2024 Bluebird Banter Top 40 Prospects: 9-12

Moving into the Top 10 of the Blue Jays system, we have two relievers who are poised to make an impact in the Blue Jays bullpen as soon as this year, a pedigreed prospect in the bottom runs of the minors with super high upside, and a two-time late round pick who’s done nothing but dominate on his way up the ladder.

2024: Full List and Index | 9-12 | 13-16 | 17-20 | 21-24 | 25-28 | 29-32 | 33-36 | 37-40

2023: Full List and Index | 1-4 | 5-8 | 9-12 | 13-16 | 17-20 | 21-24 | 25-28 | 29-32 | 33-36 | 37-40
Beyond the Top 40: Just Missed | Top 5 Older | Pref Lists: Matt | Tom

12. Hagen Danner, RHP, age 25 (DOB: 9/30/1998), grade: 40, 2023: 19th

The journey through the minor leagues has been a saga for Danner. He was a two-way star in high school and evaluators were split as to whether his future was behind the plate or on the mound. The Jays gave him a well over slot bonus in the second round of the 2017 draft and started him as a catcher. Danner struggled in the role, though, flashing power but striking out excessively. During the lost 2020 minor league season, he converted to pitching, and the change agreed with him. Jumped directly to High A, he struck out 42 in 35.2 innings with a 2.02 ERA.

The only blemish on the season was an elbow issue they cost him a month in the middle of the season. That would prove to be foreshadowing, as UCL problems would cost him most of his 2022 and delay the start of his 2023 season, although he has thus far avoided Tommy John. Once he finally got to work last year, though, he flourished. In 39.1 innings mostly in AAA, he struck out 56 while walking just 11.

Danner is a prototype power reliever. He throws two pitches, a fastball they sits 95-97 with decent horizontal run and a hammer slider at 88 with decent depth and some run. Both pitches are plus weapons that can beat advanced hitters inside the zone. That’s important, because his command isn’t great and he largely just attacks in the zone and trusts his stuff to get outs.

Last year, Danner earned his first cup of coffee in the majors, retiring the one batter he faced. 2024 is his final option year, and he’ll be one of the first in line for call ups. His ceiling is probably as a setup man in the majors, who will rack up the strikeouts but allow a bit too much hard contact to close. To get there, he’ll need to stay healthy and keep harnessing his impressive stuff.

11. Connor Cooke, RHP, age 24 (DOB: 11/2/1999), grade: 40, 2023: Tom’s pref list

A tenth round pick in 2021, Cooke was mostly a reliever as a ULL Ragin Cajun, but dabbled as a starter in his junior year and during his first full pro season in 2022. By August of that year, though, he was back in the bullpen and that looks like it’ll be his long term home.

In 2023, Cooke worked his way across three levels, starting in A+ Vancouver, spending most of the year with AA New Hampshire and finally earning an August promotion to AAA Buffalo. Across all three levels, he put up video game strikeout numbers, punching out 80 of the 197 total hitters he saw this season, the third highest strikeout rate among all minor league relievers with at least 30 appearances. He ran into walk trouble in Buffalo, issuing 9 free passes in 10.2 innings, but that can at least partially be chalked up to getting used to the automated strike zone that was being trialed in the IL.

Cooke’s fastball sits 95-96 and touches 98 at its best, although it tapered to more 93-96 later in the season. His low release point helps the fastball play as plus. His best pitch is a sweeping slider that comes in at just 84 mph but has huge horizontal movement, often more than 18 inches. He throws in a changeup around 85 that has big movement but is inconsistent. Cooke needs to refine his command, but he’s an excellent athlete who should be able to get to average in time.

Cooke will start out in Buffalo this season, and might be in line for a call up later in the year if a 40 man spot becomes available. He has the potential to be an impact player in the back of a bullpen if he can keep building on last year’s breakout.

10. Enmanuel Bonilla, OF, age 18 (DOB: 1/22/2006), grade: 40, 2023: 15th

Bonilla was the crown jewel of last year’s international class, signing for a top of the market $4.1m bonus. He spent last summer in the Dominican Summer League, slashing .307/.407/.429 with some more strikeouts than would be ideal but a solid walk rate and hints of power.

The reason Bonilla commanded such a large bonus is his exceptional power. At 6’1” and 180lbs, Bonilla is burly and already boasts average raw power, with the potential for it to reach 70 on the 20-80 scouting scale at maturity, and his swing is geared for hard contact in the air that should allow him to get to most of it in games. As an amateur he was regarded as an advanced hitter as well, but last season he struggled with his mechanics and displayed more swing and miss than expected. In the field, Bonilla is a solid average runner with a strong arm. He currently plays centre, but as he continues to bulk up he’s likely to lose a step and wind up in right, where he should he a decent defender.

All DSL players are risky, and after his issues last season Bonilla is riskier than most. His value is still high, though, because of everything does come together he has star upside as a slugging right fielder who could hit cleanup in a major league lineup. He moved up the list since last year, but that reflects the system more than his own value, which has if anything edged down just a little. He’ll probably start 2024 in extended spring training before moving to the complex league, so we won’t get that much of a look at him until late in the year and possibly not until 2025.

9. Damiano Palmegiani, 1B/3B, age 24 (DOB: 1/24/2000), grade: 40, 2022: 22nd

The Venezuelan-Canadian Palmegiani was selected by the Jays in the 35th round of the 2018 draft out of Vauxhall Academy in Alberta (which also produced Adam Macko), but didn’t sign. After struggling for a year at Cal State Northridge, he transferred to the College of Southern Nevada. There, he put it together, posting a 1.388 OPS and prompting Toronto to re-select him in the 14th round in 2021.

As a professional, he’s done nothing but rake. He hit 24 home runs across A and A+ in 2022 and 23 more in AA and AAA in 2023. The power is paired with a strong approach, with walk rates consistently above 10%. His strikeouts have crept up as he’s climbed the ladder, though, reaching 27% in AA and 29% in AAA last year.

Palmegiani is a very solid 6’1” and 195lbs, with above average raw power and a swing that lets him deploy all of it in games. He has plenty of bat speed to catch up to good fastballs, and that’s where he does most of his damage. It’s a bit of a stiff swing, and he’s vulnerable to swinging and missing at good breaking balls, but a strong approach has allowed him to minimize that weakness so far. Defensively, Palmegiani is a butcher at third base and doesn’t show great instincts in the outfield either. He might move to first, but projects as below average there too.

If Palmegiani is going to have a major league career, it’ll be because of his bat. He doesn’t really have a defensive home, but if he achieves his offensive upside he could work as a utility power bat or DH/part time first baseman. To get there, though, he’ll need to control the swing and miss in his game and avoid being picked apart by advanced pitchers who can consistently locate breaking balls low in the zone. He’s aced every test so far, though, so there’s hope, and he’ll begin the season in Buffalo, one break away from a possible major league debut.