3 Blue Jays prospects whose stock could dramatically rise this fall

3 Blue Jays prospects to watch in the Arizona Fall League

Kendry Rojas

21-year-old Cuban southpaw Kendry Rojas was signed as an international free agent for $215,000 by the Blue Jays as a 17-year-old in October 2020. He’s already spent 4 seasons in Toronto’s system, compiling a 3.28 ERA over 54 appearances, including 42 starts, and 211 innings with 236 strikeouts. But after missing nearly three months due to a shoulder issue earlier this year, Rojas dominated at High-A Vancouver with a 2.16 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 50 innings following his July 9 return.

Standing 6-foot-2, the 190-pound left-hander features a 94 mph riding fastball that can be a plus pitch. As per Jays Journal’s Matthew Rowell, “He can cut it to keep it off barrels and it's already getting above average swing and miss with less than ideal command. His [low-80s] slider is his main put-a-way pitch. It features tough two-plane break and he can use it all over the zone.”

While durability remains a question mark, Rojas projects as a mid-rotation starter; the AFL is a perfect opportunity for him to add to his 2024 workload and audition for a promotion to the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats in 2025. He won’t have to be protected from the Rule 5 Draft until after next season.

The only Blue Jays pitchers above him on MLB’s updated mid season top 30 prospect ranking were 2024 1st-round pick Trey Yesavage, Jake Bloss — who was acquired in the Yusei Kikuchi trade, the rehabbing Tiedemann, 2024 second-round pick Khal Stephen, fellow lefty Adam Macko — who’s already on the 40-man roster but was dealing with left forearm tightness as the season wound down, and 20-year-old Nicaraguan Fernando Perez.

As Keegan Matheson of MLB.com recently noted, “This is why a prospect like Rojas is so important to the organization. There’s a level of scarcity at play here. The Blue Jays have struggled to develop starting pitching, and while that’s been covered up well by some excellent trades and free-agent signings to bring in José Berríos, Kevin Gausman and Chris Bassitt, that won’t last forever.”

Lazaro Estrada

Fellow Cuban Estrada will also feature for Scottsdale in the AFL this fall after the Blue Jays extended him for another two years. Given the lack of starting pitching depth in the organisation, it’s not out of the question that he’d could merit a promotion to the 40-man roster if he pitches well in Arizona.

Signed as a 17-year-old, international free agent in January 2018, the now 25-year-old pitched at three levels this year and posted a combined 3.29 ERA in 22 appearances (all starts) over 98.1 innings, with 113 strikeouts against only 33 walks. He allowed a solo home run with two strikeouts over 3 innings in his AFL debut on Wednesday.

While his ERA jumped after a July 9 promotion to New Hampshire, he still featured swing-and-miss stuff, with 55 strikeouts over 52.1 innings at the higher level. Over six minor league seasons with the Blue Jays organisation, he has a 3.28 ERA over 331.2 innings.

As per Jays Journal contributor Matthew Rowell, Estrada features a low-to-mid-90s fastball, “but its combination of extreme ride and his uphill attack angle make it a tricky pitch for hitters to pick up. He has also been known for his strong curveball that tunnels well off his fastball. Estrada has above average control and at least average command.” His advanced age for the level “is more a product of lost development years and a visa issue than lack of production.”

T.J. Brock

Another 25-year-old righty, 2022 6th-round draft pick Brock, also had an elbow scare early this year and spent a significant amount of time on the injured list. The AFL gives him a chance to get in more work after he only managed 7 innings at Double-A New Hampshire in the regular season.

But the swing-and-miss stuff is intriguing for an organisation starved of relief pitching depth. Brock continued to strike batters out in bunches, maintaining his elite minor league K rate and striking out 14 in those 7 innings. Over 76.1 minor league innings, Brock has struck out an average of 15.21 batters per nine innings, with an opponent's batting average against of only .217.

Brock gets the job done with a high-80s gyro slider that hitters rarely touch. Even when they do make contact, it tends to be weak. He sets that out pitch up with a 95-96 mph fastball.

The Ohio State product stands at only 6-foot-1, but generates a ton of spin on his hard slider. Having fallen off MLB Pipeline’s mid season update of the top 30 Blue Jays prospects, the AFL offers him a chance to recharge his standing in the organization.