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Angel Guzman shines as FCL Blue Jays crush FCL Yankees

Photo credit: © Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

By Ryley Delaney

Jun 5, 2026, 13:00 EDTUpdated: Jun 5, 2026, 12:48 EDT

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Every season, there’s a player in the rookie leagues that comes out of nowhere and makes a name for themselves.

Last season, it was Juan Sanchez in the Dominican Summer Leagues, quickly becoming one of the Toronto Blue Jays’ best power-hitting prospects. So far this season, second baseman Angel Guzman has been a standout with the reigning Florida Complex League champions, the FCL Jays.

His game on Thursday in particular, was terrific. In his four at-bats, the 19-year-old hit two doubles and two home runs, driving in five and walking once. Guzman’s performance was a big reason why the FCL Jays were able to defeat the FCL Yankees 19-4.

Guzman signed as an international free agent in January, 2024 and was about average in his two seasons with the DSL Jays. In 2024, he slashed .263/.350/.344 with no home runs. The following season, he hit a career-best three home runs while slashing .230/.357/.365.

Through 23 games with the FCL Jays, the switch-hitter is now batting .295/.359/.489, with a 10.7 BB% and 16.5 K%. He’s also hit four doubles, two triples, and matched his career-best home run total. Guzman’s 114 wRC+ is pacing to be the best of his career.

Other notes from the FCL Jays’ game

Guzman had the best performance, but there were loads of other notable performances in the FCL. Herbert Perez, the Blue Jays minor league Rule 5 pick in December, hit his second home run of the season.

Pascual Archila, Gavin Smith, Andres Arias, Owen Gregg, Kennew Blanco, and Franklin Rojas all hit a double as well, as the team went 10-19 with runners in scoring position, Blanco, Perez, Giaconino Lasaracina, and Arias all had two-hit games.

They didn’t need a strong pitching performance, but Miguel Pantoja went three innings, allowing two walks, a hit, a run, and striking out four to bring his season ERA to 2.95.

Both DSL teams lose

The FCL Jays are a wagon, but both of the Blue Jays’ DSL teams have struggled in the first week of action. DSL Blue Jays Blue fell 10-5 to the DSL Pirates Black, notching just four hits. Luis Felipe had the lone extra-base hit, a double, while Michael Mesa walked twice and Isay Veras walked three times. Veras is an early standout among the Blue Jays’ DSL prospects.

As for DSL Blue Jays Red, their record moved to 0-3 thanks to a 1-0 loss to the DSL Mets Orange. Gabriel Porras and Aneudi Severino each hit a single, while Elaineiker Coronado walked twice. Tough offensive performance.

That said, Cristhian Duarte had a terrific start for them, striking out seven over five innings of one-run ball. Juan Ramirez struck out four in his two scoreless innings of work.

Dylan Watts dominated in D-Jays victory

Moving to the “A” affiliates, the lone team to win were the Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays. A big reason for that was thanks to Dylan Watts’ start, as he struck out seven, walked a batter, and allowed four hits in six scoreless innings, dropping his season ERA to 3.03.

On the offensive side of things, it was the bottom of the lineup getting it done for the D-Jays, as Dariel Ramon drove in two runners with a double, the team’s lone extra-base hit. Aldo Gaxiola, Yorman Licourt, and Raimundo De Los Santos all drove in a run, and they batted sixth, seventh, and eighth respectively.

Juan Sanchez’s strong stretch of play continued on Thursday, as he went 2-4 with two singles, bringing his batting average to .234 and his OPS to .721.

Danny Thompson strikes out nine in Canadians’ loss

Though the Vancouver Canadians fell 4-3 to the Tri-City Dust Devils, that was no fault of Danny Thompson Jr., who struck out nine over five innings of one-run ball to bring his season ERA to 3.80.

Jacob Sharp hit his sixth double of the season, while Brennan Orf hit his third. Sharp was one of three players with two-hit games, as Maddox Latta, Dub Gleed, and Edward Duran all hit two singles. Only two players in the starting lineup failed to get a hit, Manuel Beltre and Alexis Hernandez.

Eddie Micheletti Jr and Sean Keys notch extra-base hits in Fisher Cats’ loss

It seems like Sean Keys has played his final Double-A game, and he went out with a bang by hitting his ninth double of the season. Cutter Coffey also hit his ninth double, while Eddie Micheletti Jr. hit his first triple of the year. Keys went 2-3 before being pinch-hit for, one of two players (Aaron Parker) with a multi-hit game.

Ultimately, it was pitching that let the New Hampshire Fisher Cats down, as Alex Amalfi allowed six earned runs over his five innings of work, as they fell 8-3.

Jonatan Clase hits third home run in Bisons’ loss

The lone home run hit by one of the Blue Jays “A” affiliates on Thursday belongs to Jonatan Clase, who hit his third blast of the season. It was one of just six hits the Bisons managed, with Clase going 2-4. The outfielder left Wednesday’s game early, so it’s good to see him back in the lineup.

Dylan Cease made the start for the Bisons, going four innings with five earned runs and six hits, but striking out six. At the end of the day, the only thing that’s important on a rehab start is the process, and Cease threw 75 pitches.

Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.