The Toronto Blue Jays acquired 14 players during the hectic trade deadline last week, 12 of whom were transferred to the minor levels.
It seemed like a good idea to check in with some of the club’s prospects because the organization is already planning for 2025 and is not as focused on its big-league results as it formerly was.
Will Wagner makes strong first impression with Buffalo
Wagner moved from the Pacific Coast League to the International League with ease after being acquired from the Houston Astros in the Yusei Kikuchi trade.
Since joining the Buffalo Bisons on August 1, the 26-year-old infielder has gone 7-for-11 with a home run. Wagner is hitting.320,.436, and.456 overall in 73 Triple A games this season.
WILL WAGNER GETS US ON THE BOARD WITH A HOME RUN!!! pic.twitter.com/xgFZnBANZg
— Buffalo Bisons (@BuffaloBisons) August 3, 2024
It seems likely that the third baseman has fulfilled all of his Triple-A obligations, and he deserves an opportunity to make his Major League Baseball debut. GM Ross Atkins stated last week that the Blue Jays think he is prepared for the job, so it appears they are willing to give him the chance.
However, the Blue Jays are currently managing a roster that includes Davis Schneider, Luis De Los Santos, Ernie Clement, Addison Barger, Spencer Horwitz, and Leo Jiménez. Wagner needs to be added to the 40-man roster, thus the Blue Jays might option De Los Santos, who made his first MLB start on Sunday, to call up Wagner. The team may potentially decide not to bring up Wagner until September, when rosters will grow to 28 players.
More notes on Jake Bloss, Jay Harry and other new additions
Acquired from Houston in the Kikuchi trade, right-hander Jake Bloss stopped in Dunedin, Florida, so he could visit the Blue Jays’ player development complex.
Bloss’ performance in the minors combined with Houston’s dire need for starting pitching this season propelled him all the way from High A to the major leagues with the Astros, marking his first full season in the major leagues. The Blue Jays have stated that they intended to give Bloss a break. The Blue Jays can evaluate Bloss in their pitching lab and get baseline information by sending him to their player development facility. Bloss is expected to be in Buffalo soon; Blue Jays manager John Schneider did not provide a specific date.
After being acquired from the Minnesota Twins in the Trevor Richards trade, Jay Harry reported to High-A Vancouver. In his Canadian debut, the utility man launched a home run off the first pitch he saw.
Fill yer boots, Jay Harry!
Acquired from the Twins in a trade for Trevor Richards, the INF/OF homers on the first pitch he sees in the @BlueJays organization as a member of the @vancanadians. pic.twitter.com/lW63EKBGWR
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) August 4, 2024
With the Canadians, catcher Jacob Sharp, who was acquired by the Mariners in exchange for Yimi García, has hit two home runs in his first five games. In the meantime, three of Cutter Coffey’s first four games with the Canadians have seen him earn hits. He was acquired from the Boston Red Sox as part of the Danny Jansen trade.
Always remember to be Sharp on your first day!
Jacob Sharp (@BlueJays) swats a homer in his second at-bat for the @vancanadians after being acquired from Seattle last week. pic.twitter.com/2gxvkFsg4z
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) July 31, 2024
Alan Roden on nine-game hitting streak with Bisons
On June 14, Alan Roden was promoted to Triple A after recording an.805 OPS in 54 games in Double A. With just a.153 batting average through his first 18 games at the new level, the 24-year-old outfielder had a poor start. However, Roden has been batting.357 since July 13 and is presently riding a nine-game hitting streak with 13 hits, including four doubles.
With a wRC+ of 149, Roden led all Blue Jays minor leaguers in walks and strikeouts (64) in his season as an organizational All-Star the previous year. He was a talent to watch heading into this one. Although there will probably be competition for one of the two September call-ups with the recent influx of elite prospects into the Blue Jays system, Roden should be taken into consideration if he continues to play at this level. The 24-year-old’s decision may be influenced by the fact that he is not currently on the 40-man roster and will not need to be added until December 2025.
Although 2023 first-round draft pick Arjun Nimmala’s first professional season has not gone as planned, the 18-year-old is set to finish well.
Nimmala, a shortstop, has scored three runs on Saturday for the Low-A Dunedin Blue Jays. Over the last nine games, he has 13 RBIs and five home runs.
Arjun Nimmala (@BlueJays 2023 first-round pick) goes deep during a 3-RBI performance for the @DunedinBlueJays on Saturday:
🔹 6 RBIs in his past three games
🔹 13 over his past nine contests — with 5 home runs during this stretch 🔥 pic.twitter.com/5FZWjJxyMK— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 4, 2024
Dunedin was an ambitious project Nimmala took on early in the season that proved to be too much, too fast. He struggled a bit in the beginning and was placed on the Development List before being sent down for eight games in the Florida Complex League, where he had an on-base percentage of.467. Despite being one of the league’s youngest players, Nimmala has experienced greater success since getting called up to the Florida State League at the end of June.
Since June 27, Nimmala has slashed in 28 games.257/342/.629 with 162 wRC+ and 18 extra-base hits. During that period, he has struck out more than thirty percent of the time, but he is also showing great power, with a.970 OPS and.371 isolated power.
The Blue Jays farm system has had some disheartening outcomes this season. After undergoing Tommy John surgery last week, top prospect Ricky Tiedemann is certain to miss the most of the upcoming season, if not all of it. Shortly after making his MLB debut, top-hitting prospect Orelvis Martinez was suspended for 80 games for breaking MLB’s PED policy. Thus, Nimmala’s successful conclusion is a much-needed happy ending for the system.
Nimmala was the sole Blue Jays prospect ranked in the top 60 MLB prospects by Keith Law as of late, coming in at number 55. Law took note of Nimmala’s recent improvements during his return to Low A. “He will not turn 19 until November, but I still see an above-average regular at short with plus power,” Law wrote.
(Top photo of Wagner in spring training with the Astros: Rhona Wise / USA Today)
