One way they could return to the World Series is by their farm system taking another step forward. In this article, we’ll look at five potential breakout candidates to monitor in 2026.
Tucker Toman
However, he struggled in 2023, slashing .208/.320/.313 with five home runs in 503 plate appearances with the Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays. Repeating the level in 2024, he had a similar slash line, batting .221/.301/.318 with four home runs in 326 plate appearances. In 2023, he had a 26.8 K% and in 2024, that elevated to 31.9%.
Toman started to show the promise he had when the Jays drafted him last season, slashing .265/.354/.372 with six home runs in 424 plate appearances. While that isn’t particularly impressive, from June 1st until the end of the season, he slashed .289/.381/.408 with five home runs for a 125 wRC+ in 268 plate appearances. Most of his season was spent in Single-A, but he did get a look in High-A from mid-August onward.
He made a handful of appearances in Spring Training, even facing a left-handed pitcher as a lefty. He’ll be batting left-handed for the season, and the next step for Toman is to build off the second half of his 2025 season while hitting for more power. At only 22 years old, there’s still time for the corner infielder.
Enmanuel Bonilla
Enmanuel Bonilla was signed to one of the largest IFA bonuses ($4.1 million) that the Jays have ever given out for the 2023 International Free Agency period. He had a strong campaign during the 2023 season with the Dominican Summer League Blue Jays, slashing .307/.407/.429 with three home runs in 226 plate appearances for a 130 wRC+. He failed to reach base in just two of the 50 games he played in.
Then his 2024 and 2025 seasons happened. Coming stateside to play for the Florida Complex League in 2024, the outfielder slashed .186/.257/.299 with four home runs in 214 plate appearances for a 56 wRC+. He had a near identical slash line in 2025, slashing .186/.260/.282 with four home runs in 217 plate appearances for a 59 wRC+.
At this point, it looks as if the 20-year-old will begin the 2026 season with the FCL Jays, the third year at the level. Investing $4.1 million on the outfielder means that he probably still has some leeway, but he has to show something soon. The power is there for the outfielder.
Hedbert Perez
Despite hitting 15 home runs in 2022 and 14 home runs in 2025, Perez has lost a lot of his prospect luster due to tough seasons in 2022 (78 wRC+), 2023 (76 wRC+), and 2024 (91 wRC+), but the 2025 season was a step in the right direction, posting a 107 wRC+.
The outfielder will turn 23 early into 23, but perhaps a new organization can help him unlock what made him an interesting prospect back in the day. Like Toman and Bonilla, his best tool is the pop in his bat.
Nolan Perry
Nolan Perry and Gage Stanifer’s careers will always be intertwined. Both right-handed pitchers were drafted in the latter rounds of the 2022 draft out of high school and they stuck to the same levels in 2023 and 2024. Stanifer was always a breakout candidate thanks to his fastball and slider, but Perry has been considered a top 30 prospect in the past by some publications.
Perry had a strong season in Single-A before receiving Tommy John surgery, posting a 2.93 ERA and 4.25 FIP in 46 innings pitched in 2024. It wasn’t a perfect season by any means, because along with a high K% of 27.5%, he struggled with his command as he had an 18.8 BB%.
It’s likely that Perry will return in 2026 as it was reported he underwent Tommy John surgery in September 2024, but it’s not quite clear when he’ll make his season debut. Expect him to get a few rehab appearances in the FCL before returning to Single-A.
Landen Maroudis
He’ll likely begin his season in Single-A, and will need to throw strikes.