Prospect Parade: The Best Stuff in AAA v3
Payton Tolle, Jonah Tong, Trey Yesavage
Welcome to “Prospect Parade”, a series which aims to highlight any intriguing MiLB Prospect and Players.
This article will cover a trio of the best stuff arms in AAA (again).
Payton Tolle - BOS
Payton Tolle may have the best fastball in MiLB. Tolle’s increased velocity compared to his college days have propelled his fastball to elite status and his ability to extend down the mound an extreme 7.5 ft elevates its perceived velocity immensely. Tack on a favourable shape with 16" iVB from a 5.7' slot at 95-96 MPH from the left side, and you have the makings of a dominant pitch. Considering these factors and Tolle’s tendency to locate the offering high in the zone to give it a shallower approach, it is no surprise that it lapped MiLB in Z-Whiff% this season.
Upon reaching AAA, Tolle has started to throw a cutter more (his 2nd most used pitch at the level). This is a newer development for Tolle who primarily relied on his fastball and slider with an emerging changeup helping out against RHH. This new cutter sits at 90 MPH with slight glove-side action and 7-9” iVB. He has been comfortable throwing against either handedness and should be a stable early-count and platoon-neutral offering.
The key to Tolle’s long-term outlook as a starter will be the effectiveness of his changeup. Given its pitch metrics, there is not much to worry about from a stuff perspective. It sits in the high 80s where is lower spin rate allows it to deviate greatly from his fastball. Improving the feel and command of the offering is paramount to its success. He simply wastes too many changeups right now and allows batters to battle back into counts.
Tolle’s lives in the strike zone, and it works because his stuff simply overwhelms MiLB batters. His fastball is incredible, and the growth of his arsenal from a primarily 2-pitch pitcher to a full-fledged MLB-calibre mix has driven Tolle’s prospect stock to astonishing heights. He is entrenched in my Top 10 Pitching prospects and sits amongst the best LHP prospects in baseball.
Jonah Tong - NYM
Jonah Tong has lit the world on fire with strikeouts this season with an MiLB leading 179 K on the heels of his high riding fastball and killer changeup. The most apparent aspect of Tong’s profile is his unorthodox delivery which comes with a cross-bodied stride and an over-the-top slot. Not only is this a distinct angle that batters are not typically used to seeing, Tong does an effective job at concealing the ball until it is released out of his hand.
Tong’s fastball is his bread-and-butter thanks to its ~19" iVB while sitting 94-96 MPH, which is +2 MPH harder than in 2024. His smaller stature and above-average extension allow him to get down to a ~6 ft vertical release point. Tong’s changeup is the most notable development this season and has boosted him to AAA after an utter dominant showing AA. The offering has an ideal combination of velocity and vertical separation from his fastball which allows to stump opposing batters.
The next step for Tong to thrust himself into the Mets rotation is better command and more confidence in his breaking balls. He has essentially operated as a 2-pitch pitcher this season, and while it has been a resounding success, he will need more weapons in order to tackle MLB lineups. His 2nd AAA start was more encouraging from a developmental standpoint as he trusted his full arsenal and flashed better control. Tong is one of the best pitching prospects in baseball, and the results back it up. He might not join the Mets as a starter right now, but he has the tools to be a wicked bullpen piece down the stretch.
Trey Yesavage - TOR
Trey Yesavage is yet another pitching prospect that has flown through MiLB this season with laughable results and dominating performances. The Blue Jays #1 Prospect sits into his own group of "weirdness" with his extremely high release point (7.4’), extreme vertical arm-angle, and lack of glove-side moving pitches. The former explains the latter and is what makes Yesavage a unique pitcher.
Yesavage leverages his delivery by imparting a lot of backspin on his fastball to generate an absurd +20” of iVB. His release also provides a troubling view for batters as his fastball approaches on a very steep plane. Typically, steeper fastballs are less ideal as they tend to be easier to barrel, however Yesavage’s has had no problem against batters this season as it boasts an elite Z-Whiff%. Yesavage’s changeup (splitter?) is his primary secondary against LHH where its nearly 1’ of vertical separation from his fastballs completely stumps hitters. It is rocking a ridiculous 58.0 Whiff% on the year and has not slowed down in AAA. His slider (cutter) has very tight movement, leaning more to the arm-side, unlike a typical slider. It sits in the mid-80s and is his go-to secondary against RHH.
Yesavage was one of the more polished pitchers on the 2024 Draft and he has proven that with his quick ascent through the Blue Jays system. There are concerns regarding his longevity given his unique profile as well as his command. Nonetheless, Yesavage is both one of the funkiest and best pitching prospects in baseball and could help the Blue Jays sooner rather than later.
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