Former substitute teacher's change-up on Toronto Blue Jays radar
Photo credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Nate Garkow's path to professional baseball has had a lot of twists and turns, however one thing always remains constant: his devastating Change up.
Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith recently spoke with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats right-hander at the Toronto Blue Jays Player Development Complex in Dunedin, Florida.
The conversation highlighted just how unlikely Garkow's rise to affiliated baseball has been.
Only a couple of years ago, Garkow was juggling three different jobs while still chasing his baseball dream.
During the day he worked as a substitute teacher, covering classes from kindergarten through Grade 12.
Outside the classroom, he also spent time working retail at Vuori, a lifestyle clothing brand.
Despite his persistence, the five-foot-10 right-hander went undrafted out of college.
His opportunity finally came in the independent Frontier League, where he signed with the Gateway Grizzlies.
There, Garkow quickly turned heads with a dominant stretch, striking out 37 batters over just 15.2 innings while surrendering only four hits.
That performance caught the attention of the Blue Jays' scouting department. At the time, Garkow didn't even have an agent.
When his manager informed him that Toronto was interested, the deal came together quickly, he signed with the organization within 24 hours.
Now 28 years old, Garkow has spent the past two seasons in the Blue Jays' system after joining the club as a free agent ahead of the 2024 season.
In 2025, he pitched in 39 games between High-A Vancouver and Double-A New Hampshire, posting a strong 3.19 ERA and 1.118 WHIP across 53.2 innings.
While Garkow may not be a favourite to break camp with the big-league club, his unique pitch mix has certainly put him on the radar of Toronto's decision-makers as a potential mid-season call-up candidate.
«Really good change-up,» Blue Jays manager John Schneider said when asked about the right-hander.
Nate Garkow's stuff continues to catch people off guard. One of the most dominant strikeout relievers in all of MiLB in 2025. He possesses some of the wildest outlier pitch shapes you'll see.
You want proof? Look at Jazz Chisholm's reaction to this slider.
You want proof? Look at Jazz Chisholm's reaction to this slider.
Garkow doesn't rely on overpowering velocity like many modern relievers
Garkow's fastball typically sits between 88 and 90 miles per hour, but it features roughly 24 inches of induced vertical break, allowing it to stay above hitters' barrels and generate swings and misses.
The real weapon, however, is his change-up.
Thrown with similar arm speed, slot, and initially mirroring his fastball's path, the pitch creates the illusion of a four-seamer before dropping away from opposing hitters at the last moment.
This is the Nate Garkow Bugs Bunny changeup that's responsible for his ridiculous 38.7% K rate in 2025 combined across High-A/AA. Garkow is one of (if not the most) dominant swing-and-miss RP's in the system, and he does it without elite velocity.
«It looks like a heater coming out, and it just dies,» Garkow told Nicholson-Smith. The 28-year old struck out 54 hitters in 37 double-A innings last year while posting a 1.22 ERA at New Hampshire. «To this day, they haven't really done too much damage on it." said Garkow.
He also occasionally mixes in a slider, adding another layer to his repertoire and helping keep batters off balance.
Blue Jays prospect Sean Keys knows the challenge firsthand.
The 2024 fourth-round pick, who hit 19 home runs with a .773 OPS for Vancouver last season, said he often saw Garkow fool hitters with his signature pitch before earning a promotion to Double-A.
«He makes hitters look foolish every time he pitches,» Keys told Nicholson-Smith. «It's incredible. Everyone says 'Bugs Bunny change-up.' He has a fast motion and he can go at 100 per cent, and it looks like the ball is coming in slow motion. It's incredible - definitely a plus-plus pitch.»
As the new minor-league season approaches, Garkow remains confident in the formula that has carried him this far.
Armed with his fastball and trusted change-up, he plans to keep attacking hitters and see just how far that combination can take him.
Also read on Blue Jays Central :
Philadelphia Phillies outfielder receives 80 game suspension from Major League Baseball
Philadelphia Phillies outfielder receives 80 game suspension from Major League Baseball
| POLL | ||
MARS 5|61 ANSWERS Former substitute teacher's change-up on Toronto Blue Jays radar Will Toronto Blue jays pitching prospect Nate Garkow make it to Triple-A Buffalo this season? | ||
| Yes | 47 | 77 % |
| No | 7 | 11.5 % |
| MLB Debut in 2026 | 7 | 11.5 % |
| List of polls | ||