Blue Jays: One pitching prospect to keep an eye on down in AAA

With the likes of Nate Pearson, Alek Manoah, and Simeon Woods-Richardson dominating the headlines when it comes to the Blue Jays top prospect list this season, it can be easy to see why other pitchers might not be getting the same attention even if they are performing well.

Drafted by the Blue Jays in 9th round of the 2017 amateur draft, left-hander Zach Logue has quietly been making his way through the organization’s farm system and currently finds himself in AAA. For his minor league career, Logue has 67 appearances (57 starts) and sports a 3.39 ERA with 83 walks, 304 strikeouts, and a 1.175 WHIP over 332.0 innings pitched.

Logue began the season down in AA with the Fisher Cats, a similar position to where the southpaw started his 2019 campaign with the minor league season being canceled last year. The University of Kentucky alum did make one appearance in AAA prior to this season, but it appears that the club is giving him a chance to carve out a rotation spot amongst the likes of Pearson, Nick Allgeyer, and Jacob Waguespack.

Across both levels this season, the Ohio product sports a 3.80 ERA with 59 strikeouts across 42.2 innings.

Left-hander Zach Logue has been quietly making his way through the Blue Jays farm system since being drafted in 2017, and with the Ohio product now pitching in AAA, he is one prospect to keep an eye on to potentially help the bullpen later this season.

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For the 2021 season, Logue has made seven starts in AA and one start in AAA. His first five starts were going well, as he was pitching around five to six innings and had kept opponents to two or fewer runs in four of those appearances.

His last two starts before being promoted to the Bisons saw him get roughed up as he surrendered three earned runs against the Binghampton Rumble Ponies before being touched for three home runs and six earned runs against the Portland Sea Dogs. However, Logue’s first start with the Bisons was quite impressive, as the left-hander went a season-high seven innings and allowed just one hit while striking out eight Rochester Red Wings.

Zach Logue is an interesting prospect considering he has never been on the Blue Jays top prospect list yet keeps finding ways to keep moving through the farm system. At 25 years old, he is still considered a prospect with upside and some good outings in Buffalo could see a potential-jump to the major league roster this season or next, especially because he throws left-handed.

While he is currently still being used as a starter, a move to the bullpen will probably be his shot in the big leagues, especially since some of the other pitchers within the farm system project to be more starter material. With Logue being left-handed, a bullpen role could suit him well especially with how Tim Mayza is currently struggling this season and Ryan Borucki has missed some time on the injured list.

The main obstacle in Logue’s way for making the roster is that he is not on the 40-man, meaning someone would have to be dropped in roder for him to be called up.

If a spot does become available or the Blue Jays start to lose faith in either Mayza, Travis Bergen, Jeremy Beasley, or Carl Edwards Jr., help might be closer than you think down in Buffalo in Zach Logue.