Toronto Blue Jays Trey Yesavage gets ranked for 2026 Rookie of the Year

Baseball America's entering-2026 outlook for Toronto put Yesavage at the top, calling him a favorite for the American League Rookie of the Year award.

MLB Pipeline also tagged him as the Blue Jays' clearest Rookie of the Year candidate for 2026 after his September arrival and October spotlight. mlb.com
Yesavage was the 20th overall pick in the 2024 Draft, selected out of East Carolina University.

He signed for a reported $4,177,500 bonus, a quick reminder of how hard Toronto bet on the arm. The college resume explains the hype in a hurry.

In 2024 at East Carolina, he posted a 2.03 ERA with 145 strikeouts over 93 1/3 innings, pairing swing-and-miss with real workload.

Across Toronto baseball chatter, the language has shifted from «prospect timeline» to «award pace,» and that is a fast turn.

His rise in 2025 made that shift feel less like marketing and more like results.

In World Series Game 5 on Oct. 29, the 22-year-old struck out 12 without a walk, setting a rookie Fall Classic record.

That kind of October can change how a front office builds a roster in January.

A rookie-eligible starter who can miss bats with a splitter and ride a fastball gives Toronto options, especially early in the season.

It also frames the rest of the Blue Jays' winter conversation, including trade ideas that focus on run prevention.

Jays Journal noted Toronto allowed 209 home runs last season, and the piece pushed bullpen and flexibility targets as the next step.

Toronto has already acted aggressively on pitching, landing Dylan Cease, Tyler Rogers, and Cody Ponce in free agency.

If Yesavage holds a rotation spot from the jump, the Rookie of the Year race becomes part of the Blue JaysBlue Jays' weekly rhythm, not a side story.

Source: Baseball America
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