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Toronto Blue Jays Prospect Profile: Left-handed starting pitcher Trenton Wallace
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Photo credit: Niall O'Donohoe
Ryley Delaney
May 30, 2024, 13:30 EDTUpdated: May 30, 2024, 13:12 EDT
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There’s an interesting left-handed starting pitcher that has been developing right under our nose.
Everyone knows of Blue Jays top prospect, Ricky Tiedemann, who broke on the scene in 2022 and quickly rose up the ranks to become one of baseball’s best left-handed pitching prospects. In the 2022 draft, the Blue Jays selected left-handed starter Brandon Barriera with their first-round pick. However, it’s a left-handed starter selected in the 11th round of the 2021 draft we’re going to look at today.
This is the latest edition of Toronto Blue Jays Prospect Profile, where we look at Blue Jays prospects with interesting stories or prospects who have quietly put up great numbers despite not being top prospects. In this edition, we’ll take a look at Trenton Wallace.

Getting to know Trenton Wallace

Selected with the 332th overall pick in the 2021 draft, Wallace made his professional debut shortly after, posting a 4.32 ERA and a 4.40 FIP in 8.1 innings pitched with the Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays, along with a 30.6 K% and a 25 BB%.
The lefty repeated the level to start the season, posting a 1.11 ERA and a 2.32 FIP in 40.2 innings pitched, or five starts in 11 innings. A little older for the level, the then 23-year-old struck out 36.7% of batters he faced while walking just 8.7% of batters.  Midway through the season, he ended up in Canada pitching for the Vancouver Canadians, where he had a 3.66 ERA and a 4.20 FIP in 39.1 innings, with all nine outings being starts. His K% dropped a bit to 32%, while his BB% increased to 18%.
Wallace once again repeated the level he last finished in to start the new season, posting a 1.79 ERA and a 2.98 FIP in 40.1 innings pitched in Vancouver. While his K% decreased once again to 30.1%, his BB% had an astronomical drop to 7.1%. Once again, he was promoted midway through the season to the next level.
Sadly, Wallace only made two starts in Double-A, where he gave up six earned runs in eight and a third innings pitched. His K% also dropped in this time to 17.5%, but his BB% remained relatively the same at 7.5%. Unfortunately, he suffered an injury in mid-June, made two rehab appearances in mid-August, and didn’t pitch again to end the season.
Starting the season in Double-A, Wallace has a 2.53 ERA and a 4.14 FIP in 42.2 innings pitched, along with a 31.1 K% and an 11.9 BB%. Over his last six starts, the 25-year-old has pitched 31 innings, giving up just eight earned runs for a 2.32 ERA and 4.11 FIP.
Why so many strikeouts? Well, the left-handed pitcher’s arm slot is just above “side arm” territory, meaning there’s a lot of deception with his pitches, especially against left-handed pitchers. Moreover, he’s maxed out at around 95 mph, and has a fastball, changeup, slider, and curveball mix.
There’s a lot to like about Wallace. Even if he eventually transitions into the bullpen, there’s a shot he could be a useful pitcher against left-handed pitchers in the big leagues. The command and control will have to be cleaned up a bit, but he’s going deep in outings and striking out a ton of batters. Can’t ask for much more than that.
As always, you can follow me on Twitter @Ryley_L_D.

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