Around The Nest: Turning The Corner

Artificial Turf Wars

The 2025 Minor League Baseball season has reached the halfway point, and for the Toronto Blue Jays system (oft-maligned last year), things are definitely turning around.

In this episode of the Around the Nest Blue Jays minor league podcast, host Tyler Zickel, play-by-play voice of the Vancouver Canadians, chats with his fellow affiliate broadcasters as they wrap up the first half for their respective clubs.

First up is the triple-A Buffalo Bisons’ Pat Malacaro, who joined the show on the road from Worcester, MA. Pat talked about how the return of big leaguers Alan Roden and Davis Schneider sparked a Bisons’ turnaround that lasted even after both were called back up to the big leagues. On the pitching side, rehabbing future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer came up for discussion, as did recently promoted CJ Van Eyk.

Following Pat in the order is Chris Jared, play-by-play man for the double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats, who also joined us from the road, where he’s helping Pat call Bisons games against the Woo Sox. Trey Yesvage’s Fisher Cats debut was detailed, as was the continuing dominance of Juaron Watts-Brown. The Iowa Meat Truck himself, Petyon Williams, is another farmhand appearing to turn the corner, according to Chris.

The multi-talented Eli Fishman hits third from Dunedin, where returning bats have helped fuel the D-Jays first half surge. On the mound, Eli talks about the recent success of Austin Cates, Jay Schueler, and Eminen Flores. Eli also in on a D-Jays Instagram challenge, where he had to work in a selected word from a team member in his broadcast. “Chupacabra” was a challenge, but Eli more than met it.

Finally, Tyler talks to fellow C’s broadcaster Chris Georges about the Canadians’ “close-but-no-cigar” second place first-half finish. The C’s recent surge certainly was a team effort, as Chris lists the contributions made by players like Arjun Nimmala and Jackson Hornung.

The Around the Nest podcast: Blue Jays prospect news you won’t find anywhere else.

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