Blue Jays Reliever Brendon Little Has One of Most Valuable Pitches in Baseball
In this story:
The Toronto Blue Jays have surged to the top of the American League East because they are receiving contributions from players up and down their roster.
Entering play on July 21, they have a 58-41 record, currently three games ahead of the New York Yankees in the AL East and only 1.5 games behind the Detroit Tigers for the best record in baseball.
There are a lot of players who deserve credit for how well the team is playing, but one of the unsung heroes who is becoming a more household name is relief pitcher Brendon Little.
More News: Blue Jays Home Field Advantage Grows with Best Home Record in Majors
A first-round pick in the 2017 MLB Draft of the Chicago Cubs out of State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota, he made his Major League debut on Aug. 30, 2022, and gave up three runs while recording only two outs.
It was the only appearance Little made for the club that drafted him before the Blue Jays purchased his contract on November 6, 2023.
He would make 49 productive appearances for Toronto in 2024, throwing 45.2 innings with a 3.74 ERA, striking out 36 batters.
More News: Surging Blue Jays Make Rare Franchise History with 8-6 Win over Giants
Looking to have finally found a home in the Major Leagues, Little has only cemented his status as a Big League relief pitcher with a dominant showing in 2025.
He currently leads the AL with 47 appearances, throwing 46 innings and recording a 1.2 bWAR.
His strikeout numbers have risen through the roof, already recording 68 this season.
What has led to such an improvement in striking out opponents?
More News: Blue Jays Urged to Aim High in Trade Market Ahead of MLB Deadline
Little possesses an elite curveball that is one of the best putaway offerings currently being thrown in the MLB.
“Little's nasty curveball has produced the most strikeouts (54) and whiffs (102) of any individual relief pitch and when hitters have put it in play, they haven't been all that successful with a .156 batting average and one extra-base hit (a triple) in 94 plate appearances,” wrote Brent Maguire of MLB.com.
His breaking ball has already produced a Run Value of +7.
What makes his curveball so unique is the incredible velocity he generates, averaging 87 mph, which is the fifth-best amongst qualified pitches.
More News: Blue Jays Veteran Left-Handed Pitcher Deemed Team's 'Unsung MVP' This Season
“In terms of missing bats, few pitches have been as dominant as Little's curveball. Among individual pitches that have produced at least 100 swings, Little's 55.1 percent whiff rate on his knuckle curveball is third-best behind Fernando Cruz's splitter (60.2 percent) and Josh Hader's slider (55.2 percent),” Maguire added.
Opponents could know it is coming, and they likely still wouldn’t make much more contact.
Little’s curveball is that good, making him one of the elite setup men in baseball currently.
For more Blue Jays news, head over to Blue Jays On SI.
