Blue Jays: Looking at former prospects traded at the deadline under Ross Atkins

Ryan Noda – OF

Traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers as part of the package for RHP Ross Stripling – August/31/2020

As part of the package for Ross Stripling, outfielder Ryan Noda has always possessed a power bat, evident by his 40 home runs through three seasons in the Jays farm system. Prior to the trade, Noda was in High-A and hit to a .238/.372/.418 slash line through 378 at-bats, adding 13 home runs and 74 RBI as well as 14 stolen bases while patrolling the corner outfield positions.

Since joining the Dodgers, Noda has continued to mash, adding 29 home runs in AA during the 2020 season and has 12 home runs on the year so far in AAA. The Illinois product owns a .819 OPS with 15 doubles while finding himself now at first base, sporting a .987 fielding percentage through 52 starts.

Kendall Williams – RHP

Traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers as part of the package for RHP Ross Stripling – August/31/2020

A second-round pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, right-hander Kendall Williams only spent half a season in the Jays farm system before being packaged alongside Ryan Noda at the 2020 trade deadline (mostly due to the cancelled 2020 MiLB season). His small sample size was strong, posting a 1.13 ERA through six appearances (five starts) with a 10.7 K/9 with only two earned runs allowed through 16.0 innings.

Featured on the Jays’ top prospect list at the time of the trade, Williams struggled in 2021 with the Dodgers, appearing in 23 games (19 starts) in Single-A ball and pitching to a 4.53 ERA through 93.1 innings with a 1.371 WHIP and an 8.4 K/9. His command was on point with his 2.1 BB/9 but he also allowed 14 home runs on the year with a 10.2 H/9, meaning opposing batters were seeing his pitches and putting the ball in play. Williams also made one Spring Training appearance at the Dodgers camp earlier that year, pitching a clean inning against the Texas Rangers allowing one hit, one walk, and striking out two batters.

He started the 2022 campaign in Single-A ball but was promoted to High-A in late April and is finding success with the Great Lakes squad. Through 51.1 innings, the 6’6″ right-hander has seen a slight dip in his K/9 (7.7) and a slight uptick in BB/9 (3.7) but is keeping runs off the board so far this season.

He has fallen off the Dodgers’ top prospect list, as he was ranked #23 at the end of the 2021 campaign, but could regain a spot if he continues to keep pitching well in High-A this year with an MLB ETA around 2024/2025.