Two Blue Jays Pitching Prospects Who Could Play Major Roles in 2027
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It was a displeasing season for the Toronto Blue Jays to say the least, as they are currently sitting on their couches watching the postseason, whereas a year ago the Jays were hosting the ALDS against the New York Yankees.
The ballclub finished below .500 and was unable to redeem itself after coming inches from a World Series ring a season ago. That said, general manager Ross Atkins will be doing everything within his power to make sure that doesn't happen in 2027.
There are a lot of moving parts for a GM as they try to construct a roster that is able to make a run at the pennant, and as Atkins will heavily pursue a bat, maybe two, he should be able to rest easy in the lower-leverage situations for the team's bullpen.
The relief staff was absolutely elite in 2026, with high-leverage guys like Louis Varland, Tyler Rogers, Mason Fluharty, and Spencer Miles, but it is critical that there is depth in the pen as well as another reliable lefty.
Well, two prospects inside the team's pipeline made their debuts this season and showed that they are ready to take on a much larger role when 2027 comes around, especially if thrown into less pressured situations.
Right-handed Chad Dallas and lefty Ricky Tiedemann were called upon in 2026 as injuries piled up on the pitching staff at an astronomical rate, and both demonstrated poise against some of the best hitters in the game.
Plus, if Tiedemann can provide some much-needed reinforcements to the left-handed workhorse, Fluharty, it is an added bonus.
Why Dallas and Tiedemann Can Be Counted on as Lower-Leverage Arms
Bullpen games do arise, but all that John Schneider, Pete Walker, and Atkins can hope for is that they aren't such a regular occurence next season. But when those days do come around, Dallas has shown his ability to take on a bulk role.
Now, don't look at his 5.00+ ERA for the season, because it doesn't tell the whole story, as he had one brutal outing, which eventually ended with him being sent back down to Buffalo. The stat to look at is his last three games in the majors, where he only gave up one earned run.
Tiedemann was a little different story, as he was shut down for most of the season as he was still working through injury, but when he came to the big leagues, it went well despite a struggle with command.
Finding the zone will definitely be what Tiedemann will work on as time goes on, as he posted a 1.83 WHIP, but he limited the damage, which is why his ERA is 1.50. For the most part, he showed poise and never buckled under pressure despite the walks.
Every time any pitcher took the mound in the final two months of the season, it was a high-stakes contest as every game was do-or-die, and with an offense that couldn't score runs, the weight on the pitching staff's shoulders was crushing.
Taking that into consideration, these two were both impressive down the stretch, and the coaching staff should feel good about them taking on more of a workload in lower-leverage situations moving forward.
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Maddy Dickens resides in Loveland, Colorado. She grew up with two older brothers, where their lives revolved around sports. She earned a master's degree in business management from Tarleton State University while simultaneously playing basketball and competing in rodeo at the collegiate level. She successfully parlayed a reserve national championship into a professional rodeo career and now stays involved in upper-level athletics by writing for On SI on several different MLB teams' pages, along with some NCAA sites.