Jays' Pardinho has Tommy John surgery

When Eric Pardinho was placed on the Injured List late last season, it was apparently a precautionary measure after he experienced discomfort in his pitching elbow. Now, just weeks away from the start of Spring Training games, it appears the issue is more serious.
The fifth-ranked Blue Jays prospect underwent Tommy John surgery on Tuesday, his agent, Rafa Nieves, confirmed. Pardinho did not pitch again after being sidelined on Aug. 12 and likely will miss the entire 2020 season.

The right-hander was signed out of Lucelia, Brazil, in the summer of 2017. He made his debut nearly a year later with Rookie Advanced Bluefield, where he posted a 2.88 ERA with 64 strikeouts and 16 walks over 50 innings in 11 starts at the ripe age of 17. 
Pardinho began the 2019 season in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League, yielding one hit and three walks over four scoreless frames in his lone appearance. He made the jump to Class A Lansing and compiled a 2.41 ERA in seven starts. Over 33 2/3 innings, he struck out 30 batters and issued 13 free passes before being shut down in August.
Pardinho's best pitch is his curveball, which received a 60 grade on the 20-to-80 scouting scale from MLB Pipeline. He also possess an above-average fastball with strong velocity to go with a solid changeup and slider.