Image from Baseball America.
Round 1 - 20th overall. RHP Trey Yesavage, RHP, East Carolina. Bats Right, Throws Right. 6-foot-4, 225 pounds. Born July 28, 2003. Slot Value $4,073,400.
MLB.com Scouting Report - East Carolina will have a pitcher selected in the top two rounds for the third time in four Drafts, with Yesavage following in the footsteps of 2021 first-rounder Gavin Williams and 2022 second-rounder Carson Whisenhunt. A reliever as a freshman, he moved into the Pirates' rotation last spring and was a consensus second-team All-American. He dominated as a junior, finishing among NCAA Division I leaders in ERA (2.02, fourth), strikeouts (145, fifth) and opponent average (.154, second) while establishing himself as a top-15 pick. The American Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year, Yesavage has a quality four-pitch arsenal highlighted by a mid-80s slider/cutter with more depth than lateral movement. His fastball parks at 93-95 mph and peaks at 98, overcoming a lack of life with plenty of carry from a high arm slot. He also has a low-80s spike curveball and a splitter with similar velocity, and both miss bats as well. More physical than athletic at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds, Yesavage has some effort in his delivery but it doesn't prevent him from throwing strikes. Improved fastball command has keyed his success in 2024 after his heater got pounded at times in the past when he didn't locate it up in the zone. He now looks like a mid-rotation starter after refining the consistency and control of his stuff. Scouting grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 60 | Splitter: 60 | Control: 50 | Overall: 55 Video
Baseball America Instant Analysis - Getting Yesavage here at No. 20 overall is a steal for the Blue Jays. He could have easily fit in the top 10 overall picks, but instead the Blue Jays are getting one of the three premium college pitchers here toward the back of the first round. There’s an impressive mix of starter traits, high-end stuff, good control and a strong collegiate track record.
BA Scouting Report - Yesavage was a hard-thrower who had touched 96 mph in high school, but at the time he was raw in other areas. Now, after three years at ECU, Yesavage is one of the most polished and well-rounded pitchers in the 2024 draft. He pitched out of the bullpen as a freshman but made a strong transition to the rotation in 2023. In 2024, he posted a 2.02 ERA over 15 starts and 93.1 innings with a 40.4% strikeout rate and 8.9% walk rate. Listed at 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, Yesavage works with a stiff delivery and over-the-top slot but has impressive feel for a four-pitch mix. He sits in the 93-95 mph range with a four-seam fastball that touches 97 and has above-average riding life. He establishes his fastball for strikes, then will go to a mid-80s slider and low-80s split-changeup to get swings and misses. Both secondaries are at least above-average and allow him to attack batters on both sides of the plate. He primarily uses his slider versus righties and changeup versus lefties, with an occasional 12-to-6 curveball in the low 80s for good measure. Yesavage has above-average control and has generally been a reliable innings-eater. He had a scary situation late in the season when he was hospitalized with a partially collapsed lung, but he pitched well in a high-profile regional matchup with Wake Forest’s Chase Burns after the fact. Yesavage is a high-floor starter and is the consensus No. 3 arm in the class behind Burns and Arkansas lefty Hagen Smith.
Twitter Reaction
Scott Mitchell @ScottyMitchTSN Trey Yesavage, RHP, East Carolina. -Ranked 10-20 range in most spots. -6-4, 225 lb. -Four-pitch mix: Mid-90s heater, slider, curve, splitter. -145 K/32 BB in 93.1 IP. -High release point with riding FB. -Command, delivery improved a lot this year at ECU. Could be more growth.
Vinnie Cervino @vcervinoPG 20. Toronto: East Carolina RHP Trey Yesavage Workhorse build, innings water & dominated in Greenville. Mid-90s heater with a 50/55 breaker & + SPL. Solid value here. #TOTHECORE
Blue Jays Today @TodayJays The #BlueJays select Trey Yesavage at 20th overall in the MLB draft!. Yesavage was MLB’s 11th ranked prospect and had a 2.02 ERA in NCAA and has a fastball that can peak at 98mph. Also his name is absolutely badass.
Kendall Rogers @KendallRogers Love the @BlueJays getting @ECUBaseballRHP Trey Yesavage 20th overall. He has such a great story on his pathway to ECU in the first place. Awesome arm who is coming off a fantastic season for the Pirates.
Shotgun Spratling @ShotgunSprD1 Congratulations to @ECUBaseball RHP Trey Yesavage on being selected No. 20 overall (slot value: $4,073,400) in the 2024 MLB Draft by the @BlueJays. Came back from collapsed lung late in season to outduel Chase Burns in regional elimination game.
Peter Flaherty III @PeterGFlaherty With the 20th overall pick, the Toronto Blue Jays have selected RHP Trey Yesavage. Mid-90s FB (T97) with riding life through the zone, gyro SL is +, SPL-CH also a 6, CB is a serviceable 4th pitch. Durable strike thrower, minimal relief risk. Great pick.
Ben Badler @BenBadler I love the Toronto Blue Jays getting Trey Yesavage at 20th overall. Getting a top 10 talent for me toward the back of the first round.
bk @_bkuh_ Where Blue Jays 20th overall pick Trey Yesavage was ranked on various draft boards. Keith Law - 13 Baseball America - 11 ESPN - 14 Pipeline - 11.
643 Charts @643charts MLB Draft Prospect Trey Yesavage was incredibly versatile on the bump for @ECUBaseball in 2024. @treyyesavage’s 58.2% Slider Whiff ranked 3rd in D1, and his 56.6% Changeup Whiff ranked 6th. To top that off, Yesavage was the only D1 pitcher who had 4 different pitch types with Whiff Rates in the 90th percentile or better.
Ben Palmer @benjpalmer Trey Yesavage has a solid fastball that he can throw for a lot of strikes and an absolute wipeout splitter, nice pick by the Blue Jays.
Ben Nicholson-Smith @bnicholsonsmith Blue Jays draft college RHP Trey Yesavage 20th overall. Ranked 11th on MLB Pipeline's list, the 20-yr-old East Carolina product had a 2.02 ERA with 145 Ks this yr. FB 93-95, tops out at 98 per MLB Pipeline. Also has a spike curve & splitter. Slot value of the pick is $4.07M.
John Sparaco™ @JohnSparaco 20. Toronto Blue Jays - Trey Yesavage, RHP, East Carolina. Yesavage, 20, was ranked No. 11 in the class by @MLBPipeline. He went 11-1 with a 2.03 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 14.0 K/9 rate in 93.1 innings. The polished right-hander has potential to move through the minor leagues quickly.
Friday Starters @fridaystarters No. 20 | TOR Trey Yesavage, @ECUBaseball. Gavin Williams -> Carson Whisenhunt -> Yesavage. ECU's factory of high-end arms continues. Fanned 145 with a 2.02 ERA across 15 starts. Recovered from injury to outduel Burns in regionals.
Geoff Pontes @GeoffPontesBA The Blue Jays were ecstatic to land Trey Yesavage at pick 20. I talked to some folks involved with the decision to get perspective on his first round tumble and organizational fit.
Image from Miississippi State Athletics
Round 2 - 59th overall. RHP Khal Stephen, Mississippi State. Bats Right, Throws Right. 6-foot-4, 215 pounds. Born December 21, 2002. Slot Value $1,489,000.
MLB.com Scouting Report - Stephen served as a high-leverage reliever for Purdue as a freshman before becoming the Boilermakers' No. 1 starter as a sophomore. Following a strong summer in the Cape Cod League, he transferred to Mississippi State and has improved throughout the spring. His Draft stock has risen accordingly and he could sneak into the top three rounds. Stephen's fastball operates at 92-94 mph and touches 96, but it's most notable for natural carry that allows it to miss more than its share of bats. His best secondary pitch is a solid mid-80s changeup with significant fade. He also possesses a pair of average breaking balls with similar movement, favoring his mid-80s slider over his upper-70s curveball. Few college pitchers can match Stephen's feel for four pitches. He has the ability to get in-zone swings and misses as well as chases on each of his offerings, and he commands his fastball particularly well. He lacks a true plus offering but has a high floor as a No. 4 or 5 starter. Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: 50 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 55 | Overall: 45 Video
Baseball America Scouting Report - Stephen started his career at Purdue where he had reasonable success as a starter in the 2023 season before a strong summer in the Cape Cod League where he posted a 2.73 ERA in 26.1 innings. He transferred to Mississippi State for the 2024 season and shoved early in the year to jump into top-five round consideration. He finished the year with a 3.28 ERA over 96 innings and 16 starts with a 27.9% strikeout rate and 5.5% walk rate. A 6-foot-4, 215-pound righthander, Stephen has an excellent pitcher’s frame and throws from a higher three-quarters slot. He has a deep mix of four distinct pitches, though he relied on his fastball/slider combination for about 85% of his usage this spring. The fastball sits in the 91-94 mph range and gets up to 96 with above-average ride and carry at the top of the zone. He did a nice job establishing the pitch for strikes and helping to set up his low-to-mid-80s slider that flashes gyro action at times and more sweeping life at others. Stephen throws a mid-80s changeup as his primary secondary against lefthanders, and will also mix in an occasional upper-70s curveball. Stephen’s solid blend of quality stuff, size and starter performance should get him selected early on day two if he isn’t taken on day one. BA Grade: 45/High Tools: Fastball: 55. Slider: 50. Curveball: 45. Changeup: 50. Control: 55.
Twitter Reaction
Vinnie Cervino @vcervinoPG 59. Toronto: Mississippi State RHP Khal Stephen. Starter traits here w/ a very unique fastball. Sits mid-90s but plays up due to carry, life. Makings of solid offspeed mix here too. #TOTHECORE
Ben Nicholson-Smith @bnicholsonsmith Blue Jays draft Mississippi State RHP Khal Stephen with their second-round pick, 59th overall. FB 92-94 & touches 96 per MLB Pipeline. Also: CH, SL, CU. One scout gives Jeff Samardzija comp. Says high floor type, No. 4 SP at MLB level. Slot value of the pick: $1.49M.
Shotgun Spratling @ShotgunSprD1 Congratulations to @HailStateBB RHP Khal Stephen, a #Purdue transfer, on being selected Rd 2, No. 59 overall (slot value: $1,489,000) in the 2024 MLB Draft by the @BlueJays. Relied on FB more than most pitchers today, but able to throw above hands for swing & miss consistently.
Taylor Blake Ward @TaylorBlakeWard Blue Jays 2-59: Khal Stephen, RHP, Miss St -- pitchability starter, lively low/mid 90s FB, can alter shape/velo of SL/CV, good feel for CH w/ good life, all ingredients to start longterm w/ backend rotation w/ command for more upside
Peter Flaherty III @PeterGFlaherty With the 59th overall pick, the Toronto Blue Jays selected RHP Khal Stephen. FB up to 97, averaged ~21" of ride. Advanced feel for an effective SL that he does a nice job varying the shape of. Limited usage, but also has an effective CH at his disposal.