The Blue Jays are chasing a playoff spot right now, but the rotation picture for 2027 is already taking shape in the background. Toronto has a cluster of young arms in the system, and several of them have done enough this season to make spring training two years from now look a lot more interesting than usual.
Nolan Perry is probably the cleanest bet of the bunch. Toronto’s No. 2 overall prospect has moved through three levels this season while working back from Tommy John surgery, and Double-A hasn’t slowed him down.
In his first four outings with Double-A New Hampshire, Perry has a 0.87 ERA over 10.1 innings, held hitters to a .127 average and struck out 15. Across Single-A, High-A and Double-A, he’s piled up 93 strikeouts in 62 innings with a 2.32 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP.
MLB Pipeline has his MLB debut pegged for 2027, which puts him at the front of this group as the most realistic rotation candidate.
Ricky Tiedemann is another name to watch, though his road has been much bumpier. The 23-year-old left-hander finally made his MLB debut on Aug. 15, working 1.2 innings out of the bullpen in Toronto’s 4-1 win over the New York Yankees and striking out the first two batters of his big-league career.
He was optioned back to Triple-A after Brendon Little came off the paternity list, but the debut is now in the books. If Tiedemann stays healthy and gets more innings before the season ends, he could still push toward the majors sooner rather than later.
If Toronto wants to keep a tighter lid on his workload, he could remain more of a relief or bulk-inning option this year before getting back into the rotation picture next spring.
Johnny King brings a different kind of appeal. MLB Pipeline projects his debut for 2028, so he’s a little farther out than Perry or Tiedemann, but the upside is obvious.
The 20-year-old lefty is 6-foot-3 and has already reached the upper levels of the system. He has 117 strikeouts in 88 innings across two levels this season, and the numbers behind the punchouts are plenty eye-catching too: a .211 batting average against and a 1.40 WHIP.
Toronto may still want more refinement before asking him to take on big-league rotation innings, but if the command keeps moving in the right direction, he could make the 2027 conversation a lot more crowded.
Dasan Hill is the wild card. The 20-year-old left-hander, Toronto’s No. 8 overall prospect, came over in the Jeff Hoffman deal and adds another 6-foot-5 arm with plenty of raw traits to work with.
Before the trade, the Twins liked how quickly he adjusted to pro ball. His fastball touched 99 mph and averaged 95 in his debut season, and there’s a chance more velocity shows up as he gets stronger.
He’s now with High-A Vancouver, where he has made two starts and logged six strikeouts in six innings, while walking two and holding hitters to a .238 average against. MLB Pipeline projects his debut for 2028, so he’s still a long shot for 2027, but he’s another name worth circling if Toronto keeps needing arms.
Cole Carlon is the newest addition to the mix, and he might be the most intriguing because he hasn’t even made his pro debut yet. The Blue Jays took the 6-foot-5 right-hander with the 39th overall pick, and scouts were already talking about “two October pitches.”
Toronto appears to view him as a starter and plans to develop him that way. MLB Pipeline has him reaching the majors in 2029, but at 21 and with a four-pitch mix, he’s not just a placeholder name.
His fastball can reach 98 mph and usually sits around 94, though it can get flat and his command is still scattered. He also works with a short, cutter-like slider, a 12-to-6 curveball and a fading changeup.
Once he starts getting into games, there’ll be a better read on how quickly he might move, but if he sticks around in camp next season, that would fit the buzz around him.
None of these five pitchers will singlehandedly define Toronto’s 2027 rotation. But together, they give the Blue Jays something they can build around - and plenty to sort through once the offseason turns toward spring training.
In Other News...
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Blue Jays Reopen An Uncomfortable Bullpen Debate With Ricky Tiedemann Move
Ricky Tiedemanns long-awaited Blue Jays debut came and went quickly, with the left-hander making his first appearance before being sent back to Triple-A the next day. The move was tied to Torontos roster mechanics, as the club needed to clear a spot when Brendon Little returned from the paternity list, and it also reflected the cautious approach the organization has taken with Tiedemanns usage.
For the Blue Jays, it is another reminder of how thin the margin can be in a bullpen that is still being sorted out. Tiedemanns talent is obvious, but so is the need to protect him after his injury history, which meant he was never likely to be available for long right away. In the meantime, Toronto is left weighing which arms it can trust most in the short term, and whether the bullpen picture can stabilize before another similar decision comes up. [Read more 🡒]