The Toronto Blue Jays called up 22-year-old hurler Trey Yesavage toward the end of last season after a meteoric rise through the minor leagues, and the 2024 first-round draft pick did not disappoint.
Yesavage made his debut in September, posting a 3.21 ERA across three regular-season starts before being thrust into the playoffs. The right-handed pitcher quickly proved his worth and was rewarded with a big role in the postseason, making five starts and totaling 39 strikeouts.
Yesavage’s emergence as a breakout star did not go unnoticed, as Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter dubbed the 22-year-old one of the top 25 baseball players under 25, ranking him No. 19.
“That three-game audition in September is just a fraction of the story for Yesavage, who put together a postseason run for the ages,” Reuter wrote Wednesday. “Brilliant starts against the Yankees in the ALWC (5.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 11 K) and the Dodgers in the World Series (7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 ER, 12 K) showed no stage is too big for him, and now he enters 2026 as a lock for the Toronto rotation and one of the AL Rookie of the Year favorites.”
Toronto’s starting rotation will look significantly different this season than last year. Yesavage should play a big role in the Blue Jays’ rotation after the team signed Dylan Cease to a massive contract and let Chris Bassitt walk in free agency. The 22-year-old would likely have placed higher in Reuter’s rankings if he had more big league experience under his belt.
Though Yesavage is one of the frontrunners to win the American League Rookie of the Year award this season, Toronto is going to carefully manage his workload as he continues to ramp up this spring. The rookie pitcher figures to be one of the Blue Jays and already is one of the best young players in the league despite only playing a handful of games.
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