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Under the Radar Blue Jay Prospects: Bo Bonds struck out loads of batters in 2024
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Ryley Delaney
Feb 26, 2025, 12:00 ESTUpdated: Feb 26, 2025, 05:00 EST
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The old adage goes that a team can never have too much pitching.
There are several intriguing relief prospects in the Toronto Blue Jays minor league system, some more well-known than others. However, this new series will look at prospects in the Blue Jays system that have gone under the radar. The first prospect in this series is 24-year-old right-handed pitcher, Bo Bonds.
If Chipola College sounds familiar to you, it’s because several notable Blue Jay players attended the junior college. Legend José Bautista played two seasons at the school, Canadian catcher Russell Martin attended the school, and even current Blue Jay Bowden Francis attended the school before being drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers.
In 2021, Bonds made 15 appearances with the team, pitching 33.2 innings with a 3.74 ERA and 57 strikeouts to 17 walks. The right-handed pitcher transferred to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette for the 2022 season, finishing the season with a 3.11 ERA and a 3.29 FIP in 55 innings pitched, with a 37.7 K% and a 13.2 BB%.
Bonds received Tommy John surgery shortly after which didn’t stop the Blue Jays from selecting him with the 13th-round pick in 2022, giving him a signing bonus of $125,000. In August 2023, he made his professional debut, appearing in three games between the Florida Complex League and Single-A, where he had a 10.80 ERA and a 4.81 FIP in 3.1 innings pitched.
The 2024 season was his first full professional season,  and can be best described as “healthy and impressive”. Bonds started the season in Single-A, where he authored a 4.28 ERA and a 3.01 FIP in 27.1 innings pitched, with a 36.8 K% and a 12 BB%. Earning a promotion to the High-A Vancouver Canadians, Bonds posted a similar 4.26 ERA, with a 3.29 FIP in 12.2 innings pitched. The right-handed pitcher’s K% still sat at an impressive 33% while his BB% dropped to 9.8%.
Bonds isn’t a flame thrower, not even close. He sits 91-93 mph with the fastball, but it’s incredibly lively. The 24-year-old also features a slider, changeup, and curveball.
Depending on how Bonds does in 2025, it’s easy to envision him moving up the minor league ladder quickly as his stuff is great at generating whiffs. Either way, he’s a relief prospect worth monitoring over the next few seasons.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. They can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.
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