Format = Position Player | Age on 4/1/2024 | Highest Level Played | Estimated Time of Arrival
1. LHP Ricky Tiedemann | 21 | AAA | 2024
A low three-quarters release and blistering fastball make Tiedemann a tough look for batters from either side of the plate. He hasn’t pitched much, and he posted a 5.06 ERA and 1.50 WHIP in 32 Double-A in 2023, but his FIP was 2.12, which suggests he was better than his outcomes and also that FIP is pretty dumb. You can’t really post a 1.50 WHIP across 32 innings and chalk that up to fielding issues. Anywho, the 6’4” 220 lb twirler dealt with injuries throughout the year and picked up some extra innings in the Arizona Fall League, picking up 23 strikeouts in 18 innings with a 1.11 WHIP. If healthy, he’ll be part of the rotation picture early in 2024.
Here’s a link to Grey’s 2024 fantasy outlook for Ricky Tiedemann.
2. 3B Orelvis Martinez | 22 | AAA | 2024
After blasting 28 home runs in 125 games across two levels in 2023, Martinez should step into his Blue Jay shoes sometime before the All-Star break. His wRC+ at Triple-A was 105 despite a solid slash line of .263/.340/.507, which gives you a glimpse at the baseline required in that hitter-friendly setting. The season represented a nice bounceback for a guy who’d batted just .203 in 118 games at Double-A in 2022. Power on contact will never be a problem for a 5’11” 200 pound Martinez, and even his swing-and-miss issues need to be viewed in the context of pretty much always being younger than the players he was facing.
3. 2B Davis Schneider | 25 | MLB | 2023
Schneider hit 29 home runs and stole ten bases in 122 games between Triple-A and the majors last season, barely maintaining eligibility for this list after recording 116 at bats with the Blue Jays. He struck out 86 times (21.9 percent) and drew 72 walks (18.4%) in 87 Triple-A games, which suggests a little room for growth even coming off a nice rookie stretch during which he struck out 30.5 percent of the time with a 14.9 percent walk rate. He’s a bit limited athletically at 5’9” 190 lbs but can make most of the plays at second base. The club mixed him in at third base and left field, so he figures to hold a short-side platoon job even if he struggles early in 2024.
4. SS Arjun Nimmala | 18 | CPX | 2028
The 20th overall pick in 2023, Nimmala is a 6’1” 170 lb right handed hitter with present plus power and another level waiting to be tapped, particularly if he can refine his pitch selection. He’s among the youngest players in his class and spent nine games on the complex as a 17-year-old, posting a .500 on base percentage and a 35 percent walk rate, perhaps because the team has asked him to see as many pitches as possible in the short term so he can zero in on the areas where his ferocious swing works best.
5. 3B Addison Barger | 24 | AAA | 2024
Barger struggled to get seaworthy early in 2023, battling injury and batting .205 through his first 30 games. He recovered to slash .264/.365/.444 with eight home runs and 11 steals in 64 games from July 27 through season’s end. If he picks up from there in 2024, he’ll provide a left handed option for an infield that might be missing Matt Chapman.
6. SS Leo Jimenez | 22 | AAA | 2024
A pesky contact hitter at 5’10” 215 lbs, Jimenez features a high floor due to his solid infield defense and low strikeout rates. He could probably handle shortstop but won’t be pushing Bo Bichette off his spot so will join a long line of contenders for reps at second and third base. He added a little power in Double-A in 2023, slashing .287/.372/.436 with eight homers and eight steals in 72 games, striking out just 15.9 percent of the time. Another biscuit or two for breakfast could make him an everyday option.
7. OF Emmanuel Bonilla | 17 | DSL | 2028
Slashed .307/.407/.425 with three home runs and five stolen bases in 51 Dominican Summer League games and figures to add significant in-game power with reps. A right handed hitter at 6’1” 190 lbs, Bonilla signed for $4.1 million and should pair well with Nimmala to provide highlights and hope for the next generation of Jays’ fans. Great growth stock for builders with long-term dynasty aspirations.
8. 1B Spencer Horwitz | 26 | MLB | 2023
Like Jimenez, Horowitz might be an everyday type bat with a little more power. As is, he hit 10 home runs in 107 Triple-A games, slashing .337/.450/.495 with more walks than strikeouts. At 6’0” 195 lbs, he’d need a mechanical change to create more impact on contact. In a lineup like Toronto’s, Horwitz could carve out a significant role because they need people on base for their big bats.
9. OF Jace Bohrofen | 22 | A | 2027
A left handed hitter at 6’2” 205 lbs, Bohrofen was a sixth round pick out of Arkansas in 2023 and looked good in Low-A, slashing .306/.442/.677 with six home runs in 17 games. This was right in line with his breakout junior season (.318/.436/.612). He had also hit well in two Cape Cod League seasons and has the feel of a draft day steal for whom hitting is the easy part.
10. OF Devonte Brown | 24 | AA | 2025
Brown struck out 122 times in 99 games across two levels but hit 18 home runs and stole 21 bases in 22 attempts. He’s not a high-probability prospect and is likely physically maxed out at 5’9” 207 lbs, but if he can make enough contact to keep climbing the ladder, he’ll always possess some fantasy appeal due to the power and speed.
Thanks for reading!
