Dahian Santos

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #29 prospect in 2025
  BA Grade/Risk: 40/High.
  
  Track Record: Santos signed for $150,000 in 2019 out of Venezuela and made his professional debut two years later in 2021. Santos impressed in 2022 and in the first half of 2023 but an elbow strain kept him off the mound for 11 months. He returned in mid June of 2024 and after a three-week rehab joined Double-A New Hampshire.
  
  Scouting Report: Santos is an undersized righthander with a low three-quarters arm slot and inverted-W style mechanics. Santos slings the ball in a near sidearm fashion with a way of wrapping rotationally around his pitches for a true crossfire finish. This enhances his pitches, which are a four-seam fastball, slider and changeup. Santos’ four-seamer fastball sits 92-93 mph with below-average ride and heavy armside run. The pitch generates whiffs above its velocity due to his tricky angle. His low-80s sweeper slider averaged around 11-13 inches of horizontal break with a unique approach angle. Santos misses lots of bats with his low-80s changeup when he lands it, but command of the pitch is spotty. Santos has below-average command in large part due to the amount of break on his pitches
  
  The Future: Santos has endured durability issues but has the unique angle on his pitches to be a deceptive reliever who dominates righthanded hitters.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 40.
• 
  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #18 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 50/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Santos signed for $150,000 in 2019 and has impressed over the course of his young professional career. After a standout season at Low-A Dunedin in 2022, Santos saw a late-season promotion to High-A Vancouver. He returned to Vancouver to begin 2023 and pitched well over a dozen starts before he was shut down with an elbow strain. While with Vancouver, Santos struck out 27.2% of batters while holding opposing hitters to a .173 average.
  
  Scouting Report: Santos is an undersized righthander with a low arm slot and a three-pitch mix. He mixes a low-90s two-seam fastball with heavy armside run that generates weak contact. Santos’ most-used secondary--and best pitch--is his sweeper slider in the low 80s with 16 to 18 inches of horizontal break. He generates high rates of swings-and-misses in and out of the zone with his slider. It is an effective chase pitch. Santos’ mid-80s changeup shows nearly reverse movement of his sweeper, running heavily off the plate with tumble. While Santos has three pitches with good shape and average or better projection, his lack of command and strike-throwing limit his upside and potential role.
  
  The Future: Santos has the tools to start, but his undersized frame and lack of command will likely push him to a relief role long term.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 50 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 40
• 
  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #12 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Santos signed with the Blue Jays for $150,000 during the 2019 international signing period. Since that time Santos has blossomed into one of the top young pitchers in the Blue Jays system. Santos made his professional debut in 2021 with the Blue Jays Florida Complex League squad and struck out 53 batters over 35.1 innings. He earned a late-season promotion to Low-A Dunedin where he returned to begin the 2022 campaign. With Dunedin in 2022, Santos made 19 appearances, including 14 starts, and pitched to a 4-5 record with a 3.44 ERA and 120 strikeouts--the second most in the Florida State League. He was promoted to High-A Vancouver where he made four starts for the Canadians.
  
  Scouting Report: An athletic righthander who oozes projection from his slender frame, Santos employs a true tall-and-fall operation with long whippy arm action and slings the ball from a sidearm slot. This unique arm action and release allows all of Santos' pitches to play up, particularly his sweeping slider. Santos mixes three pitches including a low-90s side-spinning four-seam fastball, a low-80s slider with over a foot of horizontal break and a mid-80s changeup he shows an innate ability to kill lift and spin on. It's the makings of three average or better pitches with his 2,700-rpm sweeping slider the crown jewel of his arsenal--a future plus pitch. Santos' command has been below average and with a unique operation and arm action it's never likely to get to anything more than average.
  
  The Future: A talented and projectable pitcher who could add strength and velocity in the coming years, Santos projects as a back-of-the-rotation starter with a reliever floor.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Slider: 60. Changeup: 55. Control: 40.
• 
  Ranked Toronto Blue Jays #22 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Santos has trended up since the Blue Jays signed him for $150,000 as a 16-year-old out of Venezuela on July 2, 2019. His velocity rose to touch 94 mph that fall, and he made his official debut in 2021 in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League before getting promoted to Low-A Dunedin in September.
  
  Scouting Report: Santos is a lanky, athletic pitcher who stands out for his touch and feel. He pitches at 89-94 mph with good movement on his fastball from his low three-quarters slot. While Santos has a loose, quick arm and a bit of physical projection remaining in his wiry frame, but his game is more about pitchability than power. He’s an advanced strike-thrower for his age with feel for a curveball and a changeup. He has tight spin on his curveball, generally around 2,500-2,600 rpm. Though it can get a bit wide and slurvy at times, it’s a slightly above-average pitch. His changeup is inconsistent but he shows feel for that pitch too.
  
  The Future: Santos isn’t that big, but he has a starter look between his three-pitch mix, control and athleticism with an easy delivery. He should start 2022 in the rotation for Low-A Dunedin.
  

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Santos signed with the Blue Jays for $150,000 during the 2019 international signing period. Since that time Santos has blossomed into one of the top young pitchers in the Blue Jays system. Santos made his professional debut in 2021 with the Blue Jays Florida Complex League squad and struck out 53 batters over 35.1 innings. He earned a late-season promotion to Low-A Dunedin where he returned to begin the 2022 campaign. With Dunedin in 2022, Santos made 19 appearances, including 14 starts, and pitched to a 4-5 record with a 3.44 ERA and 120 strikeouts--the second most in the Florida State League. He was promoted to High-A Vancouver where he made four starts for the Canadians.
  
  Scouting Report: An athletic righthander who oozes projection from his slender frame, Santos employs a true tall-and-fall operation with long whippy arm action and slings the ball from a sidearm slot. This unique arm action and release allows all of Santos' pitches to play up, particularly his sweeping slider. Santos mixes three pitches including a low-90s side-spinning four-seam fastball, a low-80s slider with over a foot of horizontal break and a mid-80s changeup he shows an innate ability to kill lift and spin on. It's the makings of three average or better pitches with his 2,700-rpm sweeping slider the crown jewel of his arsenal--a future plus pitch. Santos' command has been below average and with a unique operation and arm action it's never likely to get to anything more than average.
  
  The Future: A talented and projectable pitcher who could add strength and velocity in the coming years, Santos projects as a back-of-the-rotation starter with a reliever floor.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Slider: 60. Changeup: 55. Control: 40.
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Santos signed with the Blue Jays for $150,000 during the 2019 international signing period. Since that time Santos has blossomed into one of the top young pitchers in the Blue Jays system. Santos made his professional debut in 2021 with the Blue Jays Florida Complex League squad and struck out 53 batters over 35.1 innings. He earned a late-season promotion to Low-A Dunedin where he returned to begin the 2022 campaign. With Dunedin in 2022, Santos made 19 appearances, including 14 starts, and pitched to a 4-5 record with a 3.44 ERA and 120 strikeouts--the second most in the Florida State League. He was promoted to High-A Vancouver where he made four starts for the Canadians.
  
  Scouting Report: An athletic righthander who oozes projection from his slender frame, Santos employs a true tall-and-fall operation with long whippy arm action and slings the ball from a sidearm slot. This unique arm action and release allows all of Santos' pitches to play up, particularly his sweeping slider. Santos mixes three pitches including a low-90s side-spinning four-seam fastball, a low-80s slider with over a foot of horizontal break and a mid-80s changeup he shows an innate ability to kill lift and spin on. It's the makings of three average or better pitches with his 2,700-rpm sweeping slider the crown jewel of his arsenal--a future plus pitch. Santos' command has been below average and with a unique operation and arm action it's never likely to get to anything more than average.
  
  The Future: A talented and projectable pitcher who could add strength and velocity in the coming years, Santos projects as a back-of-the-rotation starter with a reliever floor.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Slider: 60. Changeup: 55. Control: 40.
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 50/Extreme
  
  Track Record:: Santos has trended up since the Blue Jays signed him for $150,000 as a 16-year-old out of Venezuela on July 2, 2019. His velocity rose to touch 94 mph that fall, and he made his official debut in 2021 in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League before getting promoted to Low-A Dunedin in September.
  
  Scouting Report: Santos is a lanky, athletic pitcher who stands out for his touch and feel. He pitches at 89-94 mph with good movement on his fastball from his low three-quarters slot. While Santos has a loose, quick arm and a bit of physical projection remaining in his wiry frame, but his game is more about pitchability than power. He&#39s an advanced strike-thrower for his age with feel for a curveball and a changeup. He has tight spin on his curveball, generally around 2,500-2,600 rpm. Though it can get a bit wide and slurvy at times, it&#39s a slightly above-average pitch. His changeup is inconsistent but he shows feel for that pitch too.
  
  The Future: Santos isn&#39t that big, but he has a starter look between his three-pitch mix, control and athleticism with an easy delivery. He should start 2022 in the rotation for Low-A Dunedin.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Santos has trended up since the Blue Jays signed him for $150,000 as a 16-year-old out of Venezuela on July 2, 2019. His velocity rose to touch 94 mph that fall, and he made his official debut in 2021 in the Rookie-level Florida Complex League before getting promoted to Low-A Dunedin in September.
  
  Scouting Report: Santos is a lanky, athletic pitcher who stands out for his touch and feel. He pitches at 89-94 mph with good movement on his fastball from his low three-quarters slot. While Santos has a loose, quick arm and a bit of physical projection remaining in his wiry frame, but his game is more about pitchability than power. He’s an advanced strike-thrower for his age with feel for a curveball and a changeup. He has tight spin on his curveball, generally around 2,500-2,600 rpm. Though it can get a bit wide and slurvy at times, it’s a slightly above-average pitch. His changeup is inconsistent but he shows feel for that pitch too.
  
  The Future: Santos isn’t that big, but he has a starter look between his three-pitch mix, control and athleticism with an easy delivery. He should start 2022 in the rotation for Low-A Dunedin.