FanGraphs projects sparse star power among Blue Jays’ top 40 prospects

The Toronto Blue Jays are seemingly top heavy when it comes to their prospects pool. A few players stand out but the majority of their top 40 are filled with guys who may only ever be bench players or backend starters. That's according to the way FanGraphs has ranked them based on their future value (FV).

Using the 20-80 prospects scale with 20 being a career minor leaguer and 80 being a top five overall player in MLB, the Blue Jays have one player listed at 60 on the scale, two more in the 50's and everyone else at 45+ and below.

FanGraphs projects sparse star power among Blue Jays’ top 40 prospects

The top player ranked is Trey Yesavage. FanGraphs gives him a 60 FV, which for pitchers means he is projected to become a number three starter. That would amount to averaging close to 200 innings pitched per season with a 3.30 FIP and an fWAR between 3.5 to 4.9. Those kinds of numbers would make Yesavage a perennial All-Star.

Selected in the first round of the 2024 draft (No. 20) overall, Yesavage went from playing college ball to pitching in the World Series in just over one year. The 22-year-old will very likely be on Toronto's opening day roster for the 2026 season and so his prospect status will quickly be shed. Although, he will be eligible to be a candidate for the American League Rookie of the Year award. Yesavage is the only player to earn a rating of 60 or higher outside of Milwaukee shortstop Jesús Made who graded at 65.

The next two best players in the Blue Jays' system are shortstop Arjun Nimmal and pitcher Jake Bloss. Both received 50 FV grades. For position players a 50 FV amounts to being an average everyday player, someone who can produce an fWAR of 1.6 to 2.4. For pitchers, that 50 FV amounts to a No. 4 starter with approximately a 4.00 FIP and an fWAR of 1.8 to 2.5.

Nimmala was Toronto's first round pick (20th overall) in 2023 and has yet to advance past High-A. He's just turned 20-years-old and received rave reviews for his power potential and ability to play shortstop. 2026 will be his third professional season and there will be a lot of eyes on the Tampa, Florida native as he continues to find his game in Vancouver.

Bloss was acquired by the Blue Jays at the 2024 trade deadline for Yusei Kikuchi. He was expected to be a part of the Blue Jays pitching depth in 2025, but dealt with elbow injuries for most of last season, getting shutdown in early May. Scouts like his mid-90s fastball, upper-80s slider and a 12-6 curveball which can be knee buckling for hitters. With the Blue Jays having added to their starting depth this offseason, Bloss can use all of '26 to ramp up to compete for a spot at the big leagues in '27.

The next highest rated prospect is JoJo Parker, who was drafted just this past year. The 19-year-old isn't projected to make the big leagues until 2030 and he's being given a 45+ FV, which means he's somewhere between a platoon player and an average everyday player. Shortly after the draft Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report said Parker's ceiling would be about the same as former Blue Jay Kelly Johnson. That's about the same projection that FanGraphs has given Parker in their evaluations. A player who is a good everyday player, without being overly flashy.

Ricky Tiedemann and Johnny King are also ranked with 45 FV's. The two pitchers had very different 2025 campaigns. Tiedemann spent his rehabbing from Tommy John surgery while King had a breakout year. 2025 was his first season of professional baseball and he moved through two levels pitching to a 2.48 ERA in 18 games, including 15 starts while striking out 105 batters in 61.2 innings.

King will be just 19-years-old in 2026 while Tiedemann will be 23 and looking to make up for lost time.
At this rate if either of them becomes a respectable No. 4 or 5 starter at the big league level the Blue Jays should look at that as a win.

Outfield Victor Arias, infielder Juan Sanchez, Pitcher Gage Stanifer and Catcher Juan Caricote all received FV's of 40+ which projects them to be worth close to an average of 1.0 fWAR as a major leaguer, while the remaining prospects were listed at 40 and below. Of course these evaluations are ever evolving and there are plenty of prospects who can change their projections with a good year in the minors.