John Schneider Announces Trey Yesavage News Amid Spring Training

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Gavin Groe | Last updated Feb 28, 2026 2:24 PM ET

The Toronto Blue Jays starting rotation saw noticeable upgrades this winter and is expected to be one of the club’s greatest strengths entering the 2026 season. The front office added right‑hander Dylan Cease to anchor the staff while re‑signing veterans Shane Bieber and Max Scherzer to stabilize the back end.

But one pitcher who could shape the ceiling of the rotation this year is right‑hander Trey Yesavage. The 22‑year‑old was Toronto’s first‑round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft.

Yesavage rocketed through the system last season, pitching at every minor-league affiliate from Single‑A to Triple‑A before debuting in September.

When he reached the majors, he immediately became a difference‑maker. His most memorable outing came in Game 5 of the World Series, when he delivered a dominant performance with 12 strikeouts and just one run allowed across seven innings.

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Trey Yesavage (39)Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images

Because Yesavage pitched deep into November, his workload was unusually heavy for a rookie, and the Blue Jays have been cautious with him this spring.

He has yet to appear in a Grapefruit League game with camp already a week underway. On Saturday, manager John Schneider announced the plan for Yesavage over the coming weeks.

According to Ben Nicholson‑Smith of Sportsnet, Schneider said the Blue Jays will ramp him up deliberately, and if that means beginning the season with 3-4 inning outings, the club is comfortable with that even though the best‑case scenario is 5+ innings to open the year.

While best-case scenario for Trey Yesavage is to have him ready to pitch 5+ innings when season begins, John Schneider says Jays will ramp him up deliberately. If that means 3-4 IP games to start the season, Jays are OK w/ that. Plan is he'll ramp up at MLB, though. Not AAA.
— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) February 28, 2026

Yesavage will still begin the season in the majors, not Triple‑A, and he is locked into a roster spot. Toronto views him as one of the most important arms in the organization, so managing his workload carefully now is essential for keeping him healthy and effective over a full season.

Even with the slow ramp‑up, Yesavage enters 2026 as the clear frontrunner for American League Rookie of the Year. He retains rookie eligibility after posting a 3.21 ERA and 16 strikeouts in three regular‑season starts last year, production that earned Schneider’s trust in October.

His postseason successand electric arsenal have already made him one of the most exciting young pitchers in the organization. Yesavage now turns his attention toward building on that breakout and helping Toronto chase another deep postseason run in 2026.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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