Blue Jays Need These Three Prospects to Shine to Ensure Future Success

If the Toronto Blue Jays are going to be successful in the long term, they need these three players to shine for years to come.

The Toronto Blue Jays logo on opening day. | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

The Toronto Blue Jays reached the World Series last season and have built up to try and get over the hump in 2026.

The Blue Jays dove into free agency, signing four players to major contracts — pitchers Dylan Cease, Cody Ponce, Tyler Rogers and Japanese slugger Kazuma Okamoto.

But every franchise must reload at some point. Toronto will be no different. The young talent that it has sitting in the farm system — or that just arrived in the Majors — must shine for this franchise in the coming years.

Earlier this week, both Baseball America (subscription required) and MLB Pipeline released their new Top 100 prospects for 2026. Both sites selected the same three players.

Trey Yesavage

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Trey Yesavage celebrates after a play. | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Yesavage was ranked No. 10 by Baseball America and No. 12 by MLB Pipeline. The right-hander made his MLB debut last season and took the game by storm with terrific performances in the postseason. He probably won’t be a prospect much longer. Once he pitches 50 MLB innings or spends 45 days on the active roster, he’ll graduate. He’s likely to make the opening day rotation and be a prime candidate for AL Rookie of the Year.

In the regular season he went 1-0 with a 3.21 ERA in three starts, striking out 16 and walking seven in 14 innings. In the playoffs, he appeared in six games and started five, as he went 3-1 with a 3.68 ERA. He struck out 39 and walked 11 in 27.2 innings.

With Cease and Ponce joining the rotation, it lessens the pressure on Yesavage to reach massive expectations after last year.

Arjun Nimmala

Toronto Blue Jays prospect Arjun Nimmala playing in a high school game. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Nimmala was ranked No. 62 by Baseball America and No. 77 by MLB Pipeline. The 2023 first-round pick played his entire 2025 campaign at High-A Vancouver, where he slashed .224/.313/.381 with 13 home runs and 61 RBI. Now 20 years old, he should make a jump to Double-A Hartford in 2026.

He was a prep star at Strawberry Crest High School in Tampa, Fla., where he was named the Florida Gatorade player of the Year and the Wade Boggs Athletic Award in his senior year. MLB Pipeline predicts he’ll reach the Majors in 2028.

JoJo Parker

Toronto Blue Jays first round draft pick JoJo Parker prepares to take batting practice. | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Parker was ranked No. 66 by Baseball America and No. 45 by MLB Pipeline. He was Toronto’s first-round pick last July out of Purvis High School in Purvis, Miss. Toronto didn’t start him at an affiliate last season, so he could start his pro career this season at either the Florida Complex League or at Class-A Dunedin.

Parker signed a deal worth $6.2 million, less than the expected slot value for the No. 8 overall selection. He was committed to play college baseball at Mississippi State before he signed the deal.