The Blue Jays are sending a mix of familiar names and important rehab cases to the Arizona Fall League, with Brandon Barriera and Jake Bloss at the front of the line.
Toronto announced its AFL group on Monday as the minor league season winds down, and the list includes outfielders Jake Cook and Jake Casey, catcher Aaron Parker, and pitchers Fernando Perez, Brandon Barriera, Jake Bloss, Yondrei Rojas and Gilberto Batista.
Full Blue Jays list of prospects headed to AZ next month, with last level:
Jake Cook OF (A)
Jake Casey OF (A+)
Aaron Parker C (AA)
Fernando Perez RHP (AA)
Brandon Barriera LHP (A+)
Jake Bloss RHP (AAA)
Yondrei Rojas RHP (AA)
Gilberto Batista RHP (A+)
Barriera and Bloss are the headliners for obvious reasons. Both have had their progress slowed by injuries in recent years, and getting more competitive innings in Arizona should help them keep building toward 2027. With both already short on workload this season, the AFL gives Toronto a chance to get them back in rhythm.
Barriera’s year has been a step forward after Tommy John surgery and other injuries. The 22-year-old lefty has put up a 4.89 ERA with two home runs allowed and 40 strikeouts across 38.2 innings in 15 appearances, 13 of them starts, in the Blue Jays’ minor league system in 2026.
He also put together a strong August stretch at Single-A Dunedin, throwing four scoreless starts with 16 strikeouts over 13.2 innings. Even better for Toronto, his fastball has been back in the high 90s.
Bloss remains the lone Blue Jays piece from the Yusei Kikuchi trade fleece with the Houston Astros during the 2024 trade deadline. Injuries have kept him from taking the next step, including an ulnar collateral ligament injury in his right elbow that required surgery in 2025 and a shoulder injury in 2026. Since joining the organization, he has been limited to 17 starts over the last two seasons.
This year, the 25-year-old right-hander has logged a 6.18 ERA and 1.42 WHIP with 37 strikeouts in 39.1 innings over 11 minor league starts before his current shoulder issue.
Cook is another player worth watching after making noise with his speed. In his first professional season in 2026, he stole 22 bases in 27 tries between Rookie League and Single-A Dunedin, and he played 77 games overall. Arizona should give him a valuable chance to sharpen the rest of his game.
For Toronto, the AFL assignment is less about headlines than momentum. If Barriera and Bloss can finish the fall healthy and productive, the Blue Jays could have two arms moving in the right direction for 2027.
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