Blue Jays' Trey Yesavage has career-high 12 Ks

There's something in the water down in Dunedin.

The Dunedin Blue Jays entered the game with a 20-13 record, but their plus-61 run differential paints them as a potential powerhouse in the Florida State League and much of the credit belongs with their pitching staff, led by Trey Yesavage and No. 10 prospect Khal Stephen.

Yesavage, Toronto's No. 2 prospect per MLB Pipeline, struck out a career-high 12 batters for the Dunedin Blue Jays in single-A on Tuesday.

The 21-year-old right-hander pitched five innings against the Bradenton Marauders, giving up four hits and two earned runs to go along with the 12 Ks.

After his stellar start on Tuesday, Yesavage now has 55 strikeouts and a 2.43 ERA over 33.1 innings with Dunedin in his first season as a pro.

Yesavage was selected 20th overall by the Blue Jays in the 2024 MLB Draft out of East Carolina University.

Yesavage has dominated the level. He's posted a 2.31 ERA with 36 strikeouts over 23 1/3 innings, and while Yesavage is clearly too talented for Single-A, this was the plan all along, as the Blue Jays wanted to use Dunedin to get Yesavage into a routine and keep him away from Vancouver and the Northwest League early on, when less predictable weather can throw a wrench into pitcher's schedules.

Thanks to his strong start to the season in single-A, Yesavage is now ranked No. 71 on MLB Pipeline's top-100 prospects list. Shortstop Arjun Nimmala, Toronto's No. 1 prospect, is the only other Blue Jay in the top 100 and is ranked No. 59.

If Yesavage makes another start in Single-A, it will probably be his last one.