Betts: Pair of former East Carolina Pirates could play key role in Jays’ pen

Jeff Hoffman, left, shown during his college days with the East Carolina Pirates, could soon be joined in the Toronto Blue Jays’ bullpen by another Pirates’ alum, Trey Yesavage, shown on the right. Photo: ECU Athletics

August 13, 2025

By Matt Betts

Canadian Baseball Network

It took 10 years, but the Toronto Blue Jays finally went back to the East Carolina Pirates pitching pipeline.

Now 11 years on from initially tapping into it, they’re on the cusp of seeing the fruits of their labour blossom into key contributors to a postseason run.

On June 5, 2014 the Blue Jays selected right-hander Jeff Hoffman out of ECU with the ninth overall pick. His first trip through the organization was short-lived, yet impactful, as he was flipped to Colorado for shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and right-handed pitcher LaTroy Hawkins at the 2015 deadline. Over a decade later, he found his way back to Toronto with a three-year, $33 million deal this past offseason after stops with the Rockies, Reds, Twins and Phillies organizations.

Just months before Hoffman settled on Toronto in free agency on Jan. 10, 2025, the Blue Jays selected another ECU Pirate, fellow right-hander Trey Yesavage, in the first round, 20th overall of the 2024 draft.

Back in Spring Training, following his first appearance as a Blue Jay in the annual Spring Breakout Game, Yesavage spoke about the importance of refining his motion and harnessing his pre and post-game routines to get to the next level.

It’s worked, as the 6-foot-4, 225-pound hard-throwing righty has skyrocketed through the system, making stops at Dunedin, Vancouver, New Hampshire and now Buffalo in his first professional season.

“Just be true to myself,” Yesavage said of what he needs to do to be successful.

“I got to this point for a reason, so don’t be a person I’m not.”

For Hoffman, ECU also played a critical role in his development and was an easy choice for a college home. It was one of few offers he received and hailing from Latham, N.Y., he was determined to find his way south.

He credits the program for focusing on his physicality. When he arrived on campus as a freshman, he stood 6-foot-5 and weighed in at 170 pounds, which he knew “wasn’t going to cut it.” By the time he threw his first pitch, he was up to 190. Now, he’s listed at 235.

“It was the right choice for me because I felt like it was a place I could go and play right away,” Hoffman said back in March.

To be fair, Hoffman and Yesavage aren’t the only former ECU Pirates picked by the Blue Jays. Infielder Lee Delfino (Pickering, Ont.) was taken in the sixth round back in 2001 under then general manager Gord Ash and nine rounds after taking Yesavage, they selected outfielder Carter Cunningham, who’s currently hitting .201 with 12 home runs in High-A Vancouver.

When Hoffman and Yesavage arrived in Dunedin earlier this season, they found each other and talked a little Pirates baseball. It’s not a surprise, given nothing pulls people together quite like sharing college roots.

“He stopped me in the hallway one day, which was really cool,” Yesavage said.

“He’s a great guy, said he enjoyed watching me last year. It’s someone I can definitely look up to.”

Instead of looking up, Yesavage may soon be looking sideways to find Hoffman in the Blue Jays bullpen.

Scheduled to start for triple-A Buffalo on Thursday, if all goes well, a stop at Rogers Centre could be in the cards before season’s end.

And if it is, Hoffman thinks he has the makeup to deliver.

“He seems very poised,” Hoffman said.

“He seems very calm, which is awesome. When 40,000 people are screaming in your face, you have to be able to do that. It’s impressive.”