2024 Bluebird Banter Top 40 Prospects: 25-28

The run through the Top 40 of the Blue Jays farm system continues with a call to arms. Today’s entry contains one more safe backend or #6 starter, and then a run of three very interesting arms with mid rotation upside but questions to answer.

2024: Full List and Index | 25-28 | 29-32 | 33-36 | 37-40

2023: Full List and Index | 1-4 | 5-8 | 9-12 | 13-16 | 17-20 | 21-24 | 25-28 | 29-32 | 33-36 | 37-40
Beyond the Top 40: Just Missed | Top 5 Older | Pref Lists: Matt | Tom

28. Pat Gallagher, RHP, age 24 in 2024 (DOB: 6/30/2000), grade: 35, 2023: unranked

Gallagher was selected in the 11th round of the 2022 draft out of the University of Connecticut (George Springer’s alma mater). He was shut down after the draft, having already logged 103 innings on the year, and 2023 represented his pro debut.

He got started a bit late, not making his first appearance until mid May, and was mostly limited to short starts in the 3-4 inning range. He was very effective when on the mound, though, racking up 75 strikeouts to 18 walks across 63.1 innings with an overall 3.13 ERA.

Gallagher doesn’t throw hard (88-91mph), but his whippy delivery from a low three quarters arm slot produces a lot of arm side run and creates tricky angles for hitters. His breaking ball is a big slow curve at 79 that has some depth and above average horizontal movement. The star of the show is his split finger changeup, which gets huge depth and is the source of most of his swings and misses.

The lack of velocity will present a challenge for Gallagher as he begins to face more advanced hitters. His advantage is that the change is so dynamic that it can work without forcing the batter to gear up for high heat. Whether this combo works will determine whether Gallagher can achieve his ceiling as a back of the rotation option.

27. Yondrei Rojas, RHP, age 21 (DOB: 11/22/2002), grade: 35+, 2023: Matt’s pref list

Rojas was signed in 2021 out of Venezuela as an 18-year-old, spent that summer in the Dominican Summer League, progressed to the States in 2022, including a cup of coffee with Dunedin, and spent the whole season there in 2023.

a series of nagging injuries have limited him to just 99 innings over his two full seasons, and his surface level results (a 5.66 ERA in 2023 with a 42:21 K:BB ratio in 49 innings with Dunedin) haven’t been great when he’s healthy.

The reason he still makes the list is that he has loud stuff, starting with a fastball that sits 93-94 and can touch 96 with solid run. He pitches mostly off that fastball but complements it with a change at 85 that has decent movement, and two breaking balls: a slider in the mid 80s and a curve around 79-80. The slider can generate big glove side movement at its best, although the movement is inconsistent, and the curve gets decent depth. He works from a low arm slot and is a good enough athlete that above average command might come in the future.

Rojas stands just 5’10”, which combined with his propensity to get hurt argues for an eventual future in the bullpen. The stuff, repertoire depth, and athleticism give him significant upside if he can stay healthy and handle a starter’s workload, though. At just 21, assume the Jays will give him at least a couple more years to chase that potential.

26. Fernando Perez, RHP, age 20 (DOB: 2/12/2004), grade: 35+, 2023: unranked

An under the radar signing out of Nicaragua during the January 2022 international free agent period, Perez has impressed by dominating the DSL and the Florida Complex League in his first two pro seasons, cumulatively racking up 105 Ks vs just 17 BBs in 93.1 innings.

Perez is uncommonly polished for a teenager, with three quality pitches already in his arsenal and feel to land all of them for strikes. His fastball sits 92-93 and touches 95, with a little room for muscle left on his 6’3”, 170lb frame. He complements it with a breaking ball in the low 80s that shows above average potential and a solid changeup.

None of the pitches shows clear plus potential, and Perez is not an outstanding athlete, but with feel for a full complement of average to above average pitches he could comfortably work out as a back end starter. If more muscle and velocity do come, there’s potential for a little more than that.

25. CJ Van Eyk, RHP, age 25 (DOB: 9/15/1998), grade: 35+, 2023: 17th

The 42nd overall pick of the pandemic draft, Van Eyk was the Florida State Seminoles’ ace in a College World Series run.

His pro career has been rockier so far. In 2021, he debuted at A+ Vancouver with an impressive 28% strikeout rate but too many walks (11%) and an ERA well into the 5s. He missed all of 2022 getting Tommy John surgery, and had a stop and start 2023, coming back in May but missing several stretches of starts and compiling only 34.1 innings. In his 18 innings in A ball he dominated, but a AA cameo to end the season was disappointing, with 7 Ks to 6 walks in 13.1 innings over 4 appearances.

He retains a spot on the list because when he is healthy, the stuff is impressive. His fastball sits 91-93 and touches 95, with big arm side run that helps it play above its velocity. His primary breaking ball is a pretty arc of a curve at 81, with big two plane movement. He can pair it with a shorter slider to deceive hitters and steal strikes. Rounding out the arsenal is a change at 83 that like the fastball has major arm side run.

Van Eyk’s delivery and mechanics are clean, and he’s a decent athlete, but his command has been very inconsistent as a pro, from start to start and within outings. It’s something that a run of heath and consistent reps could hopefully improve.

This ranking is something of a punt. Van Eyk is more talented than the players around him on the list, but whether he can both get healthy and put the tools together is very much up in the air. If he’s healthy and performing in AA, he’ll rocket up the list by midseason. If 2024 is another year of struggles with health and/or consistency, he’ll age off the list and likely wind up unprotected in the rule 5 draft this winter.