It's been a big couple of days for promotions across the Toronto Blue Jays farm system, and John Schneider announced one more before the series opener against Boston.
Schneider confirmed that Daniel Guerra, ranked 16th among Blue Jays prospects by MLB Pipeline, will move from High-A Vancouver to Double-A New Hampshire, joining the Fisher Cats.
He's earned it. In 14 starts with the Canadians this season, Guerra went 3-3 with a 3.20 ERA and a 1.32 WHIP.
Across 59 innings, he struck out 78 batters while holding opponents to a .226 average, real swing-and-miss production for a pitcher climbing quickly through this system.
The only real blip came from an injury that landed him on the injured list June 13, sidelining him for over a month.
Guerra returned through a rehab assignment, appearing in both the FCL and Single-A, tossing six innings across those two stops before rejoining Vancouver's rotation July 30.
Ben Nicholson-Smith reported the news alongside another promotion, left-hander Johnny King, who moved up after posting a 3.21 ERA with 112 strikeouts and 50 walks across 84 innings, a pairing that highlights just how much pitching depth Toronto has developed at these levels.
Why his recent outings show he's ready for this jump
In his two starts since returning from injury, Guerra tossed a combined five innings, allowing two runs on six hits and four walks while striking out five, a real sign he's picked up where he left off.
That kind of quick return to form after over a month away suggests real mental and physical resilience, exactly the traits a player needs heading into a tougher level of competition.
Double-A represents a genuine step up in competition, and how Guerra adjusts will tell Toronto plenty about his actual timeline toward the majors.
It's a bit like a student skipping ahead a grade after acing every test, the promotion earned through results rather than simply time served at the previous level.
Does Guerra's strong return from injury signal he's fully ready for Double-A hitters, or does this level bring new challenges his current stuff hasn't been tested against yet?
Guerra now joins an increasingly crowded and promising group of Blue Jays pitching prospects working their way toward Toronto, one level at a time.
Are you excited to watch Daniel Guerra's development at Double-A New Hampshire?
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