Tiedemann dominates in rehab return to Dunedin

When he’s healthy, there aren’t many more dominant pitching prospects than Ricky Tiedemann, who made four starts at Double-A New Hampshire earlier this season before missing two months with a biceps issue.

The good news for the Blue Jays and their No. 1 prospect per MLB Pipeline? If Tiedemann’s rehab is any indication, he sure looks healthy again.

Tiedemann was nearly untouchable on Saturday, striking out six across three no-hit innings in his first rehab start above the complex level, setting the tone for Single-A Dunedin’s 13-1 win over Tampa. Rehabbing big league reliever Chad Green also pitched well in the victory, striking out three over 1 1/3 perfect innings in relief of Tiedemann in his return from Tommy John surgery.

But Tiedemann was the main story Saturday. Baseball’s No. 31 overall prospect allowed only one baserunner over three frames, averaging 95.7 mph with his fastball and getting six whiffs on nine pitches with his sweeper. Tiedemann’s fastball topped out at 97.6 mph in the outing, according to MLB.com Blue Jays beat writer Keegan Matheson.

#BlueJays No. 1 prospect Ricky Tiedemann today with Single-A Dunedin:

3 IP • 0 ER, 0 H, 1 BB, 6 K
• Fastball averaged 95.7 (top 97.6)
• Sweeper got 6 whiffs on 9 swings

— Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) July 29, 2023

Coming off a perfect two-inning return to the mound in the Florida Complex League on July 21, the 20-year-old Tiedemann was sharp again Saturday in only his second outing since May 4, when the biceps issue cropped up. And that's bad news for the Eastern League, where Tiedemann appears to be returning in short order.

Ricky Tiedemann was dominant at single-A Dunedin in his 2nd rehab start. #BlueJays

3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 6 K (9 whiffs) & 47 pitches

Tiedemann's FB velo averaged 95.7 mph (97.6 max). His sweeper was nasty, inducing 6 whiffs on 9 swings, including 4 Ks. pic.twitter.com/s6TarwwTsM

— Thomas Hall (@ThomasHall85) July 29, 2023

The Blue Jays have been abundantly cautious this season with Tiedemann, their third-round Draft pick in 2021 out of Golden West (Calif.) College. They didn’t rush him back from a shoulder injury sustained this spring or from this latest biceps issue; as such, the talented southpaw has been limited to only 17 2/3 innings this season across three levels. The reason is clear: Tiedemann’s mix of high-end velocity, short-term injury risk and immense upside. Even in fits and starts this season, he’s amassed 32 strikeouts.

This comes after Tiedemann racked up 117 punchouts in only 78 2/3 innings as a 19-year-old in 2022, jumping from Single-A Dunedin to Double-A New Hampshire by the end of the season. He returned to New Hampshire to begin 2023 and pitched to a 4.97 ERA in four starts for the Fisher Cats. Whether Tiedemann returns there imminently or requires one additional rehab outing isn't yet clear. But once he gets back to Double-A, the rest of 2023 will be about further proving health and building innings, with longer and more frequent starts keeping him on a trajectory toward Toronto.