Yesterday we kicked things off with the first two installments of our top prospect series. Today we’re back with the next tier up
32. Yondrei Rojas, LHP, Age 23 (DOB: 11/22/2002), Grade 35, 2025: NR
Rojas has been in the system a long time, having singed as a Venezuelan International Free Agent back in 2021. He spent his first three years developing primarily as a starter, but struggled to get past A ball because of a tendency to get hit pretty hard. He shifted full time to relief in 2024, with initially limited success. His K rate spiked 10%, to 29%, but he developed a walk problem and posted a middling 4.36 ERA in his third tour of the level. Things seemed to click in 2025, though. He was bumped up to A+ Vancouver, where he punched out 36 batters in 23.2 innings while getting his walks back under control (just 6 in that span). That earned him a promotion to AA New Hampshire. His strikeouts ebbed at the higher level, dropping back to 22%, but he still generated a solid 12.5% swinging strike rate.
His raw stuff is good, with a fastball that sits in the mid 90s and touches 98, a slider that projects as plus, and a cutter and change that are usable extra options if not above average weapons. He’s a sneaky good athlete for a smaller guy without the prototypical pitcher’s build, with a loose delivery that allows some continued projection on his command. He profiles as a solid middle reliever with a fairly deep arsenal to compensate for no clear plus pitch, and having already had success in the mid minors means he could enter the big league bullpen depth mix soon.
31. Sam Shaw, 2B/OF, Age 21 (DOB: 2/26/2005), Grade 35, 2025: NR
The 2023 9th round pick hails from Victoria, B.C. He performed solidly at the complex after signing, but struggled with power production in his first full pro season in 2024. He was advanced to A ball this past season and flourished, posting a .253/.383/.418 line that was 29% better than the Florida State League average. That earned him a cup of coffee in Vancouver late in the season. He struggled in his 28 PA at the higher level, but the sample is too small to put much of a damper on a strong season.
Shaw’s calling card is his hit tool. He’s an impressively selective hitter, although it tips over into passivity sometimes, and his excellent 16% walk rate was counterbalanced by a too high 19% called strike percentage. When he does swing, his 83% contact rate was well above average. Raw power won’t be a significant part of his game, as his exit velocities maxed out at a low 107mph this year and his 5’10” frame doesn’t have obvious room for more muscle. That said, his swing is geared for pulled fly ball contact and because he has such strong hitting ability he managed a solid 43% hard hit rate in spite of his limited strength. He might manage to be a 15 home run type hitter in spite of his physical limitations if his knack for barreling the ball translates against better pitching.
His bat is going to have to carry him, as Shaw is a fringy defender at second with a notably weak arm. He’s also spent some time in the outfield, where his routes are good but his below average speed probably limits him to left field as a regular. His ceiling is probably something like a more contact oriented Davis Schneider. That’s a hard skillset to make work, but we’ve seen in happen and it’s something the Jays seem to think they know how to develop.
30. Connor Cooke, RHP, Age 26 (DOB: 11/2/1999), Grade 35, 2025: 20th
Cooke was a 10th round pick out of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette back in 2021. He pitched sparingly in his first two seasons as a Ragin’ Cajun before moving into the rotation and breaking out in his junior season, striking out 90 in 79 innings and posting a 2.82 ERA. The Blue Jays tried him briefly in the rotation again in 2022, but quickly moved him back to the bullpen. He dominated right away, striking ou t80 in 44.1 innings during the 2023 season and rocketing all the way to AAA. Unfortunately, things went sideways the following year, as his stuff backed up significantly and he lost the plate, posting a 30:28 K:BB ratio in 31.2 innings. Ultimately, that turned out to be the product of elbow problems, and he had Tommy John surgery in January of last year.
Cooke slides down the list this season mostly because it’s a little bit deeper than it was. We don’t really have any new information since last year, but he should be close to returning to action at this point. If he’s back to his 2023 self, he looks like a potential setup man. His drop and drive delivery gives his fastball a flat plane to the plate, allowing it to play as a solidly plus offering. His second weapon is a plus low-mid 80s slider with huge horizontal sweep, and he also features a change-up that flashes above average. Before his injury issues, his command was close to average.
29. Edward Duran, Age 21 (DOB: 5/29/2004), Grade 35, 2025: NR
The return in the Anthony Bass trade, Duran has spent three years slowly climbing the levels of the Jays system, reaching A+ in 2025. He’s a solid contact hitter, posting above average contact rates and showing decent feel for the strike zone. His raw strength is well below average without projection for more to come, and he hits about half his balls in play on the ground, so his power output is probably always going to be minimal. If everything translates, he could produce respectable OBPs that allow him to remain playable as a backup catcher.
The good news is that his glove is more than adequate for that role. He’s a plus receiver with good blocking skills, and although he needs to clean up his accuracy a bit he has a plus arm that should allow him to control the running game.
This is a straightforward profile. Duran doesn’t possess MLB regular upside, because he just doesn’t impact the ball enough, but he also doesn’t look likely to be an offensive black hole because of his on base ability, which will allow him to be a quality backup. It’s not a sexy profile, but this skill set turns into 10 year major league careers all the time
Read the full article here
