Blue Jays highly-touted pitching prospect has different pathways to get to the majors

"Last season, Stanifer split his time between Single-A Dunedin, High-A Vancouver and Double-A New Hampshire in the Blue Jays system as he ascended two minor league levels. Seeing time both as a starter and a reliever, the 22-year-old right-hander compiled an 8-6 record with a 2.86 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, along with 161 strikeouts in 110 innings pitched over 27 appearances that included 16 starts."

"As a starter, Stanifer posted a 3.78 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, along with a .219 opponents batting average in 16 starts. But as a reliever, he amassed a stellar 1.32 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, .116 opponents batting average while giving up just six earned runs in over 41 innings of work."

"Even though Stanifer is currently being brought up through the system by the Blue Jays primarily as a starter, he definitely has the nasty and overpowering stuff to make him an electric reliever as well. Therefore, pending on if Toronto wants to further his development as a potential frontline starter or a shutdown reliever, they will need to determine the pitch arsenal that he has to master."

Gage Stanifer, selected in the 19th round of the 2022 MLB Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays, has defied expectations to become a highly-touted pitching prospect. Last season, the 22-year-old right-hander advanced through three minor league levels, compiling an 8-6 record with a 2.86 ERA and 161 strikeouts across 110 innings in 27 appearances. His performance varied significantly between roles: as a starter he posted a 3.78 ERA, but as a reliever he excelled with a 1.32 ERA and .116 opponents batting average. His overpowering stuff and nasty arsenal make him viable for multiple developmental paths, though the Blue Jays must determine whether to develop him as a frontline starter or shutdown reliever.

Read at Jays Journal