Eric

Pardinho

The 23-year-old former top prospect split his 2024 season between Double-A New Hampshire and Triple-A Buffalo where he compiled a 3.25 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and a 66/28 K/BB ratio across 55 1/3 innings of work. There’s a good chance that he breaks through to the big leagues for the first time and works out of the Jays’ bullpen at some point during the 2025 season.

Pardinho, 19, is still a ways away from the majors, having yet to pitch above Low-A. This elbow surgery will pause his development by a year. A top-100 prospect, the young right-hander posted a 2.15 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 35/16 K/BB ratio in eight low-level starts in 2019.

Pardinho scattered three hits, and he walked one for the Lugnuts. In his four appearances with Lansing -- three of them starts -- Pardinho has allowed just three runs; giving him a 1.93 ERA in his 14 innings to go along with a 13/4 K/BB ratio. The product of Brazil doesn’t turn 19 until January, and he still shows two plus pitches in his fastball/curve along with two improving offerings in his slider and change. There’s work to be done here, but Pardinho has some of the best stuff in the lower levels, and he could be a top-of-the-rotation starter for the Blue Jays in the early part of the next decade.

Pardino allowed four hits, and he walked one. It was his second start at the full-season level, and he now owns an ERA of 3.00 with the Lugnuts with a 9/3 K/BB ratio over nine innings. Signed out of Brazil in 2017 and considered one of the top pitching prospects in the IFA class, Pardinho has advanced quickly, and the 18-year-old has the stuff to pitch at or near the top of a rotation someday. There’s still work to be done, but he could join the Toronto rotation by the end of 2021.

It’s unclear if he’s been sent for an MRI, but Pardinho is in shutdown mode and will begin the season in extended spring training. Regarded as one of the Jays’ top pitching prospects, the 18-year-old Brazil native had a 2.88 ERA and 64/16 K/BB ratio over 50 innings in rookie ball last year.

Pardinho allowed just one hit, and he didn’t walk anyone. Signed out of Lucelia, Brazil in 2017, Pardinho was considered by many to be the top pitching prospect in last year’s IFA class, and for good reason. The 17-year-old is still mostly projection, but his arm strength allows him to get his fastball to touch the high 90s, and he complements that heater with a plus curve. He pounds the strike zone with those two offerings, and his change is getting better by the mine. There’s a long way to go, but Pardinho has the upside to be a top of the rotation starter in the next decade.