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The Blue Jays’ roster entering the 2025 World Series is a fascinating melding of prospect power, shrewd acquisitions and some unlikely hidden gems.
Few prospect stars shined as bright Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who is fresh off an ALCS MVP, as he ascended the Blue Jays’ farm system. He’s one of eight Blue Jays players who once ranked as Top 100 Prospects, along with Bo Bichette, Alejandro Kirk, Andres Gimenez, George Springer, Daulton Varsho, Kevin Gausman and Jeff Hoffman. But there are others, like outfielder Nathan Lukes, who have emerged as useful contributors to Toronto’s playoff run who stayed far below the radar as he traveled through the minor leagues.
Below, we’ve compiled scouting reports on every Blue Jays player from when they ranked highest as a prospect. Simply clicking on each player’s name in the roster below will bring you to their scouting report. You can find the a corresponding post for the Dodgers here.
Please note that we’ve included Bo Bichette in Toronto’s projected World Series roster following Bichette’s comments that he expects to be ready to return to action.
BA has chronicled the game’s future and evaluated prospects for over 40 years. We dug into our archives for the scouting reports below, which we’ve kept free, but if you’d like to support our work and gain access to our Top 30 rankings, Top 100 Prospects and analysis, consider subscribing here.
Track Record: Itâ€s easy to overlook Kirk because of his squatty body type, but his track record of hitting continues to sparkle. Signed out of Mexico in 2016, Kirk reached high Class A in 2019 and spent most of 2020 at the alternate training site. He made the jump to Toronto in September and earned regular playing time down the stretch in the Blue Jays†playoff push.
Scouting Report: Built like a shorter Pablo Sandoval, Kirk matches Sandovalâ€s innate ability to barrel the baseball. He has short arms, a short swing and makes frequent contact, striking out just 10% of the time in 2019 and showing the bat control that translated in his brief big league callup. He has a small strike zone and stays disciplined within it, tracking pitches to drive fastballs and breaking pitches to all fields, especially fastballs at the top of the zone. He has average raw power that he accesses in games because of his ability to consistently find the sweet spot. Kirkâ€s detractors worry about his body and question his defensive skills behind the plate, while others think he receives well, does a solid job with blocking and works well with his pitchers. He has an average arm.
The Future: Kirk made a big jump to the majors at the end of the season, so more minor league time would be reasonable. Still, his performance catapulted him into the 2021 big league picture.
A baseball rat, Heineman has an uncle who played at Arizona State, while his brother Scott is a sophomore infielder for Oregon. Heineman’s UCLA career included two trips to the College World Series but he was a little-used backup in his first two seasons, when he caught Rob Rasmussen and two of the top three picks in the 2011 draft, Gerrit Cole and Trevor Bauer. In his lone season as a regular, Heineman’s grit, solid tools and surprising skills shined through, earning him a $125,000 bonus in the eighth round last June.
Scouts laud him for his toughness as he shakes off home-plate collisions, coaxes his pitchers to compete and handles his staff in a professional manner. He has solid catch-and-throw skills and threw out 41 percent of basestealers while helping Tri-City to the New York-Penn League finals. Heineman led the NY-P in batting (.358) while ranking second in on-base percentage (.452) and plate appearances per strikeout (19.4). He’s a switch-hitter with a contact approach and an excellent notion of the strike zone. He’s willing to take one for the team, getting hit by 27 pitches between college and pro ball last year, and he handles the bat well in hit-and-run and bunt situations. His power potential is limited and he’ll have to prove he can hit quality fastballs as he moves up the later. He runs well for a catcher and is a smart baserunner.
Even with modest offensive upside, Heineman fits as a fast-moving future backup, and added power could make him an eventual regular. He’ll open his first full pro season in low Class A.
Track Record: Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero Sr. was one of the most dynamic players in baseball history, with a dazzling combination of power, speed, arm strength and ability to hit any pitch. Vlad Jr., who signed with the Blue Jays for $3.9 million at age 16 in 2015, doesn’t have his dad’s athleticism, but he has the hand-eye coordination, bat speed, power and strike-zone discipline to rival any hitter who has come along in years. Guerrero began 2018 by hitting a walk-off home run against the Cardinals in an exhibition game at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium, where his father began his major league career. He proceeded to lead the minors with a 1.073 OPS facing Double-A and Triple-A pitchers, becoming the Baseball America’s Minor League Player of the Year.
Scouting Report: Even as a 19-year-old, Guerrero looked like he belonged in the middle of a major league lineup. He is a potential superstar in the mold of Manny Ramirez, and it’s not out of the question that Guerrero could develop into an 80 hitter with 80 power. He has a preternatural ability to make hard contact and barrel any type of pitch in any area of the strike zone. He has a simple, powerful swing, unleashing fierce bat speed with a compact, efficient path to the ball. He rarely swings and misses and hammers the ball to all parts of the park. He also has phenomenal strike-zone discipline and rarely chases borderline pitches. As an amateur in the Dominican Republic, Guerrero was a heavyset outfielder with below-average speed and arm strength. After signing, he moved to third base, where his arm strength has improved to plus, giving him a chance to stick there–at least early in his career. Guerrero worked diligently to improve his defense in 2018, but he remains a large, stocky player with a lack of first-step quickness that limits his range. At some point, he might have to move to first base or even DH. Wherever he plays, his offensive production will make him an elite player.
The Future: Guerrero will be the favorite to win American League Rookie of the Year in 2019, and he might immediately rank among the top overall hitters in baseball. Vladimir Sr. won the AL MVP award in 2004, and Junior has the talent to be in plenty of MVP conversations over the next decade.
Track Record: Clement developed a reputation as a pure hitter during college. He was a career .306 hitter at Virginia, whiffed just 31 times in three seasons with the Cavaliers and in 2016 earned MVP honors in the Cape Cod League after leading the circuit in hits and stolen bases. His college success has translated to the professional ranks and Clement zipped through the lower levels of the minor leagues to reach Double-A Akron in his first full professional season.
Scouting Report: Clement embodies the notion that good things happen when you put the ball in play. He has an aggressive approach and an uncanny knack for putting the bat on the ball. He doesn’t walk much, but such is his bat control that this season he still walked more than he struck out (41 walks to 35 strikeouts). He has minimal power and instead sprays the ball all over the field and takes advantage of his plus speed to get on base. Clement was a versatile defender in college but in 2018 exclusively played shortstop. He has above-average instincts defensively and good hands. The biggest concern about his ability to stay at the position is his arm strength, which is fringy for a shortstop.
The Future: The Indians have toolsier shortstops than Clement and his future in Cleveland is still likely as a super-utility player, where his speed, instincts and bat-to-ball skills would play well. The early returns indicate Clement may still be able to be an everyday player. He’ll start 2019 back in Akron as the regular shortstop.
Track Record: As one of the youngest players in the Double-A Eastern League in 2018, Bichette drew praise for his offense and impressed on defense.
Scouting Report: Bichette has explosive bat speed and a rhythmic swing that generates a lot of torque. He swings hard–sometimes losing his balance–but he’s usually in-sync, on time and on plane. He starts his swing with an aggressive leg kick, though he shortens to a toe tap with two strikes. He drives the ball well to the middle of the field with average raw power, and he has the bat speed and strength projection to hit for above-average power in the future. Bichette has worked diligently on his conditioning and fielding and now projects as an average shortstop. He has good body control, quick footwork and ranges well up the middle. He has a tick above-average arm, though he gets tested on balls to his right. With a game built around aggression, Bichette carried that mentality onto the field and often would charge in on groundballs, but in 2018 he did a better job of staying back and making plays under control. He’s an average runner whose aggressiveness and reads helped him steal 32 bases.
The Future: Bichette is scheduled to open 2019 at Triple-A Buffalo, but he could be in the majors by the All-Star break. With a chance to develop into a plus-or-better hitter and stick at shortstop, plenty of All-Star games could be in his future.
Track Record: Gimenez accelerated his timetable in 2018 by taming the pitcher-friendly high Class A Florida State League and moving to the Eastern League in late July. All told, Gimenez set career highs with six home runs, 29 doubles and 38 stolen bases. Scouts regarded him as one of the top talents in both the Florida State and Eastern leagues, and at the Futures Game he struck a 106.5 mph ground ball–albeit for a double play–that was hit harder than all but five other fair balls at the exhibition.
Scouting Report: Gimenez is proof positive that looks can be deceiving. His lean physique, baby face and smaller stature belie a quick-twitch athlete with well-rounded skills, a high baseball IQ and leadership qualities. Elite contact ability and a quick, loose lefthanded swing give him above-average–and possibly plus–hitting potential. A discerning batting eye will keep his walk rate and on-base percentage high. While Gimenez shows merely gap power now, he generates impressive torque with his hips, and as his body matures he will hit for average home run totals. He is an average runner who reads pitchers well and uses his knowledge of game situations to steal bases. Scouts project Gimenez as a plus defender at shortstop with a plus, accurate arm. A quick first step, sure hands and quick exchange from glove to hand make him a reliable defender. Intense focus and a strong work ethic tie the whole package together on both sides of the ball.
The Future: Gimenez has the ceiling of first-division shortstop, but the presence of Rosario in New York might push him to second base, a position he played sporadically until starting there the majority of the time in the 2018 Arizona Fall League. Gimenez should reach Triple-A Syracuse in 2019 and could receive a late-season callup with an eye toward regular big league work in 2020.
Track Record: Drafted in 2018, Barger spent most of 2019 on the restricted list before emerging with added power from the 2020 pandemic shutdown. He had a strong season in 2021 with Low-A Dunedin before breaking out in 2022 by hitting .308/.378/.555 across three levels and reaching Triple-A. Barger returned to Buffalo in 2023 and struggled initially before an April 28 trip to the injured list with elbow pain. After an examination found no structural damage, Barger returned to Buffalo on June 21 and hit .254/.358/.424 over the final 68 games. He showed improved plate discipline upon his return via rates of 19% strikeouts and nearly 14% walks.
Scouting Report: After showing a more aggressive approach and more in-game power in 2021 and 2022, Barger showed more patience in 2023 and a toned-down launch angle. This in turn produced a more consistent bat path, and he showed improvements in contact, in-zone contact and swing decisions. Barger traded some fly balls for line drives and ground balls, but he closed some of the holes in his swing. While he hit for less power in 2023, his underlying exit velocity data improved across the board, with his average exit velocity jumping more than 3 mph and his 90th percentile EV increasing by 2 mph to 106 mph. Barger is a fringe-average runner and not a threat to steal bases. In the field, he is unlikely to stick at shortstop full time, and he saw time in right field and at third base and second base in 2023. He has a plus arm that could work at a variety of positions, but itâ€s a matter of cleaning up some of his actions and footwork.
The Future: Barger is a versatile lefthanded hitter who has improved his hit tool while learning to play right field. He is a super-utility type with above-average hitting ability.
Kiner-Falefa was seen by a lot of scouts and crosscheckers as a teammate of outfielder Marcus Doi, who put himself on the map as a top prospect last summer. Kiner-Falefa finished his season on a high note by helping Mid-Pacific win a state championship. He has a thin, wiry build at 5-foot-10 and 160 pounds and stands out most for his defense. He wasn’t a consensus guy for teams in the fourth round, but is an above-average defender with soft hands, good footwork and solid-average arm strength. He makes contact, but needs to add some strength and profiles as a line drive, gap hitter at best. Kiner-Falefa is committed to San Jose State, but should sign after being selected in the fourth round.
Springer has a fascinating family history, but since signing for $2.525 million as the 11th pick in the 2011 draft, he’s made his own name, including a strong run at a 40-40 season in 2013 in which he fell three home runs short of the feat. He goes to the plate looking for a pitch on the inner half that he can drive, and he succeeded frequently in doing so in 2013 as he advanced to Triple-A Oklahoma City.
Springer’s outstanding bat speed allows him to catch up to most anything, but his aggressive approach often leaves him out on his front foot when he faces quality offspeed stuff. Because his arm, speed, power and defense all rate as at least plus tools, Springer can be productive even as he strikes out excessively. A .299 career minor league hitter, he won’t approach that in the majors unless he starts lining pitches on the outer half to right field more often.
Though he’s not on the 40-man roster, Springer should earn a big league spot in Houston’s woeful outfield at some point in 2014. If he makes enough contact to hit .270 in the big leagues, he’s a perennial all-star. He has enough other tools to help a team win even if his swing-and-miss tendencies turn him into a .240 hitter.
Track Record: After tearing up the Horizon League his junior year at Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Varsho, the son of big leaguer Gary Varsho, was taken 68th overall by the Diamondbacks in 2017. In his first full season as a pro, he jumped to a fast start for High Class A Visalia before needing surgery for a broken right hamate in June. He returned in August, and after a slow two and a half weeks, he hit like had before the injury over his final 10 games.
Scouting Report: Varsho has a compact swing, an aggressive-yet-mature approach and a knack for finding the barrel, with scouts seeing good extension that generates loft, giving him average power with the chance for more. There are still questions about his ability to stick at catcher, but he did win over some converts in 2018. He’s athletic and energetic behind the plate, and his quick transfer and throwing accuracy make up for average-at-best arm strength. Some scouts say his receiving can occasionally appear raw. He’s the rare catcher who also is an above-average to plus runner.
The Future: Even those unsure if Varsho can catch believe he’ll be a big leaguer, saying that his athleticism should allow him to handle second base or the outfield, with some saying the Diamondbacks could use him at multiple positions the way the Dodgers have with Austin Barnes.
A lefthanded-hitting corner bat, Lukes’ best tool is his bat; he’s the career hits leader at Sacramento State. He’s a former walk-on whose older brother also player for the Hornets as a pitcher. He runs above-average and has a solid-average arm, and pro clubs likely will try him in center field. He played right for the Hornets, whose home field is notoriously difficult in right field. His 5-foot-11, 180-pound frame generates solid gap power and he has an easy swing that he repeats. He controls the strike zone well, walking more than he struck out as a junior, and his bat stays in the hitting zone a long time.
Track Record: Straw and Rays prospect Nate Lowe formed an exceptional combination at St. John’s River (Fla.) JC. As a pro, Straw has stood out for his blazing speed and ability to hit for average. He led the minors in batting in 2016, when he hit .358, and led the minors in 2018 with 70 steals. He earned his first big league promotion in September and a spot on the Astros’ Division Series roster as a pinch-runner.
Scouting Report: Straw’s opposite-field approach rarely makes him a threat to hit the ball over an outfielder’s head. That approach has worked so far, and he’s steadily drawn walks despite lacking the power to frighten pitchers who are behind in counts. Straw handles velocity and doesn’t get the bat knocked out of his hands despite his bottom-of-the-scale power, projecting as an above-average hitter. His 70-grade speed helps him beat out infield hits and makes him a threat to steal anytime a base is open. He can play all three outfield spots in part thanks to a plus-plus arm. In center field, he’s an above-average defender excellent coming in on balls, but he needs his speed to make up for slower reads on balls over his head.
The Future: Straw’s lack of power limits him, but his speed, arm, defense and bat control give him a shot to be a useful big leaguer. He’ll head to spring training with a shot to make the Astros’ roster.
Track Record: Signed in the 28th round for $50,000 in 2017, Schneider has been one of the best underdog stories in recent memory. The Blue Jays left him exposed to the Rule 5 draft after the 2021 and 2022 seasons despite above-average offensive performances in consecutive seasons. He began 2023 at Triple-A Buffalo, where he hit .275/.416/.553 with 21 home runs in 87 games. He earned a callup to Toronto on Aug. 4 and hit a home run off James Paxton in his first major league at-bat. Schneider hit .276/.404/.603 with eight home runs in 35 games. He made Torontoâ€s postseason roster but did not appear in a game.
Scouting Report: Undersized and somewhat positionless, Schneider is a bat-first player with an advanced plate approach. His bat-to-ball skills are fringy due to a longer swing with a steeper bat path. His advanced approach at the plate and ability to discern balls from strikes limits his exposure to pitches outside the zone. Schneider struggles with offspeed pitches and curveballs but does damage against fastballs and different slider types. He has above-average power potential despite just average exit velocities due to his excellent launch angles that allow him to get the most out of his power. He showed the ability to get to his power consistently in his brief MLB debut. Schneider is a fringe-average runner who isnâ€t much of a threat to steal a base. In the field, Schneider is a well below-average defender at second base with a below-average arm. He saw some time in left field, but Schneiderâ€s best long-term position is DH.
The Future: Schneider is an above-average hitter with a three-true-outcomes profile. He can carve out a role as a bat-driven second-division regular.
The Athletics acquired Bassitt from the White Sox in December’s Jeff Samardzija trade, the third close-to-ready starting pitcher Oakland acquired in the offseason. He’s somewhat similar to ex-Blue Jays Kendall Graveman and Sean Nolin in that he was an under-the-radar prospect who had seen big league time in September 2014.
Bassitt is a late-bloomer who burst on the amateur scene as a fourth-year junior in 2011 and was drafted as a reliever. The White Sox put him in the rotation in 2012 and his command actually improved, and a broken right hand at Double-A Birmingham in 2014 couldn’t keep him from reaching the major leagues by season’s end. Bassitt pushed his fastball up as hard as 96 mph even in a starting role, and it has solid life down in the zone. While he throws consistent strikes, he doesn’t command the fastball enough for him to be a frontline starter. He’s focused on a slider over a curve as his breaking ball, and it gives him an average second pitch. White Sox officials believed it would play up in the bullpen to make him a potential setup reliever. His changeup remains fringe-average but has some sink as well.
Bassitt impressed again in the Arizona Fall League in a relief role, but the Athletics will give him a chance to win a spot at the back of their revamped 2015 rotation.
Bieber took over as UC Santa Barbara’s ace in 2016 and led the Gauchos to their first-ever appearance in the College World Series. He made a smooth transition to the minor leagues and excelled in his first full professional season, reaching Double-A Akron almost exactly a year after his pro debut.
Bieber came into pro ball with a reputation as relying more on his command than his stuff to succeed. He has continued to show above-average control as a professional and his 0.5 walks per nine innings in 2017 led all full-season minor leaguers. He’s one of those rare players whose control and command are big league ready from day one. But Bieber is starting to outgrow the command-and-control label, as his stuff made a jump in 2017. His fastball, which sat around 90 mph at UCSB, now sits 92-94 and touched 96 mph. His curveball got sharper and more consistent, developing into his best secondary pitch. He also throws a slider and changeup, which both can be average offerings. He has a clean, easy delivery and has shown he can handle a heavy workload–his 173.1 innings led all minor leaguers in 2017.
Bieber made one of the biggest jumps in 2017 of any player in the Indians’ system and now profiles as a potential mid-rotation starter. He will advance to Triple-A Columbus in 2018 and could pitch his way into the big league mix.
On pure upside, Dominguez could rank higher on this list, but arm problems have slowed his progress and created more risk to his profile. He showed one of the most electric arms early in the high Class A Florida State League season in 2017, but in mid-May he went on the disabled list with shoulder tightness and missed two months.
When he returned, some scouts thought he looked gassed, while others thought he looked tentative coming back from rehab. At his best, Dominguez overpowers hitters with a fastball that sits at 94-96 mph with late movement and reaches 99. His fastball command improved in 2017 and he showed the ability to locate that pitch down in the strike zone early in the season. His slider took a step forward, and while it still flattens out on him at times, it’s often an above-average pitch that misses bats. He’s a four-pitch guy with an average curveball and a changeup that flashes as another above-average offering at times.
Dominguez has the stuff to be a mid-rotation starter, but he’s 23 and his career-high workload is 76 innings, so his durability is a question mark and he could be a better fit as a late-inning reliever. Double-A Reading is his next step in 2018.
Fisher is another Texas prep arm who has done a lot to help himself this spring. A well-built 6-foot-4, 180-pound righthander, Fisher has seen his velocity tick up during his senior season. After topping out at 91-92 mph in showcases last summer, he’s touched 96 this spring. The Lamar signee now sits 92-96 mph at his best with a slurvy breaking ball and a developing changeup.
Track Record: Fluharty spent three seasons in Libertyâ€s bullpen, steadily improving with each season. He made the third most appearances in the Atlantic Sun Conference in 2022 and was drafted by the Blue Jays in the fifth round that year. Fluharty debuted with High-A Vancouver post-draft and made 10 appearances. He returned to Vancouver to begin 2023 and earned a promotion to Double-A New Hampshire on May 23. Fluharty make 36 appearances for the Fisher Cats, recording four saves.
Scouting Report: Fluharty did not start a game in college and is locked into a relief role in pro ball. He mixes three pitches. Fluhartyâ€s primary pitch is a nasty mid-80s sweeper with ride and on average a foot of sweep. He shows excellent command of the pitch and drives a high rate of swings-and-misses. Fluhartyâ€s second pitch is a cutter at 89-91 mph that functions like a fastball. With good command of the pitch, he misses bats in and out of the zone. He throws a four-seam fastball that sits 90-92 mph, but itâ€s a clear third pitch. Fluharty is a funky relief prospect with good command of his arsenal.
The Future: Fluharty is a slider-first reliever who could handle middle-inning relief or situational usage.
Scouting Report: Gausman’s two premium pitches and developing third option give him No. 2 starter upside. His plus-plus fastball sits at 94-96 mph and touches 98, and he mixes in a sinking low-90s two-seamer to induce groundouts. His 84-86 mph changeup is an easy plus pitch, and some scouts ranked it among the best they’ve seen at the amateur level. Gausman threw both a 76-79 mph curveball and an 82-86 mph slider that blended together in college. His diving slider flashes more swing-and-miss potential and showed significant improvement during instructional league. A premium athlete with a live body, he has a smooth, high-leg kick delivery that helps him stay over the rubber. His aptitude and intelligence help set him apart.
The Future: Dylan Bundy and Gausman give the Orioles one of the minors’ best 1-2 pitching punches. After making a playoff appearance for Bowie, Gausman might return to Double-A to open his first full pro season. He could reach Baltimore before the end of the season.
The key player among the three prospects the Blue Jays sent to the Rockies for shortstop Troy Tulowitzki in a 2015 deadline deal, Hoffman was Toronto’s first pick–ninth overall–in 2014. He had Tommy John surgery shortly before that draft, delaying his pro debut to 2015. He steadily climbed the minor league ladder and made his big league debut in September 2016. Hoffman showed signs of fatigue when he debuted with the Rockies, and he surpassed 150 innings for the first time.
During the season he showed a live fastball with sinking life that sits in the 93-96 mph range and reaches 99. Hoffman has an excellent plus curveball but tends to rely on it too much. His slider is a nice secondary breaking pitch, and his changeup is solid. His strikeout rate jumped significantly in the minors, but to keep that up in the big leagues, he has to take better ownership of the inner part of the plate and use any on his four pitches without hesitation.
Hoffman has a chance to earn a rotation spot in Denver for 2017. With his power and pitch mix, Hoffman should grow in a solid mid-rotation starter with an inner confidence that bodes well for his success at Coors Field.
As Kent State junior, Lauer recorded an 0.68 ERA that was the lowest in Division I since 1979. The Padres drafted him that year with the last of their three first-round picks, No. 25 overall, and signed him for $2 million. Lauer battled through fatigue in his first full season, but still delivered 122.2 innings and finished strong at Double-A.
Lauer is a classic pitchability lefty who relies on mixing and locating his pitches. His fastball ranges from 87-94 mph and he sits 89-91, slowing it down and speeding it up depending on the situation. His fastball has some sneakiness to it and he isn’t afraid to pitch inside, making for uncomfortable at-bats even with below-average velocity. Lauer’s main secondary is an above-average 84-85 mph changeup he sells with identical arm speed. His fringy 82-86 mph slider lacks bite, but he places it effectively on the back foot of righthanded hitters for a usable third pitch. His below-average 75-76 mph curveball is loopy and rolls into the strike zone.
Lauer isn’t flashy, but shows enough pitchability and control to potentially survive as a No. 5 starter. He’ll head to Triple-A El Paso in 2018.
Track Record: After pitching just four innings as a freshman at North Carolina, Little transferred to the State JC of Florida after wowing evaluators in the Cape Cod League. His draft stock shot up as a result, and the Cubs gave him $2.2 million to turn professional. He struggled at short-season Eugene after being drafted, then spent all of 2018 at low Class A South Bend proving surprisingly hittable for a pitcher with excellent stuff.
Scouting Report: Little’s biggest appeal still comes from his fastball, which sits in the low 90s and can touch up to 95 when he needs a strikeout. He couples it with a future plus curveball in the mid-70s with 12-to-6 break as well as a changeup that is fringe-average now but could get to average because of the conviction with which it’s thrown. The biggest issue now is getting Little to repeat his delivery, which so far has cost him enough control to serve up four walks per nine innings.
The Future: After a full year at South Bend, Little should move up to high Class A Myrtle Beach in 2019. He has the ceiling of a back-end starter.
Track Record: Rodriguez was a soft-tossing starter with an 87-90 mph fastball in Cubaâ€s Serie Nacional before blossoming with a move to Japan. His stuff increased markedly over three seasons with Chunichi and he emerged as one of NPBâ€s top setup men with a 1.15 ERA in 56 appearances in 2022. He returned to starting for Cuba in the 2023 World Baseball Classic and delivered a pair of solid outings to raise his profile as a starter. He did not return to Chunichi for the regular season and spent the year training in preparation for a move to MLB.
Scouting Report: Rodriguez is an aggressive power pitcher whose stuff and performance keep improving. His four-seam fastball is now a plus pitch that sits 94-96 mph and touches 100 with natural cut. He also has a 93-96 mph two-seamer with hard armside run. Rodriguezâ€s main secondary pitch is an above-average, 83-86 mph slider with vertical bite and solid depth. He primarily throws his fastballs and slider and is able to dominate with them. Rodriguez lacks touch on his softer offerings. He has inconsistent feel for his fringy splitter and below-average curveball and rarely throws them. Rodriguez is a volatile, highly emotional pitcher prone to overthrowing and struggles to throttle down. He has an effortful delivery and arm action and fringy control overall.
The Future: Rodriguez will get a chance to start, but his arsenal and demeanor fit best in relief. He projects to be a hard-throwing but inconsistent No. 5 starter or seventh-inning setup man.
The 11th overall pick in 2006, Scherzer pitched for the independent Fort Worth Cats and held out before he would have re-entered the draft pool. Though he projected as no more than a mid-first-rounder the second time around, Arizona gave him a $3 million bonus, $4.3 million in guaranteed money and another $1.5 million in easily reachable incentives.
Scherzer’s fastball can overmatch batters, arriving in the mid-90s with sinking action at its best. His slider also can be a plus pitch, though he’s working on its command and plane. Some scouts who saw Scherzer as a starter at midseason wondered what the fuss was about. His fastball sat at 89-93 mph range, and his overall stuff, command, feel and delivery all drew questions. Then they saw him relieving in the Arizona Fall League and he was a different pitcher, touching 98 mph.
Arizona’s official opinion is that Scherzer is a starter. If he continues in the rotation, he’ll likely open 2008 back in Double-A. If he moves to the bullpen, he could provide immediate help in the big leagues and has the pure stuff to eventually close games.
Track Record: When he made his MLB debut against the Yankees on Sept. 7, Varland became the first player in Division II Concordia (Minn.) history to reach the big leagues. His biggest competition for that honor was his older brother. Gus Varland, a fellow alum of the St. Paul school, pitched in Double-A in 2022, but Louie reached the majors first. Louie Varland is a scouting and development success story as a 15th-round pick in 2019 who has steadily gotten better each year as a pro.
Scouting Report: Varland draws raves for his willingness to work and his ability to absorb and process instruction. When Varland arrived at Concordia, he generally sat in the mid 80s. These days he throws nearly 10 mph harder, with a fastball that sits 93-95 mph and touches 98 thanks to plenty of time in the weight room. He’s also steadily developed his secondary offerings. Early in his pro career, Varland developed an average changeup. Now his slider has improved from well below-average to average. He has added sweep to it, making it more of a swing-and-miss pitch. He has started to throw a fringe-average 88-90 mph cutter. It’s important, because while his slider is a chase pitch, his cutter is something he consistently throws for strikes. It enhances his slider’s effectiveness because now he can steal a strike if hitters read spin and lay off his cutter. Varland doesn’t have a true plus pitch, but he generates deception from a slightly closed delivery and has plus control.
The Future: Varland is the next in what has been a long line of Twins’ crafty righthanders. He projects as a back-of-the-rotation starter who should compete for a big league job in spring training.
Track Record: Yesavage spent his freshman season in the East Carolina bullpen before moving to the rotation as a sophomore. As a junior, he ascended to the role of staff ace, making 15 starts and pitching to a 2.02 ERA, the lowest of any Division I starter. Late in the 2024 season, Yesavage suffered a partially collapsed lung due to an off-the-field medical procedure and missed the American Athletic Conference Tournament. He returned to pitch in regionals, facing off against Wake Forestâ€s Chase Burns. Yesavage allowed one run in 7.1 innings to outduel Burns. Yesavage fell to the Blue Jays at No. 20 overall on draft day because of some teams†concerns with his medicals. He signed for a slightly overslot $4.175 million bonus and did not debut following the draft.
Scouting Report: Yesavage has prototype starter size, the ability to repeat his mechanics and a mix of average-or-better offerings. He was a reliable innings-eater in college with above-average command. Yesavage has a short windup, with a short stride to the plate that creates little-to-no extension. He delivers the ball from an over-the-top slot with good arm speed. Despite his lack of extension, it hasnâ€t hurt how his fastball has played. The pitch sits 93-95 mph and touches 97 with elite induced vertical break and late armside run. Opposing batters hit just .198 against his fastball in 2024. Yesavageâ€s primary secondary is a slider he uses predominantly in right-on-right matchups. His slider sits 86-87 and touches 90 with heavy gyro action. His primary secondary weapon against lefties is a low-to-mid-80s splitter with excellent vertical and velocity separation off his fastball. Yesavage also mixes a low-80s downer curveball, but itâ€s a clear fourth pitch.
The Future: Yesavage should move fast. He possesses mid-rotation upside, most likely as a high-end No. 4.
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