Blue Jays minor league affiliates release 2024 rosters

Entering the 2024 season, the Toronto Blue Jays possess a farm system that finds itself in the bottom half of the league amongst all media outlet lists.

Aside from the likes of Ricky Tiedemann, Addison Barger and Orelvis Martinez, the cupboards are looking a bit bare. Last season, there were some under-the-radar storylines like the emergences of Chad Dallas, Damiano Palmegiani, Alan Roden, Fernando Perez and others.

This year, the best the Blue Jays organization has to offer will pretty much all be a part of the Buffalo Bisons' season-opening roster. We're going to break down the Opening Day rosters of each minor league affiliate of the Jays.

Here's a breakdown of Jays Journal's top 30 prospects and how many of them are at each affiliate to kick things off in 2024:

Triple-A Buffalo Bisons: 10

Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats: 5

High-A Vancouver Canadians: 2

Low-A Dunedin Blue Jays: 6

Let's dive in and see how the rosters are looking as the season gets underway!

Triple-A Buffalo Bisons 2024 roster

Last year, the Bisons went 76-72 under Casey Candaele, who is returning as the club's manager once again. Some of the main contributors from last year's team, such as Ernie Clement and Davis Schneider, have "graduated", so to speak, and are a part of the Blue Jays' big league squad.

This year's Bisons are already off to a 2-2 start to begin the season. The Triple-A season begins before any other minor league one does.

Pitchers:

* = Promoted to the major leagues

• Andrew Bash (R)
• Connor Cooke (R) - Jays Journal No. 15
• Chad Dallas (R) - Jays Journal No. 19
• Hagen Danner (R) - Jays Journal No. 23
• Brandon Eisert (L)
• Paolo Espino (R)*
• Mason Fluharty (L) - Jays Journal No. 28
• Brendon Little (L)
• Zach Pop (R)
• Luis Quinones (R)
• Yariel Rodriguez (R)
• Paxton Schultz (R)
• Ricky Tiedemann (L) - Jays Journal No. 1
• Troy Watson (R)

Catchers:

• Payton Henry
• Max McDowell

Infielders:

* = Traded to the Twins

• Addison Barger - Jays Journal No. 4
• Luis De Los Santos (added to roster after season began)
• Spencer Horwitz - Jays Journal No. 17
• Leo Jimenez - Jays Journal No. 7
• Tanner Morris*
• Orelvis Martinez - Jays Journal No. 3
• Damiano Palmegiani - Jays Journal No. 16

Outfielders:

• Steward Berroa
• Cam Eden
• Rafael Lantigua
• Nathan Lukes
• Will Robertson

There's already been a bit of roster turnover since the Bisons announced their Opening Day roster. Paolo Espino had his contract selected by the Blue Jays on Friday, while infielder Tanner Morris was traded to the Twins in a minor deal last week.

This roster is one that's surprisingly star-studded for a Blue Jays farm system many consider to be weak. There are multiple pitchers, especially Rodriguez, Tiedemann, Dallas and Cooke, who are right on the cusp of being legitimate contributors at the game's highest level.

On the position player side, Payton Henry is currently the third-string catcher for the Jays, as Brian Serven is backing up Alejandro Kirk in the big leagues in Danny Jansen's absence. Other offensive standouts include Barger, Martinez, Palmegiani and Lukes, each of whom are likely to see some time in the majors before all is said and done this year.

Don't forget about Joey Votto either. He's still recovering from an ankle injury and will begin his year in Buffalo once he's ready for game action.

High-A Vancouver Canadians 2024 Opening Day roster

Easily the best of the bunch last year when it came to Blue Jays minor league affiliates, the Vancouver Canadians were Northwest League champions in just their third year as the Jays' High-A affiliate.

Per a press release from the club, a total of 15 players will be returning from last year's championship-winning ensemble.

Brent Lavallee, a native of North Delta, BC, is returning to the C's as their manager for another season.

Pitchers:

• Alex Amalfi (R)
• Pat Gallagher (R)
• Ryan Jennings (R)
• Justin Kelly (R)
• Conor Larkin (R)
• Jonathan Lavallee (R)
• Chris McElvain (R)
• Josh Mollerus (R)
• Rafael Ohashi (R)
• Naswell Paulino (L)
• Kendry Rojas (L) - Jays Journal No. 8
• Rafael Sanchez (R)
• Grayson Thurman (R)
• Anders Tolhurst (R)
• Geison Urbaez (R)
• Chay Yeager (R)

Catchers:

• Jommer Hernandez
• Jackson Hornung
• Kekai Rios

Infielders:

• Jean Arnaez
• Nick Goodwin
• Estiven Machado
• Ryan McCarty
• Brennan Orf
• Jeff Wehler

Outfielders:

• Jace Bohrofen - Jays Journal No. 10
• Dasan Brown
• Dylan Rock
• Jaden Rudd

Jennings is going to get the Opening Day nod for the C's after a promising showing in the 2023 regular season and postseason. He is a part of an intriguing rotation alongside other names to know like Gallagher, Ohashi and Sanchez.

Rojas is the big name here, though. He ranked as high as eighth in Jays Journal's prospect rankings heading into this season and is said to have immense potential. Last year, he had a 3.75 ERA through 20 outings (15 starts), striking out 82 in 84 innings of work while walking 33 and allowing just eight home runs.

Bohrofen, the Blue Jays' sixth-round pick in last year's draft, hit .299 with seven home runs and 18 RBI in just 24 games last season post-draft. Scouts absolutely love him, and the Blue Jays do as well. He's 22-years old and might not stay in Vancouver very long if he can start the season on a strong note.

Low-A Dunedin Blue Jays 2024 Opening Day roster

The Dunedin Blue Jays will open their season with the last two of the organization's first-round picks in tow. Jose Mayorga has moved up from the FCL, where he was the manager for the past two seasons, and will be Dunedin's skipper in 2024.

This 30-man roster is absolutely stacked with talent and will feature three Canadian-born players (O'Halloran, Deschamps, Arnold) as well.

Pitchers:

• Eliander Alcade (R)
• Brandon Barriera (L) - Jays Journal No. 5
• Irv Carter (R)
• Sebastian Espino (R)
• Jerry Huntzinger (R) (TWO-WAY PLAYER)
• Keiner Leon (R)
• Landen Maroudis (R) - Jays Journal No. 11
• Aaron Munson (R)
• Connor O'Halloran (L)
• Fernando Perez (R) - Jays Journal No. 21
• Kai Peterson (L)
• Carson Pierce (R)
• Grant Rogers (R)
• Yondrei Rojas (R)
• JJ Sanchez (L)
• Juaron Watts-Brown (R) - Jays Journal No. 12

Catchers:

• Nicolas Deschamps
• Edward Duran

Infielders:

• Bryce Arnold
• Manuel Beltre
• Eduardo Montero
• Arjun Nimmala - Jays Journal No. 2
• Tucker Toman - Jays Journal No. 24

Outfielders:

• Yhoangel Aponte
• Victor Arias
• Braden Barry
• Marcos De La Rosa
• Cristian Feliz
• Alexis Hernandez
• Yeuni Munoz
• Robert Robertis

Nolan Perry, Jays Journal's No. 30 prospect, is also going to start the year in Dunedin, but he is not yet game-ready. The right-hander had a minor setback during spring and is expected to join the D-Jays in a few weeks once he's built up.

Nimmala and Toman lead the way on the position player side for the D-Jays, but it's the pitching staff that steals the show. Three of the hurlers starting the year in Dunedin are in the top 12 of JJ's prospect ranking.

Another notable development is Espino, who began his career as a position player but is now listed as a pitcher. He has always been known for his strong throwing arm and it appears the Blue Jays are preparing to give him a look on the mound.