The Toronto Blue Jays will have three prospects on the field Sunday when the Arizona Fall League’s Fall Stars Game brings together the league’s top talent.
Pitcher Jake Bloss, catcher Aaron Parker and outfielder Jake Cook are all slated to suit up for the American League against the National League. MLB set the rosters earlier this week.
Parker already made his mark on the weekend before the game even began. He won the AFL Home Run Derby on Saturday and now gets a chance to keep the hot streak going in Sunday’s showcase, where he’ll split time behind the plate with three other catching prospects.
Bloss is the name Toronto is watching most closely from a development standpoint. He reached the majors with the Houston Astros in 2024 and appeared in three games, going 0-1 with a 6.94 ERA. Houston drafted him in the third round in 2023 out of Georgetown, and Toronto acquired him in the trade that sent pitcher Yusei Kikuchi to the Astros and brought back Bloss, outfielder Joey Loperfido and second baseman Will Wagner.
His 2025 season was largely wiped out by Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, and when he returned in 2026, he logged 11 games across four different affiliates. He finished 0-4 with a 6.18 ERA.
The Fall League gave him a chance to pile up innings, even if the results in Arizona have been rough. With the Mesa Solar Sox, Bloss has posted an 8.44 ERA in five starts, striking out 11 and walking two in 10.2 innings.
He’s allowed 17 runs, more than the hits he’s surrendered in Arizona.
Even with that line, he’s still viewed as a possible rotation piece for Toronto. There’s also a roster wrinkle: because he’s on the 40-man roster, he may not be able to pitch in the minors if there is an MLB work stoppage, since he would fall under the MLB collective bargaining agreement.
Parker’s AFL numbers have been much cleaner. He’s hit .356/.483/.511 with two home runs and 13 RBI, and he’s added eight stolen bases. The sixth-round pick in 2024 out of UC Santa Barbara hit .253/.347/.467 with 19 home runs and 48 RBI for Double-A New Hampshire, putting himself in position for a shot at Buffalo in 2027.
Cook has brought a different kind of production. He doesn’t have Parker’s power, but he’s been one of the AFL’s more effective bats, hitting .343/.405/.373 with six RBI.
He leads Mesa with 14 stolen bases and has scored 19 runs. Toronto selected him in the third round in 2025 out of Southern Miss, and in his first pro season he hit .247/.366/.361 with five home runs, 42 RBI and 22 steals before finishing at Class-A Dunedin.
He’s expected to begin 2027 at High-A Vancouver and is aiming for a jump across multiple affiliates.
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Griffins path makes the case even more interesting because he has already shown he can get back to the majors after spending time in Japan, and he did it while working through some less-than-ideal defensive support behind him. For a Blue Jays club that values stability on the mound, the appeal is obvious, even if the next step is figuring out just how far Toronto wants to go to bring him into the fold. [Read more 🡒]
