LHP Zach Logue, as under-the-radar guy as there is in the Blue Jays system, was dominant in his first AAA start (he had one relief appearance for Buffalo in 2019) as the Bisons shut out Rochester 5-0.
Logue tossed seven innings of one hit shutout ball before turning things over to the bullpen. The Nationals’ top affiliate was kept off balance in their first look at the southpaw, who used his whole arsenal of pitches to confound the Red Wing hitters. Logue fanned eight while walking none, and induced 8 ground ball outs.
Logue is not the biggest guy (6’/165) in the world, and while his velo has steadily trended upwards since the Blue Jays took him with their 9th pick out of Kentucky in 2017, he doesn’t light up a radar gun with his low to sometimes mid-90s fastball.
It’s Logue’s ability to mix his fastball, slider, change, and cutter that gets hitters out. The graduate of Cincinnati’s athletic powerhouse Moeller High School was a 2019 Eastern League mid-season All-Star, as well as an MiLB Organization All Star that year. At every step, he’s disrupted hitters’ timing, and has thrown all of his pitches for strikes. His 36% K rate and 4% BB rate lead the organization. His 12.5 K/9 is far above his career average, which is in the mid-7s. Logue is not only throwing strikes, he’s missing bats (15.9% SwStr) at an impressive clip.
So, as one Tweeter asked today, will Logue replace Nate Pearson as the system’s top prospect by the end of the season? Of course not. A second time through AAA East may not be as successful. But all Logue has done since joining the organization is get guys out, and you have to think he’ll be in consideration for a 40-man spot this fall. More starts like last night may well move that timetable up.
