Kike Hernandez breaks down what makes Trey Yesavage unique

As the Toronto Blue Jays enjoyed a historic season in 2025, young starting pithcer Trey Yesavage was one of the stars of the show. Having made his debut halfway through September, Yesavage was seemingly thrown in at the deep end when skipper John Schneider called upon him to pitch in the postseason.

Instead of crumbling under pressure, however, the 22-year-old looked right at home, displaying the kind of calm and poise even a seasoned veteran would be proud of.

In addition to his composure under pressure, Trey Yesavage's mechanics also play a key role in making him such a unique talent. Appearing on Friday's episode of "Baseball and Coffee with Adam Ottavino", LA Dodgers star Kike Hernandez explained why that is the case.

"At home plate [when I was facing him], I was kind of waiting for his long arm action. He's got a long arm, but it's quick. That kind of got me off [guard] a little bit. There's a lot of thing he does that make him unique. I always say, the first time that a pitcher's facing a team, it's advantage pitcher. But, his stuff is so unique, it's not like you get used to it. You get used to guys when you find their release point or whatever. Your eyes are so trained to pick up the baseball, you see spin and you're used to the ball going this way, but his either goes down or legit goes the other way. It's the weirdest thing ever," Hernandez said [56:17].

---

Trey Yesavage's incredible playoff performances make him a contender for the 2026 AL Rookie of the Year award

Going by his outstanding performances in the playoffs are anything to go by, Trey Yesavage is set to be an important part of the Toronto Blue Jays' starting pitching rotation in the years to come.

If he stays healthy and continues performing at a similar level, there is every chance Trey Yesavage is amongst the top candidates for the AL Rookie of the Year award in 2026.

World Series - Los Angeles Dodgers v Toronto Blue Jays - Game Seven - Source: Getty

Only two Blue Jays have won the prestigious prize in the past. Shortstop Alfredo Griffin was the first in 1979, before third baseman Eric Hinske repeated the feat much more recently in 2002.

Edited by Raghav Mehta