On an October night in Toronto, a 22-year-old rookie took the mound against the New York Yankees and delivered. Trey Yesavage's mid-90s fastball was working, his splitter was devastating, and he carried himself like a guy who'd done this a hundred times before. This wasn't just a postseason debut. It was a statement.
From Boyertown to the Big Leagues
Yesavage grew up in Boyertown, PA, playing ball at Boyertown Area High School before landing at East Carolina. That's where he went from a solid high school arm to a legitimate pro prospect.
At ECU, he put together the kind of résumé that gets you drafted high. As a sophomore, he posted a 7-1 record with a 2.61 ERA and punched out 105 batters. That earned him an invite to Team USA's Collegiate National Team, where he proved he belonged.
Toronto liked what they saw and grabbed him 20th overall in the 2024 draft, handing him a $4.1 million signing bonus. He moved through the minors with that nasty splitter and a composure that had coaches and scouts buzzing at every level.
By September 2025, he was in the Show. His big league debut? Nine strikeouts, a franchise record for a first start. Right then, you could tell this wasn't your typical September call-up.
The ALDS Breakout
When manager John Schneider gave him the ball for Game 2 of the ALDS, most people figured Toronto was just trying to get through the lineup and hand it to their veteran arms. What they got instead was a clinic.
Yesavage carved up the Yankees for 5⅓ innings, striking out 11, allowing zero hits and walking just one. According to MLB.com, those 11 strikeouts set a new Blue Jays postseason record.
"I was sitting in there thinking about the comment I made the other day, where I said, 'I'm built for this,'" Yesavage told reporters afterward. "And I was like, 'Well, I'd better back that up.'"
