Alek Manoah was one of the biggest stories for the Toronto Blue Jays during spring training, and he kept that momentum going during his triple-A debut on Thursday.
Toronto's sixth-ranked prospect logged six scoreless innings for the Buffalo Bisons, surrendering just two hits while striking out a whopping 12 Worcester Red Sox. He didn't issue a walk, but did hit three batters in the outing.
The Blue Jays' first-round pick from 2019 hadn't pitched above low-A in the minors, but proved he has the arsenal to succeed at the triple-A level. The six-foot-six right-hander features an overpowering fastball and mixes in a changeup and slider.
A dozen will do for #Bisons @Alek_Manoah47 pic.twitter.com/qUcubokHLK
— Buffalo Bisons (@BuffaloBisons) May 7, 2021
Down in double-A, fourth-ranked prospect Simeon Woods Richardson also made his season debut Thursday and surrendered three runs (one earned) on four hits over four innings of work. The 20-year-old struck out eight and walked one, throwing 51 of his 76 pitches for strikes.
Woods Richardson opened eyes alongside Manoah at Blue Jays camp this spring, firing eight scoreless innings.
