Jake Bloss has faced a challenging start to his 2025 spring training campaign, struggling through three appearances. In just five innings pitched, he has allowed eight hits and eight runs, with eight home runs and five walks compared to only one strikeout—a far cry from the expectations for a team’s sixth-ranked prospect.
However, Bloss’s struggles aren’t entirely his fault. Drafted in the third round by the Houston Astros in 2023, Bloss was highly regarded by the organization. His rapid ascent to the majors last summer was a result of the Astros’ desperate need to fill rotation spots due to a wave of injuries. Bloss had been impressive in Double-A, posting a 1.61 ERA over eight starts, which gave the Astros confidence to call him up. Despite his extensive NCAA experience as a four-year player at Lafayette and Georgetown, the leap from college to professional baseball is significant—and jumping straight from Double-A to the majors is even more daunting. Bloss acknowledged this in a February interview with Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi.
“In Houston, they have a model they believe in, and if you’re throwing well or hitting well, they’re going to move you quick,” Bloss said. “So I had an idea it might be pretty quick, maybe not quite that quick. But I’m not going to complain about it, you know?”
While Bloss hasn’t voiced complaints, the lack of proper development time at each level has been a disservice to his potential. In his three MLB appearances with the Astros and eight games with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons after being traded to Toronto, Bloss posted a near 7.00 ERA. Although not every outing with Buffalo was a disaster, two starts where he allowed seven or more earned runs skewed his overall numbers.
2025 represents a fresh start for Bloss. While he may still make MLB appearances if injuries arise, this year could be his first opportunity to spend an entire season at one minor league level since being drafted. To date, his longest stint with any pro team is eight games, split between the Astros’ Double-A affiliate Corpus Christi and the Blue Jays’ Triple-A Bisons. If he can make around 20 starts for Buffalo this season, he’ll have a better chance to adjust and refine his skills against strong competition.
A spot in the Blue Jays’ starting rotation by 2026 is a realistic possibility for Bloss. His fastball, which averages in the mid-90s, is a solid foundation, but he’ll need to improve his secondary pitches. Limited data from his MLB appearances shows that his breaking balls haven’t been effective enough, with his whiff% and K% ranking around the 30th percentile, while opponents’ barrel% against him was near the 90th percentile. This indicates that while his fastball was enough to dominate lower-level hitters, he’ll need more reliable secondary offerings to succeed in the majors.
Command is another area for improvement. Bloss’s 3.9 BB/9 in the minors isn’t alarming, but he has had stretches of control issues, with multiple outings featuring three or more walks.
If Bloss can refine his secondary pitches and improve his command, he could become a key piece of the Blue Jays’ rotation by 2026. His development will be crucial, especially with Chris Bassitt and Max Scherzer hitting free agency after this season and Kevin Gausman following suit after 2026. For now, 2025 is all about giving Bloss the time and opportunity to bloom.
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