Inside Blue Jays Slugger Yohendrick Pinango’s Huge Week in Minor Leagues
Among the Top 30 prospects for the Toronto Blue Jays, per MLB Pipeline, is a left-handed hitting outfielder named Yohendrick Pinango.
Last week, he made sure the pitching in the Double-A Eastern League felt his presence.
The 23-year-old was highlighted by Baseball America as one of the 20 best hitters in minor league baseball last week for his work with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.
Entering this week he is the Blue Jays’ No. 24 prospects, according to MLB Pipeline.
About Yohendrick Pinango’s Huge Week
Last week Pinango slashed .412/.583/1.000, going 7-for-17 for the week. He scored five runs, hit a double, three home runs and drove in three runs. He also walked seven times and struck out twice. He had a stolen base.
That pushed his incredible numbers for the season, all of which has been at New Hampshire. Entering this week he is slashing .350/.462/.608 with eight doubles, one triple, seven home runs and 17 RBI. He’s on pace to shatter his career best in a single season in power numbers, when he had 13 home runs and drove in 63 runs at High-A in 2022.
Pinango has never finished a minor league season at a full-season affiliate with an average better than .250. What he’s doing this season represents a breakthrough for a player that has been playing professional baseball since 2019.
What has always stood out about Pinango is his plate discipline. He’s always had a solid walk-to-strikeout ratio but this season it’s almost in perfect balance. In 120 at-bats he has 22 walks against 29 strikeouts.
The left fielder is a Venezuela native who was signed by the Chicago Cubs in 2019 and spent his entire professional career with the organization until last season, when the Cubs included him and shortstop Josh Rivera in a trade for pitcher Nate Pearson.
He’s never played above Double-A, but he’s making a play to do so sometime this season. A promotion would mean a spot at Triple-A Buffalo, and one step closer to the Majors.
He may become useful to the Blue Jays at the Major League level, especially given that Daulton Varsho could be on the trade block this season. The struggles of Anthony Santander could also create opportunities — if those become long-term.
As of now, Pinango probably needs at least another year in the minors to be an option for the Blue Jays. But his incredible start to the season has put him on everyone’s radar.
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Matthew Postins is an award-winning sports journalist who covers Major League Baseball for OnSI. He also covers the Big 12 Conference for Heartland College Sports.