Meet the new members of the Blue Jays' farm system

Time to exhale.

The Blue Jays made a whopping eight trades prior to the Trade Deadline, which included Yimi García, Nate Pearson, Danny Jansen, Justin Turner, Yusei Kikuchi, Trevor Richards, Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Kevin Kiermaier.

Here’s a rundown of what you need to know about all of the newest members of the Blue Jays’ system.

Jonatan Clase, OF, Triple-A Buffalo
Pipeline scouting report: Clase has long been touted as the fastest runner in Seattle’s system, and he supported that designation with a historic 2023, when he stole 79 bases in 94 attempts between High-A Everett and Double-A Arkansas to go with 20 homers. He became the first player since records began tracking in 1961 to have a 20-70 season in the Minors. It was perhaps a result of Clase finally being consistently healthy after dealing with multiple injuries, albeit minor and more nagging, in recent years. The obvious question after is: what’s next for the 2018 signee out of the Dominican Republic?

Despite Clase's 5-foot-10 frame, the power appears legitimate, leading to great intrigue on what his overall hit tool will look like when he’s fully developed. Maintaining a sound approach and not selling out for power or getting away from his best abilities will also be vital.

Speed will always be Clase’s calling card, and coupling those wheels with improved route running should allow him to play center field in the Majors as early as 2024. His floor over the next 18-24 months might be in the neighborhood of Taylor Trammell, who hasn’t yet established himself in the Majors but has shown flashes. And his ceiling would be that of an everyday player who might give up a little in the batting average department while making up for it by drawing walks and running into some power as well as playing good defense.

Organizational fit: Clase will start in Triple-A Buffalo, but he should get some run with the Blue Jays down the stretch. Clase fits exactly what the Blue Jays need from this Trade Deadline, in broad terms, as a prospect already close to the big leagues with some legitimate upside remaining.

Coming off a season in which he hit 20 home runs with 79 stolen bases, Clase clearly has a unique set of tools and instantly becomes one of the best athletes in this organization. With Kevin Kiermaier a pending free agent and a candidate to be dealt soon, Clase has a chance to win playing time in left field next season when Daulton Varsho slides to center.

ETA: 2024

Jacob Sharp, C, High-A Vancouver
Organizational fit: While Sharp did not rank in the Mariners’ Top 30 and will not land on the Blue Jays’ list, this is still a nice piece of catching depth for the club to add to its lower levels. Sharp was selected by the Mariners in the 17th round of the 2023 MLB Draft and opened this season in Single-A Modesto, where he hit .255 with six home runs and a .774 OPS over 44 games.

Sharp doesn’t have the traditional catcher’s build -- listed at 5-foot-7, 180 pounds -- but he’s athletic for the position and has worked 18 walks compared to 19 strikeouts in Single-A this season. The Blue Jays earned a reputation for developing catchers through the years of Danny Jansen, Alejandro Kirk and former No. 1 prospect Gabriel Moreno, who was dealt to the D-backs in the Varsho trade, so adding another project to that pipeline can only be a good thing.

ETA: 2027

Yohendrick Pinango, OF, Double-A New Hampshire
Pipeline scouting report: Signed for $400,000 out of Venezuela in 2018, Pinango debuted the next year and led the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League with 86 hits while placing fourth in the batting race at .358. After the pandemic shutdown, the Cubs jumped him to Single-A shortly before his 19th birthday in 2021. He hadn't shown much power until 2024, when he made some swing changes during his third straight season in High-A. Following a promotion, he performed like an average hitter for Double-A Tennessee before being sent to the Blue Jays in a deal for Pearson.

Pinango has some of the better bat-to-ball skills in the system, but in the past they translated into substandard contact and cut into his walk totals. He's now using a wider stance, loading his hands better and keeping his quick left-handed stroke in the zone longer. He's also making improved swing decisions, helping him to turn on more pitches and hit them harder than before.

With his high baseball IQ, Pinango makes the most of his average speed, arm and outfield range. He can steal an occasional base, but fits best in left field, which puts more demands on his bat. If he can get to 20 or more homers a year he might be a regular, though he profiles more as a fourth outfielder.

Organizational fit: Pinango slides in behind Clase (No. 7) and Alan Roden (No. 8), both outfielders in Triple-A, as the Blue Jays’ next level of outfield depth. This organization hasn’t developed enough true outfielders over the years, so Pinango can add to the quantity approach and projects as a young player who could help this team as early as 2025.

ETA: 2025

Josh Rivera, SS, Double-A New Hampshire
Pipeline scouting report: The highest-ranked member of Florida's 2019 recruiting class to make it to Gainesville, Rivera could have factored in the top five rounds had he been signable. He did little offensively in his first three years with the Gators -- or with wood bats in the Cape Cod League -- but broke out with 19 homers to help Florida reach the College World Series finals in 2022. He proceeded to High-A almost immediately after turning pro as a third-rounder and slashed .250/.320/.402 in 25 games. Rivera was aggressively pushed to Double-A Tennessee for his first full season but struggled (in part due to a low BABIP) before being traded to the Blue Jays.

Rivera developed more patience and hit the ball significantly harder in 2023 than he had previously. He had always displayed a quick right-handed swing and did a better job of keeping it on a plane, allowing him to drive the ball with authority to all fields. He has the upside of a .260 hitter with 15-20 homers per season, but he’ll need to do a better job against upper-level pitching to get there.

Rivera plays quicker than his average speed thanks to his instincts. More steady than spectacular at shortstop, he has average range and solid arm strength. His most likely outcome will be to become an offensive-minded utilityman, and the rebuilding Blue Jays should give him the development time needed to get there.

Organizational fit: Rivera fits the profile of a prospect the Blue Jays would like, and given that he was drafted out of Florida, where the Blue Jays have a great scouting presence, they already know plenty. With the wave of Leo Jiménez, Spencer Horwitz, and Addison Barger all in the big leagues, Rivera can be part of that next wave coming through Triple-A next season.

ETA: 2026

Eddinson Paulino, INF, Double-A New Hampshire
Pipeline scouting report: Paulino, Boston's No. 22 prospect, turned 16 the same day the 2018 international signing period opened, and he celebrated by turning pro for $205,000 out of the Dominican Republic. He made his U.S. debut by batting .336 in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League in 2021 and led the Single-A Carolina League in doubles (35), triples (10), extra-base hits (58) and total bases (217). He made the jump to full-season ball the following year, and while his numbers weren't as big in 2023, he held his own in High-A at age 20 and helped Greenville win the South Atlantic League championship.

Paulino has the ingredients to hit for average: a pretty left-handed swing, fine hand-eye coordination and more discipline than most players his age. But he hasn't been able to add much muscle to his slight 5-foot-10 frame, so his quality of contact dipped against better pitching last year. His hitting ability should enable him to tap into most of his average raw power, so he could deliver 15 or more homers per season if he gets stronger.

Though he has just average speed, Paulino has good instincts on the bases and has swiped 53 bases in 64 attempts the past two seasons. Almost half of his starts last year came at shortstop, though he has fringy range there and his arm stands out more for its accuracy than its strength. He also saw action at second base (his best position) and third (where his arm is a bit light), and played briefly in center field in 2022.

Organizational fit: The Blue Jays just keep stacking up middle infield depth and Paulino will begin in Double-A. This will help fill the void in the upper minors left by the promotions of players like Spencer Horwitz, Leo Jiménez and Addison Barger to the big leagues.

ETA: 2026

Cutter Coffey, INF, High-A Vancouver
Organizational fit: Coffey was unranked on Boston’s Top 30 prospects list entering the season, but could have the upside to crack Toronto’s. The 2022 second-round pick is just 20 years old and playing well in High-A, where he’s hit .238 with 14 home runs and a .784 OPS over 61 games. Consider Coffey the upside play of the Jansen trade and his power upside will be exciting for the Blue Jays to develop.

ETA: 2027

Gilberto Batista, RHP, Single-A
Organizational fit: There’s no such thing as too much pitching … or pitching prospects. Batista, still just 19, had posted a 3.92 ERA with 23 strikeouts over 20 2/3 innings with Boston’s Complex League affiliate. Now, he joins the Blue Jays in Single-A Dunedin and will benefit from the club’s player development complex.

ETA: 2028

RJ Schreck, OF, Double-A
Pipeline scouting report: Schreck spent four years at Duke, posting a 1.070 OPS with 18 homers in 2021, but slipping to an .887 OPS in 2022 as he dealt with a hamstring issue. Because of the COVID year, he had another year of eligibility and transferred to Vanderbilt. After a .306/.454/.588 line with the Commodores in his fifth collegiate season, the Mariners took him in the ninth round as a money-saver, signing him for just $75,000. After a modest pro debut, he showed more offensive potential than expected this season, earning a promotion from High-A Everett to Double-A Arkansas. The Blue Jays then acquired him in a straight-up swap for Justin Turner at the Trade Deadline.

Schreck's standout skill is his very advanced approach from the left side of the plate. After drawing more walks than strikeouts with Vanderbilt, he's kept that kind of plate discipline up so far as a pro, striking out just 13.7 percent of the time with Everett while walking in 16.6 percent of his plate appearances. The California native is mostly about seeing pitches and putting the ball in play, but he has just enough power to keep hitters honest, hitting 12 homers before his promotion. He's a below-average runner, but he's smart on the basepaths and will steal a base now and again.

Because he's not fleet of foot, Schreck is limited to an outfield corner, where he's a capable defender. He has a little bit of a tweener profile because he doesn't have the pop to be a regular presence in a big league lineup as a corner outfielder, but he's already exceeded expectations in many ways and because of his feel to hit could find his way into a fourth or fifth outfielder role.

Organizational fit: If you’ve read this far, you may have heard the Blue Jays are restocking their position player depth at Double-A and Triple-A. Add another name to the list. Unlike Clase, who is a center fielder, Schreck profiles in the corners and will have a shot to prove himself in Double-A to end the year. His calling card is a mature plate approach, and if the Blue Jays can get some pop out of him, he could compete to be a depth outfielder down the line.

ETA: 2026

Jake Bloss, RHP, Triple-A/MLB
Pipeline scouting report: After three seasons at Lafayette, Bloss graduated early with a double major in math and economics, then transferred to Georgetown. As he worked on a master's degree in economics in 2023, he also won the Big East Conference Pitcher of the Year award and became the highest Draft pick in Hoyas history. He signed for an under-slot $497,500 as a third-rounder and continued to thrive while reaching Single-A in his pro debut. Bloss made quick stops at High-A and Double-A in his first full season before debuting with Houston on June 21, less than one year after his Draft date. He was dealt the following month to the Blue Jays in a Deadline move that sent Yusei Kikuchi the other way.

Throwing from a low release point, Bloss unleashes a 92-94 mph fastball that peaks at 97 and carries past hitters now that he's focusing on working up in the zone. He already has upgraded his curveball during his short time as a pro, and it has gone from a fringy mid-70s bender to a solid upper-70s offering with sharper break. He uses a pair of sliders, an upper-80s one with tighter action and a low-80s one with more sweep. The latter gets more whiffs per swing, but the former is his most oft-used secondary. Bloss’ sinking mid-80s changeup lags behind the rest of his repertoire.

The former Hoya provided more strikes at Georgetown than he did at Lafayette and solid control is what pushed him to The Show so quickly. With injuries piling up across the system, the Blue Jays needed a quality arm to give the farm a boost, and Bloss immediately steps in to fill that role north of the border.

Organizational fit: Bloss is the type of prospect the Blue Jays have been hoping to land at this Deadline, a pitcher who can help them as early as 2025. He’ll have opportunities to start down the stretch, too, but at just 23 years old and coming off a breakout year for the Astros, Bloss immediately becomes one of the Blue Jays’ top prospects and should pitch behind Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt and José Berríos in ‘25.

ETA: 2025

Joey Loperfido, OF, Triple-A/MLB
Organizational fit: Loperfido could have an immediate impact, particularly with how thin the Blue Jays’ 40-man roster is on the position player side. Loperfido has hit just .236 with a .658 OPS in the big leagues this season, but he entered the year as the Astros’ No. 6 prospect and was on fire prior to his promotion. Across 39 games in Triple-A this season, Loperfido hit 13 home runs with a .933 OPS. He could get reps down the stretch in left field, and if the Blue Jays like what they see, there’s a very real path to him competing for a prominent role next season.

ETA: 2024

Will Wagner, INF, Triple-A
Pipeline scouting report: The son of Astros all-time saves leader Billy Wagner, Will spent four years at Liberty before signing for $50,000 as an 18th rounder in 2021. Though his high baseball IQ stands out more than his tools, he hit his way to Double-A midway through his first full season and led the Arizona Fall League with a .712 slugging percentage during the offseason. He battled through a hand injury early last year before having hamate surgery that cost him two months, then batted .371/.435/.572 in 39 games across Double-A and Triple-A after he returned. He was a solid performer to begin 2024 in Triple-A before he was dealt to the Blue Jays.

Wagner doesn't stand out with his tools, but he has a stellar approach and makes repeated contact to all fields with a compact left-handed swing. He doesn't generate exciting exit velocities and produces too many grounders, yet he consistently gets on base via hits and walks. He has some sneaky pop, including to the opposite field, but probably won't exceed 12-15 homers per season.

A below-average runner with a high baseball IQ, Wagner is opportunistic on the bases. A sure-handed defender, he lacks the quickness for second base and the arm strength for third, and the Astros moved him primarily to first base in 2024 just before the trade. He doesn't profile particularly well at any spot but could carve out a big league role with his on-base skills as he bounces around the infield.

Organizational fit: Every team has a type. Wagner is the Blue Jays’ type. He comes with an excellent plate approach, including far more walks (54) than strikeouts (33) while playing first and second base with some third mixed in. His power isn’t a strength by any means, but when you pair that on-base ability with some defensive versatility, he could develop into a utilityman, perhaps something in line with what the Blue Jays once envisioned for Cavan Biggio.

ETA: 2025

Jay Harry, INF, High-A Vancouver
Organizational fit: Harry was a sixth-round pick just a year ago in the 2023 MLB Draft out of Penn State, so the Blue Jays should have some fresh scouting on him as he now adds to their new stock of infield depth. Coming off a brief, strong pro debut a year ago, Harry has hit .214 with a .655 OPS this season at High-A.

ETA: 2026

Charles McAdoo, 3B, Double-A New Hampshire
Pipeline scouting report: The 2023 Draft will forever be known as the Paul Skenes Draft in Pittsburgh -- and rightfully so -- but that doesn’t mean the Pirates didn't find other potential big league talent throughout. They took a low-risk flier on McAdoo in Round 13 out of San Jose State, and he made a strong first impression with a .923 OPS in 28 games with Single-A Bradenton during his summer debut. He got off to an equally impressive start with a move up a level to High-A Greensboro during his first full season, and after keeping things rolling at Double-A, he was dealt to the Blue Jays at the Trade Deadline in a straight-up swap for Isiah Kiner-Falefa.

A big, strong right-handed hitter, McAdoo surprised evaluators with his overall feel for hitting and ability to impact the baseball. He’s shown he can handle velocity and routinely turns in quality at-bats with a patient approach and limited chase. That’s allowed him to consistently find the barrel and drive the ball with above-average exit velocities, and he could grow into average power eventually.

Mostly a second baseman in college, McAdoo has good hands and decent arm strength that give him the chance to stick on the dirt, and he exceeded expectations at third this season. He likely is better suited for first or a corner outfield spot when all is said and done, but it’s his bat that has helped him raise his profile.

ETA: 2025