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Forgotten Blue Jays' deadline acquisition finally finds groove making quiet trade win

Charles McAdoo is starting to turn heads in Toronto's system.
ByBaron Dionis|
Feb 22, 2025; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Toronto Blue Jays infielder Charles McAdoo (84) throws the ball to first base for an out during the fifth inning against the New York Yankees at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Feb 22, 2025; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Toronto Blue Jays infielder Charles McAdoo (84) throws the ball to first base for an out during the fifth inning against the New York Yankees at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Last season, the Toronto Blue Jays dealt Isiah Kiner-Falefa to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Charles McAdoo in their mini one year rebuild. Quickly enough, things just looked like a "meh" trade as both players struggled in their new organizations. While Kiner-Falefa is once again a trade deadline target, McAdoo has finally begun to turn things around, making this look like a trade victory.

McAdoo came to the organization on fire. He had 14 home runs and an outstanding .906 OPS. He also had a strikeout percentage of 22.6% and walked 10.7% of the time. He was firing on all cylinders with the Pirates' organization, but as soon as he got to New Hampshire, things went down hill. Dramatically.

With the rest of the season in New Hampshire, McAdoo put together an OPS of just .609 with a 30.1% strikeout rate and a 80 wRC+. He just was not productive at the plate at all and the trade of Kiner-Falefa looked really bad. All of a sudden, the trade looks so much better now that McAdoo is starting to find his stride.

Blue Jays' prospect, Charles McAdoo, acquired from Isiah Kiner-Falefa deal is finally figuring things out at the plate.

He began the season in New Hampshire still and got off to another slow start, finishing April with a .512 OPS and then got a little better with a May OPS of .640, but still not great. Once June rolled around, things began to change for him.

Since June started, McAdoo has posted a .863 OPS with seven home runs and a .294 batting average. He also adds 20 RBI, 10 doubles, and a triple. One issue has been the strikeouts, but he has shown in the past that he can avoid that, so it should eventually come down.

On the season now, McAdoo has a 112 wRC+ with a .721 OPS and 30.5% strikeout rate. From where he was, this is great. He in an above average hitter with New Hampshire and is finally finding a groove with the organization.

Now that he is starting to look like the top prospect he is, this trade looks really good in hindsight. McAdoo is the 15th ranked prospect in the organization and if he can figure things out with consistency, maybe he could debut in 2026.