Blue Jays top prospect lands on the injured list with ominous 'elbow discomfort'

Blue Jays prospect Ricky Tiedemann is on the Injured List after experiencing left elbow discomfort, according to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.

Tiedemann, 21, underwent an MRI Thursday, which led to him being placed on the minor league 7-day IL. The organization is waiting to hear back from doctors, Davidi posted on X Friday.

Tiedemann hasn’t pitched since April 11, when he allowed two runs on three this and three walks over 3.2 innings in a start for the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. The left-hander also struck out seven in the no-decision, which was a rain-shortened, 6-3 Bisons loss to the Rochester Red Wings. Tiedemann is 0-1 with a 5.63 ERA and 2.00 WHIP over eight innings in three starts for Buffalo this season. He has struck out 10, but also allowed three home runs and hit three batters.

Despite the rough start in Buffalo, Tiedemann told Sportsnet he is keeping his focus and improving his ability to paint the corners. Tiedemann earns high marks for his fastball and slider from FanGraphs, and has posted very strong K/9 ratios throughout the minors. In three seasons and three games, Tiedemann has a 14.4 K per 9 in 36 games, thanks to 209 strikeouts over 130.2 innings. That includes a 2.89 ERA and 1.05 WHIP over those 36 games.

Consistently seen as Toronto’s top prospect by many, Tiedemann is ranked by MLB.com as the number 26 prospect overall, with an ETA of 2024 for his big league debut. If that prediction comes true, that would be great news for a team that has long been in need of a homegrown pitching talent like the Blue Jays.

Tiedemann has shot through the minor leagues since the Blue Jays made him a third-round pick in the 2021 MLB Draft. He was selected to pitch in the 2022 All-Star Futures Game, and because of his quick rise, played for four teams in the organization in 2023. Between those teams, which included one game in Buffalo, Tiedemann struck out 82 over 44 innings while sporting a 3.68 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP.

But injuries have hampered the top prospect's development. Tiedemann's rapid rise through the Jays system last season was interrupted by a stint on the IL with a biceps issue. In February, Tiedemann was scratched from starting the Blue Jays' first spring training game because of left hamstring discomfort.

Tiedemann finished 2023 pitching in the Arizona Fall League with the Surprise Saguaros. In four games with Surprise, Tiedemann went 2-1 with a 2.50 ERA and 1.11 WHIP over 18 innings, earning pitcher of the week honors in October. Tiedemann was named Pitcher of the Year at the end of the season, and landed on the All-AFL Team.