Should Toronto Blue Jays Promote Dominant Top Pitching Prospect Now?

The Toronto Blue Jays have a pitching prospect that is dominating at his level and looks ready for a promotion.

Apr 16, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; A Toronto Blue Jays hat and glove in the dugout during a game against the Atlanta Braves at Rogers Centre. | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

Five starts into his pro career, it’s now fair to ask if Toronto Blue Jays pitching prospect Trey Yesavage is too good for Class A Dunedin.

Earlier this week, the No. 2 prospect in the organization won his first professional game, as he pitched six near-flawless innings for the Dunedin Blue Jays. He dominated Clearwater, giving up four hits, no runs and no walks. He struck out eight and lowered his ERA to 2.31.

This start came a week after he rolled through the Tampa Tarpons, the Class A affiliate of the New York Yankees. In 4.2 innings he gave up one hit, two runs and one walk while he struck out 10. It was the second straight game in which Yesavage took a perfect game into the fifth inning and struck out 10 hitters.

Five games into the season he is 1-0 with a 2.31 ERA. He has 36 strikeouts and eight walks in 23.1 innings. Batters are hitting .163 against him.

Trey Yesavage (@BlueJays) spins a 💎 for the Single-A @DunedinBlueJays!

6 IP | 4 H | 0 R | 0 BB | 8 K

The outing marks the first time that MLB's No. 84 prospect has completed six innings. Yesavage ups his strikeout total to 28 in his past 15 2/3 frames. pic.twitter.com/XitM3XWpHP

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) May 2, 2025

It seems clear that Yesavage, who pitched three years of college baseball, may need to be at a more challenging level of the Blue Jays’ minor league system, perhaps High-A Vancouver.

Toronto selected the East Carolina product No. 20 overall last July, believing he could be a future part of their starting rotation. Even with his immensely accomplished college pedigree, the Blue Jays didn’t pitch him last year after drafting him and had him start the season in Dunedin.

His credentials with the Pirates were as sterling as one will find among college pitchers. Last year he was a semifinalist for two of baseball’s major overall awards — the Golden Spikes and the Dick Howser — and was a finalist for the College Baseball Foundation national pitcher of the year.

He was also named a first-team all-American by six different national outlets, was named to the NCAA Tournament’s Greenville regional all-tournament team and the American Athletic Conference pitcher of the year.

All he did for ECU was go 11-1 in 15 starts with a 2.02 ERA. He also struck out 145 and walked 32 in 93.1 innings. He won the AAC’s pitching triple crown, leading the conference in wins, ERA and strikeouts. He also held batters to a .154 average. He also tied both the ECU and AAC record for most strikeouts in a season.

He is not pitching like a rookie league pitcher. It may be time for the Blue Jays to stop treating him that way.