Brandon Eisert – LHP
Drafted by the Blue Jays in the 18th round back in 2019, left-hander Brandon Eisert cracked the AAA roster in 2022 after splitting time between three different affiliate teams last season. While he missed the entire 2020 campaign due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he posted strong numbers in his first season of pro ball and is continuing that trend now in Buffalo this season.
Through 16 outings, Eisert owns a 3.63 ERA with nine earned runs through 22.1 innings of work. He has amassed a 1.030 WHIP while pitching in the middle innings and has a 10.9 K/9 compared to a 2.4 BB/9 on the year. While he did get off to a rough start in April, he has bounced back these past two months to a 3.09 ERA while limiting opponents to a .171 batting average.
Eisert is in tough when it comes to competing for relief pitching roster spots but he is starting to enter the conversation. He too will need a 40-man roster spot but if the front office wants to change things around from Thornton or Merryweather, Eisert is another option to consider.