There wasn't much to talk about on the field with all the affiliates losing so lets take a look at how the Jays prospects are doing now that we have passed mid-season.
Buffalo 2 Rochester 11
Portland 7 New Hampshire 3
Vancouver 1 Everett 8
Clearwater 12 Dunedin 3
FCL Blue Jays 1 FCL Phillies 2
Three Stars
Three Stars - pass
NOTES
Gabriel Cancel hit another home run, his fifth in seven games. Cancel has played really well for Buffalo since his arrival just over a week ago. So who is this guy? Cancel is Puerto Rican and he was drafted in the seventh round of the 2015 draft by KC. He worked his way up the KC system, reaching AAA in 2021. He hit .238 but he hit 14 home runs in 57 games. He went back to AAA in 2022 and hit just .221 and his home run count was down to five. He played in an independent league in 2023 and again in 2024. He did hit 17 home runs in 53 games this season with a .282 average. That got him a contract with the Jays. His power therefore seems legit but the batting average is unprecedented. It remains to be seen what the Jays do at the trade deadline but I could see Cancel getting a chance later in the season. At 27 he might be coming into his prime.
Other than the Cancel home run the Bisons didn't have a lot going. Riley Tirotta and Will Robertson doubled and Alan Roden, who has been scuffling, had two hits.
Paolo Espino came off the IL and gave up three runs in 1.2 innings. Erik Swanson pitched well and did have two strikeouts out of five outs. Eric Pardinho hasn't solved AAA yet. He walked three and added two hits while getting just two outs. His AAA ERA is over twelve.
New Hampshire were 4-0 down in the sixth. Michael Dominguez and Anders Tolhurst each gave up a couple of runs.
Rainer Nunez hit his eighth home run in the sixth to make it a 4-1 game. Portland walked five Fisher Cats in the seventh to make it a 4-3 game before Portland scored three off Jimmy Burnette in the ninth.
Juaron Watts Brown made his Vancouver debut and through three innings it was going well. But in the fourth Everett scored four runs on five hits and a walk. That was it for his debut. Rafael Ohashi also gave up four runs.
Seven hits for the C's, Jeff Wehler and Jackson Hornung had two each.
Dunedin had no pitching and trailed 10-0 in the eighth inning. The Jays had four hits through seven innings. In the eighth Arjun Nimmala tripled, Christian Feliz singled, Tucker Toman doubled and Manuel Beltre doubled. Three consolation runs. Nimmala also walked and he has been more aggressive in his second go around the FSL, the walks are unusual now. He was overly passive early in his career.
PROSPECT REVIEW
Let's see how the Blue Jays prospects are doing. As usual I am looking to see which prospects have taken a step forward this season.
Pitchers who are, or have been injured this season
Ricky Tiedemann
Brandon Barriera
Kendry Rojas
Landon Maroudis
Chad Dallas
Hagen Danner
Dahian Santos
I don't believe any of these have improved their status as prospects this season.
Hitters who are, or have been injured this season
Adrian Pinto
Cade Doughty
Same as above
Special Case
Orelvis Martinez
His six months off will not be good for his prospects.
Hitters with an wOBA under .325
Miguel Hiraldo .274
Enmanuel Bonilla .291
Estiven Machado .295
Gabriel Martinez .297
Alex De Jesus .308
Tucker Toman .309
Yhoangel Aponte .319
Most of these hitters were lower ranked coming into the season other than Enmanuel Bonilla who has been disappointing after a decent start. None of them have hit well enough to improve their expectations.
Other Hitters wOBA
Rainer Nunez .328
Edward Duran .328
Manuel Beltre .331
Nick Goodwin .334
Damiano Palmegiani .336
Josh Kasevich .336
Sam Shaw .338
Ryan McCarty .347
Jace Bohrofen .350
Will Robertson .350
Alan Roden .350
Arjun Nimmala .363
Steward Berroa .371
Leo Jimenez .378
Victor Arias .379
Phil Clarke .382
Dasan Brown .382
Hitters on this list who play a premium position such as Brown, Clarke, Jimenez and Nimmala are doing OK. The outfielders have more marginal numbers. Outfielders or first basemen need to hit really well to get ranked highly as a prospect. Which of these players have improved their ranking? Berroa, Arias, Kasevich and Clarke, probably Leo Jimenez. Sam Shaw is doing well for a young un. Jimenez profiles as a major league regular but the others still have questions about their future major league role or are still a long way away.
Pitchers xFIP
Connor Cooke 6.47
Michael Dominguez 5.36
Mason Fluharty 4.97
Nolan Perry 4.62
CJ Van Eyk 4.35
Hayden Juenger 4.19
Adam Macko 4.03
Trenton Wallace 3.95
Juaron Watts Brown 3.64
Fernando Perez 3.32
Lazaro Estrada 3.30
Rafael Sanchez 2.72
Adam Macko and the players with a better xFIP are doing well. Fernando Perez is heading to the Futures Game. The others are younger and developing without having a big reputation.
I have listed 46 prospects. So bottom line, how many Blue Jay prospects have improved their reputation this season? Josh Kasevich, Steward Berroa, Phil Clarke and Adam Macko. Lazaro Estrada and Rafael Sanchez are pitching well. Which of these to we expect to be major league regulars? Kasevich maybe, and Macko? Berroa and Clarke look like backups.
Bottom line, just like the major league team, the minor league development has been disappointing this season. Maybe the Jays lousy play on the field has clouded my judgement and the organization has been badly hit with pitcher injuries but I don't see a pretty picture. This is another reason for the Jays to trade away some players, the system needs more talent.
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20240704222831710