It hasn’t taken long for the Blue Jays’ top four prospects to climb the ladder in the prospect rankings. According to MILB Pipeline the Blue Jays have their first-ranked prospect, Arjun Nimmala who’s been tearing it up in High-A. In Single-A, Trey Yesavage has been lights-out dominant as a starter, and last but not least, Orelvis Martinez is also making strides in Triple-A Buffalo and is due for a call-up to the majors this season for the Blue Jays.
Blue Jays Top Four Prospects Making Statement
Performance Updates with Nimmala, Yesavage, and Martinez
The Blue Jays made the bold move of optioning Martinez to the Buffalo Bisons on March 6th. While his offensive numbers have dropped slightly, he is still ranked third among Blue Jays prospects. While Martinez is a natural second baseman, the Blue Jays have discussed having him play third base. Martinez is currently hitting .333 with a hit across three at-bats.
Why Martinez Has Struggled Recently
Martinez has proven that he could be an established third baseman. He has demonstrated solid defense for the Blue Jays, an aspect of his game that he is working to improve. At the same time, the Blue Jays have a solid third baseman in Ernie Clement. He’s not necessarily secure as the Blue Jays’ everyday third baseman.
The Blue Jays haven’t had a pronounced third baseman since Matt Chapman. While Clement earned himself a Gold Glove finalist in the position, he still needs to work on his range with his fielding. Arjun Nimmala is also developing as a polished shortstop. His presence and how he’s working his way up the ladder in the Blue Jays system indicate that the Blue Jays need to either extend Bo Bichette or trade him. As a Blue Jays homegrown talent, the last thing they would want to do is let Bichette walk, but discussions surrounding an extension have already emerged with Ross Atkins.
Nimmala possesses solid power at the plate. Additionally, he would provide more of a boost with his bat at the shortstop position. The Blue Jays could also shift Bichette to second or third base to make room for Nimmala. The Blue Jays farm system is vastly underrated as it possesses a lot of youthful talent. Meanwhile, Nimmala isn’t expected to make his MLB debut in the majors until late 2026. The way he’s been performing has demonstrated how he could make an early appearance in the majors.
Main Photo Credits: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
