What Trey Yesavage’s Spring Usage Really Says About His 2026 Role
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A little over a year after the Toronto Blue Jays selected Trey Yesavage as the 20th overall pick in the 2024 MLB draft, they couldn't have done a better job with him. Yesavage flew through the minor leagues and wound up playing a pivotal role in the Blue Jays late postseason run.
Entering 2026, Yesavage is still a rookie but vying for a spot in the rotation out of the gate. The entrance to this season looks and feels much different than last. Yesavage began last season at Single-A Dunedin, which lasted just seven starts.
He impressed enough to move to High-A, and the rest is history. Ironically, Yesavage didn't dominate Triple-A batters the way one would expect. In fact, just one week before making his MLB debut, Yesavage was pulled one out into an outing after three of his first four batters reached base.
It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows through his first professional season, but all that is behind him now.
Trey Yesavage Was Far From Perfect in the Minors, but Proved Enough To Turn Into a Dominant MLB Starter
Oddly enough, Yesavage hasn't pitched in a spring game yet, which is surprising, yet not at the same time. In a recent article, MLB.com's Blue Jays beat writer Keegan Matheson discussed how Toronto will manage Yesavage's workload similarly to last season.
“I know everybody in this organization has my best interests in mind,” Yesavage said. “They limited my pitch count last year, and I was able to stay healthy the entire season. They’re the professionals at this, and they’ve handled me well before, so I have all of my faith in them." Per Matheson.
Based on his lack of appearances in games this season, it seems Yesavage will be heavily monitored again this season, but likely at the MLB level. It'd be hard to imagine him beginning the season at Triple-A, but anything is possible. If he did, it would be just to limit his innings early on, especially if he doesn't pitch much in spring training.
While this is a possibility with the Blue Jays' plethora of starting arms to begin the season, Matheson predicts the rookie will break camp with the big league club.
While his lack of usage in spring may cause some fans minor concerns, it appears he's healthy and could be used if Toronto chooses. Yesavage finished last season with 139 2/3 innings between Single-A Dunedin and the World Series, by far the most of his post-high school career.
His spring usage can be put simply as this: The Blue Jays are cautiously preparing him for a long season ahead.
