From Montco To Starting Game 1 Of The World Series: Trey Yesavage's Rise

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA — From the sandlots of eastern Pennsylvania to the brightest lights on the biggest stage in sports, Trey Yesavage's rise to prominence in Major League Baseball has been unlike any other.

Yesavage, born in Pottstown, raised in Boyerstown, was spinning gems for the Bears as recently as 2021, when he graduated high school. He went on to pitch at East Carolina University for three years, and then was drafted just over a year ago by the Toronto Blue Jays.

Friday night, the 22-year-old is starting Game 1 of the World Series.

Baseball is not basketball or football. Even the greatest prospects do not move seamlessly from the amateur ranks to the pros. Most spend years in development, working their way through the tiers of the minor league system until they have proven to be so dominant on those lower echelons that their major league team has to give them a chance.

No one told Yesavage, who did not even make his minor league debut in Low-A ball until March 2025, just seven months ago.

All spring and summer he raced through the minor leagues, earning promotions to High-A by May, AA by July, AAA by August, and then, stunningly, on Sept. 15, came the call to the show in Toronto.

Yesavage had just three starts in Toronto before the end of the regular season, and he was excellent, striking out 16 across 14 innings and allowing just five runs. He was added to the postseason roster, which was seen as a historic achievement enough.

But the Boyertown grad has arguably been even better in the postseason, earning starts in three out of the 11 games the Jays have played thus far in October. Basically meaning that Toronto manager John Schneider is turning to Yesavage to pitch as often as he possibly can. That's included 5.1 shutout innings against the Yankees in the American League Division Series, and then 5.2 innings of two-run ball against Seattle in the American League Championship Series.

The Blue Jays are rested, and have their choice of starters heading into Game 1 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Schneider again turned to Yesavage.

It's perhaps for the best that Yesavage is so young. As he was only born in 2003 he has no memory of the last time his Blue Jays were in the World Series, defeating his hometown Phillies in 1993.