Under the Radar Blue Jays prospects: Yohendrick Piñango

One of the Toronto Blue Jays’ best-performing prospects in the minor league system so far this season was acquired before the 2024 trade deadline.

Yohendrick Piñango signed with the Chicago Cubs during the 2018 international free agency period for a signing bonus of $400,000. The outfielder made his professional debut the following season in rookie ball, slashing .358/.427/.442 with no home runs in 274 plate appearances.

In 2021, Piñango played with their Single-A and High-A teams, slashing .276/.327/.373 with five home runs in 456 plate appearances for a 97 wRC+. The following season was spent exclusively in High-A, where the outfielder slashed .250/.297/.394 with 13 home runs in 495 plate appearances. His 13 home runs are a career-best.

Piñango spent another season in High-A, slashing .247/.317/.349 with six home runs in 439 plate appearances in 2023, giving him an 87 wRC+. In 2024, Piñango once again started the 2024 season in High-A, slashing .340/.451/.610 with five home runs in 122 plate appearances.

However, he was promoted to Double-A after his impressive start, slashing .223/.316/.345 with four home runs in 225 plate appearances. On Jul. 27 of that year, the Cubs traded him and fellow prospect Josh Rivera to the Blue Jays in exchange for Nate Pearson.

Piñango had a tough start to his Blue Jays career, slashing .179/.244/.274 with one home run in 127 plate appearances with the Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats. For the entirety of the 2024 season, the outfielder slashed .239/.331/.389 with 10 home runs in 474 plate appearances for a 111 wRC+.

Early in the season, Piñango has been one of the best-performing Jays in the system, as he’s slashed .341/.471/.537 with two home runs, a triple, and 11 singles in 51 plate appearances. His 193 wRC+ ranks as the second-highest in the Blue Jays’ farm system with a minimum of 10 plate appearances.