Here's where the Blue Jays' Top 30 prospects are starting the season
Sam Dykstra
@SamDykstraMiLBWith the Minor League season opening this week, here's where the Blue Jays’ Top 30 prospects are projected to start:
1. Ricky Tiedemann (MLB No. 28), LHP -- Buffalo (Triple-A)
2. Orelvis Martinez (MLB No. 85), INF -- Buffalo (Triple-A)
3. Arjun Nimmala, SS -- Dunedin (Single-A)
4. Brandon Barriera, LHP -- Dunedin (Single-A)
5. Leo Jimenez, SS -- Buffalo (Triple-A)
6. Addison Barger, OF -- Buffalo (Triple-A)
7. Alan Roden, OF -- New Hampshire (Double-A)
8. Enmanuel Bonilla, OF -- Extended Spring Training
9. Adam Macko, LHP -- New Hampshire (Double-A)
10. Kendry Rojas, LHP -- Vancouver (High-A)
11. Josh Kasevich, SS -- New Hampshire (Double-A)
12. Landen Maroudis, RHP -- Dunedin (Single-A)
13. Cade Doughty, 3B -- New Hampshire (Double-A) injured list (shoulder)
14. Damiano Palmegiani, 3B -- Buffalo (Triple-A)
15. Chad Dallas, RHP -- Buffalo (Triple-A)
16. Spencer Horwitz, 1B -- Buffalo (Triple-A)
17. CJ Van Eyk, RHP -- New Hampshire (Double-A)
18. Juaron Watts-Brown, RHP -- Dunedin (Single-A)
19. Connor Cooke, RHP -- Buffalo (Triple-A)
20. Tucker Toman, SS -- Dunedin (Single-A)
21. Dahian Santos, RHP -- Vancouver (High-A) 60-day injured list (forearm)
22. Jace Bohrofen, OF -- Vancouver (High-A)
23. Alex De Jesus, 3B -- New Hampshire (Double-A)
24. Fernando Perez, RHP -- Dunedin (Single-A)
25. Yhoangel Aponte, OF -- Dunedin (Single-A)
26. Dasan Brown, OF -- Vancouver (High-A)
27. Manuel Beltre, SS -- Dunedin (Single-A)
28. Sam Shaw, 2B -- Extended spring training
29. T.J. Brock, RHP -- New Hampshire (Double-A) injured list (elbow soreness)
30. Adrian Pinto, 2B/OF -- Vancouver (High-A) injured list (rib)
Team to watch
The Blue Jays gave Tiedemann a long look in Spring Training before sending him to Triple-A Buffalo, instantly making the Bisons a must-follow club for Jays fans. The inclusion of Martinez – Toronto’s other Top 100 prospect and potential future second baseman – seals that status, and Jimenez, Barger, Palmegiani and Horwitz make the lineup all the more dynamic. Keep an eye out as well for Cooke, who could use his mid-90s fastball and plus slider to find a spot in the Jays’ bullpen before long.
Players we could see in 2024
Tiedemann has three Major League-ready weapons in his fastball, sweeper and changeup, and after being limited by shoulder and biceps issues last year, he will be carefully monitored in 2024. If the Jays’ rotation depth is tested any more in the first half, they may choose to use Tiedemann’s innings where they’re most impactful at the Major League level. Martinez has the power to push for his own Major League look on the infield in his age-22 season, while the remainder of that Bisons infield isn’t far off either, particularly the on-base king Horwitz who got 15 games with the big club in ’23.
New faces
Last year’s 20th overall pick Nimmala only played nine games in the Florida Complex League after the Draft. He will be making his full-season debut with Dunedin, where he’ll focus on making enough contact to let his above-average power play at just 18 years old. Third-rounder Watts-Brown and fourth-rounder Maroudis will both make their organization debuts in the Florida State League after not pitching in a game after the Draft, while sixth-rounder Bohrofen heads to High-A Vancouver after slugging .636 in 24 games between the FCL and FSL late last summer.
On the shelf
A shoulder injury will hold Doughty back for a few weeks before he joins the Double-A New Hampshire roster. Santos was placed on the Vancouver 60-day injured list as he continues to deal with forearm/elbow issues that plagued the second half of his 2024 season; the Blue Jays intend to build him back up in a way that will keep those in the past. Brock has experienced elbow soreness that has him behind but will join New Hampshire when ready, and Pinto is dealing with a rib injury before joining Vancouver.