It's been a very long road for Ricky Tiedemann, who is the Toronto Blue Jays' No. 10-ranked prospect via the MLB Pipeline. Could this finally be the return of the former No. 1-ranked prospect for the Blue Jays in 2023 and 2024?

Tiedemann is looking to ramp up and make strides in his recovery from Tommy John surgery. With his first appearance in over a month, he completed a rehab outing for Single-A Dunedin in Bradenton in his quest to return to the mound.

The left-handed 23-year-old showed positive signs in his Single-A rehab outing, recording one scoreless inning with one hit, no walks and two strikeouts in 18 pitches. Eleven of them were strikes, and both his strikeouts were swinging strikes, with his fastball averaging 96.4 mph and topped at 97.7 mph. 

With the Blue Jays' lack of left-handed pitchers in the bullpen, if Tiedemann continues to progress well with his rehab assignments, he has the potential to make a return as a late-season call-up. 

Ricky Tiedemann looking to make a comeback despite injury hurdles

Earlier this season, Tiedemann experienced a setback in his 2026 rehab, which was paused in July due to neck soreness. The setback required injections, and while he has faced multiple setbacks that have left him missing an extended period of time, he remains a high-value option in the system. 

Tiedemann could provide the Blue Jays with depth in the pen, as they are handling his progress with caution. A shortened bullpen role with a limited pitch count will help to manage and stretch out his workload.

Essentially, it's all about small steps with Tiedemann as the youngster is chasing to make a comeback with the Blue Jays following his injury hurdles. But if he performs well and proves himself, it could potentially position him to compete for a spot in the rotation next season. 

It would be important for Tiedemann to regain his mid-90s velocity and refine his secondary in an attempt to rediscover his form and confidence.