Johnny King’s first run at Double-A is starting to look like exactly the kind of step forward the Blue Jays were hoping for.
The 20-year-old left-hander, Toronto’s No. 3 prospect on MLB Pipeline, delivered his best outing yet for the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats on Wednesday, throwing five shutout innings in a 1-0 loss to the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, the Mets’ Double-A club. King allowed three hits and one walk while striking out eight, matching his season high and setting a new personal best for punchouts in a start with New Hampshire.
It was also his second straight scoreless appearance since the promotion, another sign that he’s settling in fast against tougher competition. With New Hampshire’s regular season winding down, King will have limited chances left to add to what’s already been a sharp finish to his 2026 season.
Toronto grabbed King in the third round of the 2024 MLB Draft out of high school, and he has moved quickly through the system ever since. He reached Double-A in just his second year in the organization, a quick rise that reflects how well he’s handled each new stop.
Across two minor league levels this season, King owns a 2.91 ERA in 25 starts, with 134 strikeouts over 102 innings. Last year, the 6-foot-3 lefty posted a 2.48 ERA and 105 strikeouts in 61 2/3 innings.
His 2026 season began at High-A with the Vancouver Canadians, where he logged a 3.21 ERA and 112 strikeouts in 84 innings across 21 starts. That performance earned him the August promotion to New Hampshire, and he’s made a strong first impression there: a 1.50 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 18 innings over his first four starts.
New Hampshire’s regular season ends on Sept. 13, so King is expected to make only one more Double-A start this year. If this stretch is any indication, he could open 2027 back at Double-A and move up quickly from there. A strong showing at Triple-A after that would put the Blue Jays prospect in position to join Toronto’s rotation in late 2027.
In Other News...
Blue Jays Deadline Call Looks Even Better For One Big Reason
When the Blue Jays moved Kevin Gausman to the Cubs at the trade deadline, it looked like the kind of decision that would be judged mostly on return and timing. But the deal has taken on a little more weight because reports say the Yankees were also in the mix for Gausman before Toronto sent him to Chicago, a wrinkle that adds some extra significance to a trade that already shaped the rest of the season.
For Toronto, the bigger picture now includes what has happened since. Prospect Brett Bateman has brought useful production on both sides of the ball since arriving, giving the Blue Jays a more immediate reminder that deadline deals are not just about subtracting a veteran arm, but about what comes back and how quickly it can matter. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Castoff Suddenly Has A New Chance Fans Will Notice
Simeon Woods Richardson is getting another reset, this time with the Seattle Mariners, who signed the right-hander to a minor league deal and sent him to Triple-A Tacoma. For Toronto fans, it is the latest turn in a season that has already taken him through three organizations, after he opened the year with Minnesota, was designated for assignment and then landed with the Blue Jays before being waived.
Woods Richardson chose free agency after Toronto let him go, and now the Mariners will see if they can get something back from a pitcher whose talent has kept him on the move even as the results have lagged. It is a reminder of how quickly a promising arm can slip into roster churn, and why a stint in Tacoma can still matter for a player trying to get back on track. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jays Opener Carries One Big Question For Returning Veteran
Jameson Taillon is on track to take the ball for the Blue Jays in the upcoming series against the Royals, a sign that Toronto is ready to fold another experienced arm back into the mix as the push for a postseason spot tightens. Manager John Schneider said the veteran right-hander is expected to start, and Taillons recent bullpen session after rehabbing right forearm tendinitis only added to the sense that his return is moving in the right direction.
For Toronto, the appeal is straightforward: Taillon has already given the club two solid outings, posting a 3.38 ERA, and any healthy reinforcement matters this time of year. The bigger question is not whether he can help the rotation in the short term, but how the Blue Jays manage his workload as they try to balance immediate results with a pitcher they have every reason to protect. [Read more 🡒]