Toronto Blue Jays' southpaw could be biggest draft wins in years
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Toronto Blue Jays pitching prospect Johnny King is quickly emerging as one of the organization's most intriguing young arms, and he may ultimately go down as the club's biggest draft steal in recent memory.
The Toronto Blue Jays' 2024 draft class has already produced eye-opening returns.
First-round pick Trey Yesavage rocketed through five levels in his first professional season, beginning in Single-A Dunedin and eventually capping his year with a historic Game 5 World Series start at Chavez Ravine.
Khal Stephen also impressed early, pitching his way into prominence before becoming a key trade asset in the deal that brought right-hander Shane Bieber over from the Cleveland Guardians at the deadline, a move that stabilized Toronto's rotation.
But it's Johnny King, the 6-foot-4 left-hander selected in the third round (95th overall) out of Naples High School, who might offer the most long-term upside.
Still just 18 at the time of his debut, King turned heads in 2025 with dominant strikeout numbers and a polished five-pitch arsenal that looks advanced well beyond his years.
Johnny King looked excellent in 2025, spinning a 2.48 ERA & 3.18 FIP over 61.2 IP w/ the 4th highest K% in the minors (Min. 60 IP).
He posted an insane 61.5% Whiff% on his CB, while both his 4-Seam & Sinker graded as + offerings & garnered plenty of swing-and-miss (both >30%).
He posted an insane 61.5% Whiff% on his CB, while both his 4-Seam & Sinker graded as + offerings & garnered plenty of swing-and-miss (both >30%).
King's five pitch arsenal is elite
He mixes a sinker, slider, curveball, changeup and four-seam fastball, with the four-seamer and curve serving as his primary weapons.
His fastball sits between 93-95 mph and plays up thanks to elite arm-side life and roughly 19 inches of induced vertical break.
The pitch generated a whiff rate north of 30 percent - elite territory for a heater at any level.
King opened his pro career in the Florida Complex League and overwhelmed hitters.
Over 24 innings (five starts across seven appearances), he posted a sparkling 1.13 ERA and 1.53 FIP while striking out 41.8 percent of opposing batters.
Even more impressive was his 7.1 percent walk rate, a sign of advanced command for a teenage arm.
After earning a promotion to Single-A Dunedin, the numbers normalized somewhat.
Across 37.2 innings (10 starts in 11 outings), King recorded a 3.35 ERA and 4.24 FIP.
He continued missing bats at an exceptional rate, finishing with a 38.1 percent strikeout rate and a 38.5 percent whiff rate - good for the 89th percentile among Single-A pitchers.
However, his walk rate spiked to 17.9 percent, nearly tripling from his FCL stint.
While the command regression is something to monitor, it's far from uncommon for young pitchers adjusting to a higher level.
MLB Pipeline ranks King as Toronto's fifth-best prospect, grading his fastball as plus, curveball as above-average, and changeup as fringe, with below-average command.
FanGraphs slots him sixth in the system, projecting 55-grade future value on both his fastball and slider, along with average control.
The next step is clear: refine the command and further develop the changeup.
If he does, King could ascend quickly - beginning 2026 back in Dunedin, with High-A Vancouver well within reach.
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| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 27|81 ANSWERS Toronto Blue Jays' southpaw could be biggest draft wins in years How far will left-hander Johnny King ascend in the Toronto Blue Jays farm system in 2026? | ||
| High- A Vancouver | 5 | 6.2 % |
| Double-AA New Hampshire | 34 | 42 % |
| Triple-A Buffalo | 38 | 46.9 % |
| MLB debut | 4 | 4.9 % |
| List of polls | ||