trades to throwback jerseys, viral moments, and the stories fans are actually talking about—it’s smart, sharp, and never scripted. Live weekday mornings on the Nation Network YouTube channel and available wherever you stream podcasts, the show delivers real opinions, real chemistry, and real Toronto energy. Missed an episode? Catch up anytime. Off The Roster—The new sound of the 6ix.