Toronto Blue Jays shortstop prospect JoJo Parker has gotten off to a fast start in the minor leagues after he was taken in the first round of last year’s draft.
The 19-year-old Parker, who was the eighth-overall pick in the 2025 draft, entered this season ranked as the No. 40 prospect in all of baseball, per MLB Pipeline, and the No. 2 prospect in the Blue Jays’ system.
Parker, a lefty bat, impressed scouts out of high school with his 6-foot-2 frame and ability to hit for power, while also showcasing an advanced understanding of the strike zone.
Through 13 games in Single-A Dunedin, Parker has shown he has a knack to contribute in many ways offensively - he is hitting .298 with eight extra-base hits (two home runs), an on-base percentage of .459 and six stolen bases.
In the patience department, Parker has 12 walks against 13 strikeouts and has an on-base plus slugging percentage of 1.012.
Blue Jays farm director Joe Sclafani raved about Parker’s advanced ability at the plate when the young prospect got his first look at professional pitching in camp earlier this year in Spring Training.
“It’s remarkable; he’s been facing older, upper-level guys - he’s got a ton of live BPs already - and I don’t think I’ve seen him look out of sorts,” Sclafani said, per MLB.com’s Jonathan Mayo. “It’s really impressive, his understanding of what makes him good.
“It’s big moves, but he finds a way to control them really well, and he’s always on time. It’s as comfortable as anybody I’ve seen in the box as a teenager since [Bichette] and [Guerrero], and I’m not trying to make that direct comparison.”
The promising results come just one year after the Blue Jays seemed to hit gold with their top draft pick in 2024, as Trey Yesavage went from making his professional debut in Single-A in April of 2025 to pitching in Game 7 of the World Series in November.
At 19 years old and with just two weeks of professional baseball under his belt, Parker isn’t expected to reach the majors for at least a couple of years. But there is a lot to look forward to in the Blue Jays’ farm system.
“It’s exciting to think about what it could look like two or three years from now,” Sclafani said.
