WHITE, Mitch

Toronto’s MLB roster features splashy free agent signings, key trade acquisitions, and top draft picks But, more than any other pipeline, the current Blue Jays are built on player development and homegrown talent

Since 2013, the Triple-A Buffalo

Bisons have been the final stop on that development journey for many top prospects Much of Toronto’s current core graduated from Buffalo to the big leagues in recent seasons, and the Bisons currently house the next wave of Blue Jays talent, too

Former Bisons

The Blue Jays entered the 2023 season with 10 former Bisons on the Opening Day roster, including some of the lineup’s most dangerous hitters Vladimir Guerrero Jr. first joined the Bisons in the final month of the 2018 season Then a 19-year-old and 7 5 years younger than the average Triple-A player, Guerrero Jr hit 336 with six homers and 16 RBI in his first 30 games at the level The slugger briefly returned to Buffalo’s Sahlen Field in 2019, but quickly proved too talented for the minors In April 2019, Guerrero Jr. earned his MLB promotion and Triple-A pitchers breathed a collective sigh of relief

Guerrero Jr wasn’t the only future Blue Jay on that 2019 Bisons squad, though, joined by Bo Bichette, Cavan Biggio, Santiago Espinal, and Jordan Romano Four of those future Jays stopped in Buffalo before graduating to the big leagues that summer, with Espinal’s MLB debut coming the following season Bichette blasted 16 doubles and stole 15 bases during his

In 2021, former first-round pick Alek Manoah became the latest top prospect to draw attention with the Bisons. It was a short but impactful Triple-A stay for Manoah, as he struck out 27 batters in just three starts After allowing just one run in his 18 innings with the Bisons, Manoah earned an MLB promotion in May 2021, and has been a key member of Toronto's rotation since

Other 2023 Blue Jays who spent time with the Bisons include outfielder Nathan Lukes and reliever

Nate Pearson The Buffalo connections in Toronto run beyond the 26man roster, with Assistant Pitching Coach Jeff Ware and Bullpen Catcher Luis Hurtado spending time on the Bisons coaching staff in recent years

Future Blue Jays

The Buffalo Bisons’ impact on Toronto’s current MLB roster is obvious, but there’s still more talent on the way to the big leagues

Bisons midway through 2022

On the other side of the ball, reliever HaydenJuenger and starting pitcher YosverZulueta represent the next wave of young pitching talent on the brink of the big leagues After injuries sidelined him for most of 2019, 2020, and 2021, Zulueta blazed through Toronto's minors last season on his way to Triple-A The 25-year-

56 Triple-A games in 2019 while Biggio flashed his elite command of the strike zone, walking 34 times in 43 games for the Bisons

When Toronto’s young core joined the big leagues in 2019, they weren’t the first wave of Bisons graduates Selected four rounds apart in the 2013 MLB Draft, catcher Danny Jansen and relief pitcher Tim Mayza climbed the minors together and anchored Bisons teams in 2017 and 2018 that combined for 126 wins.

Mayza took his game to another level with the Bisons in those 2017 & 2018 campaigns, posting a 3 00 ERA while striking out 52 batters in 45 innings out of the Buffalo bullpen.

Jansen found success in Western New York, too, hitting 275 while smashing 12 homers for the Bisons in 2018 The future Blue Jays catcher earned Buffalo's Stan Barron Most Valuable Player award that year

OttoLopez returns to Buffalo this season to anchor one of the International League's best infields Lopez hit 297 with the Bisons last year and earned a brief stint with Toronto at the end of the season, notching his first MLB hit and RBI.

He’s joined on the infield dirt by AddisonBarger, who earned a lateseason promotion to Buffalo in 2022 after a breakout campaign with HighA Vancouver and Double-A New Hampshire The 23-year-old flashed some of the biggest power in Toronto’s system last year, smashing 26 homers across three minor league levels.

The 2023 Bisons also feature first baseman and outfielder Spencer Horwitz, who returned to Buffalo for a second stint at Triple-A With some of the best plate discipline in the minor leagues, Horwitz walked 30 times in 44 games after joining the old Cuban struck out 84 batters in 55.2 innings last year, finishing his season with a brief Buffalo stint

As the Blue Jays continue to call up top prospects and future stars from the Bisons, new ballplayers will take their place in Triple-A. The Bisons have prepared future Blue Jays for the big leagues for the last 10 years, ensuring there’s always a next wave of talent on the way l