TORONTO — The low-A Dunedin Blue Jays are, in the words of farm director Joe Sclafani, “running like crazy” this season, part of an organizational emphasis on swiping more bags and improving on the bases.
Through 52 games, they are third in the Florida State League with 97 steals in 120 attempts, an 80 per cent success rate, and leading the charge are a pair of speedy centre-fielders in Blaine Bullard and Jake Cook.
Both possess, give or take, the type of havoc-creating speed that makes Chandler Simpson such a dynamic presence atop the Tampa Bay Rays lineup. But the two 2025 draft picks can drive the ball and have a chance to hit for some power, too, if they manage the difficult task of developing at the plate while also maintaining the running game.
“We love when we get athletes because there’s more you can do with them. Obviously, they do certain things particularly well, so really want to lean into that,” said Sclafani. “(Speed) is such a unique skill set and it’s why Simpson’s so effective. The things people typically look at, like exit velocity, batted-ball data, their ability to impact the baseball, is front and centre. But there’s more of a magnifying glass on, OK, how’s the plate discipline? Barrel accuracy is going to be massively important. It’s a different lens to see them through.”
To that end, their raw speed — Cook grades out as an 80, Bullard as a 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale — means both players have dual developmental priorities, where “base-stealing becomes paramount with the hitting.” Because the duo are already strong defenders, with Sclafani describing Cook’s starting point as “plus-plus,” the Blue Jays need more to “accentuate” those skills as much as refine them.
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Bullard, a 19-year-old switch-hitter taken in the 12th round and bought out of a commitment to Texas A&M with a $1,697,500 signing bonus, has hit the ground running, stealing 19 bases in 20 tries in 43 games. But he’s also slugging .417 with five homers, nine doubles and two triples, while reaching a peak exit velocity of 106.2 m.p.h., making massive year-over-year gains as he physically matures.
Having gained 15 pounds over the winter and the corresponding strength that comes with it, “you have like almost a shiny new toy with all that power,” said Sclafani. “So then it’s the nuance pieces of figuring out how to rein that in to find the right balance between still being a pesky hitter, getting on base and creating havoc, but also taking your chances. And he’s got some juice.”
Cook, a 22-year-old left-handed hitter picked in the third round from the University of Southern Mississippi, has six steals in seven tries in 12 games since returning from a hamstring injury that delayed the start of his season. Given his relative inexperience — he redshirted as a freshman in 2023 and didn’t see any action, pitched in only three games in 2024 and converted to outfield full-time only in 2025, posting a .905 OPS in 60 games — there’s a slab-of-clay element to him, particularly when it comes to running.
“For a guy who has 80 speed, he hasn’t really stolen any bases,” said Sclafani. “So as we’re figuring out how to ramp him up slowly and safely, you might see some more DH days early on, because if we’re going to stress the body, we want him to use that smartly and learn how to steal bases better. He’s a physical specimen and partly for him, it’s let’s keep him healthy enough to show what he can do.”
Like Bullard, Cook also has pop — his peak EV is 108 m.p.h. and he’ll “be the first person to tell you he wants to be known as a really good hitter first with some power, not just a slap hitter that runs really fast,” Sclafani added. “We’re going to try to lean into that.”
Leaning into existing skills is what the Rays did with Simpson, with manager Kevin Cash praising their player development staff for “letting him try to maximize and be the best at what he was already doing well.”
“We did not try to change him,” Cash added. “We said, ‘Hey, you can be really special with this.’ The skill-set at the plate, we didn’t look at him and say hit the ball in the air more, hit the ball on the ground more. We worked hard to understand what he was good at, his craft, and tried to support him for that.”
The Blue Jays are taking a similar tact with two speedsters of their own, trying to help them be forces on the bases, and in the batter’s box, too.
A look elsewhere around the Blue Jays system:
Charles McAdoo, Hayden Juenger and Tanner Andrews became the latest Bisons to graduate to the big leagues and the strength of that pipeline has been vital in keeping the big-league team afloat through a spate of injuries. “Spectacular job by Casey (Candaele, the manager) and his group,” said Sclafani. “They’re pretty damn impressive, no matter if they have 11 position players, 13 position players, the merry-go-round with guys going up and down. The processes are good, it’s aligned with the major-league staff, so these guys are ready to step in and take advantage of the opportunities they’re getting.” … Davis Schneider has an absurd 14 walks against two strikeouts in 33 plate appearances over seven games since his demotion. When he swings, he’s 3-for-17 with a double, so his work continues. … Outfielder Jonatan Clase, who missed a month with a calf injury, has a .586 OPS in 21 games since returning May 5 and has struck out 23 times in 69 at-bats. He’ll be out of options next season, so the clock is ticking on him.
DOUBLE-A NEW HAMPSHIRE FISHER CATS
Arjun Nimmala keeps rolling after his promotion from high-A Vancouver, batting .308/.375/.369 through his first 18 games at the level. He’s also been hitting the ball hard, though it hasn’t shown up in his power numbers yet, with four doubles among his 20 hits. Still, the Blue Jays like the way he’s maintained discipline to his plans in the batter’s box. … Righty Fernando Perez is on the development list, working in the pitching to figure out why some of his stuff was down. … Centre-fielder Victor Arias has three homers, three doubles and a triple in 18 games since returning to double-A after off-season shoulder surgery.
HIGH-A VANCOUVER CANADIANS
Nolan Perry is tearing through Northwest League hitters since his promotion from Dunedin, striking out 40 batters in 25 innings over five starts while allowing only four runs, three earned. The 22-year-old righty, selected in the 12th round of the 2022 draft, was among the slate of Blue Jays pitching prospects to undergo Tommy John surgery in 2024 but has returned in a big way, with his fastball ticking up to the 95-m.p.h. range, allowing the rest of his repertoire to play up, too. He could end up on some mid-season top-100 prospect lists. … Left-hander Johnny King continues to mow down hitters with 47 strikeouts in 32.2 innings over 10 starts. He’s walked 22 and getting in the zone more is one focal point, while the other is using his changeup more to try to develop a third offering to complement his elite fastball and slider. … Canadian outfielder Sam Shaw could be back in Vancouver by the end of the week after completing an injury rehab.
JoJo Parker is getting in on the stolen base fun in Dunedin, with 13 swipes in 16 tries. The 19-year-old infielder selected eighth overall last year is known for his bat, rather than his speed, and “there’s an instinctual piece” to his running, said Sclafani. “He’s reading game situations. He picks up on things quicker than an average player does. The flat-out speed is fine, it’s probably average, if not a tick below. But he’s savvy. He knows that that can be a part of his game.” The Blue Jays have also been pleasantly surprised by how well he’s played at shortstop. “He’s been unbelievable,” said Sclafani. … Infielder Juan Sanchez hit two homers on Tuesday night, extending a torrid run over his last 13 games, when he’s batting .358 with 10 RBIs. The 18-year-old who started slowly after being challenged with the assignment to Dunedin has also hit safely in six straight. … Lefty Brandon Barriera, the 2022 first-rounder, is working his way back from an oblique injury.