The 2025 World Series kicked off last Friday night, and although the Phillies aren’t in it there are still some local names to watch.

The Blue Jays carry two names who have competed in this area in the past. Trey Yesavage has been a breakout star for the Blue Jays this postseason, which is no surprise for anyone who faced him in high school. 

Brendon Little is the other Blue Jay to watch as he is a 2015 graduate from Conestoga High School, also in District 1.

Yesavage, a 2021 graduate from Boyertown Area High School, has been a stud since he picked up a baseball. Yesavage was a standout in high school, topping 95 on the mound and carrying his team to being runner ups in the PIAA District 1 playoffs. 

Yesavage was a highly recruited talent out of high school and even had some draft interest. He ended up choosing to take the college route and taking his talents to East Carolina University. In 3 years with the Pirates, Yesavage finished with a career ERA of 2.91 and a WHIP of 1.22.

In June of 2024 the Blue Jays selected Yesavage 20th overall in the 1st round of the MLB Draft. Yesavage played rookie ball throughout 2024, but was bound for a breakout soon. After being uninvited to spring training, Yesavage got to work with Dunedin Blue Jays, Toronto’s single A affiliate. 

In 25 games pitched in the minors this year, Yesavage carried a 5-1 record, 3.12 ERA, and a ridiculous 0.97 WHIP. Those numbers carried him through the ranks at a crazy pace as he made his MLB debut on September 15th of this year. 

In 3 starts after making it to the show, Yesavage earned a spot in the Jays playoff rotation. In 5 starts this postseason, Yesavage has a 3-1 record with a 3.46 ERA and a 1.04 WHIP. His most recent start being in game 5 of the World Series where he went 7 innings letting up 3 hits, 1 run, and striking out 12.

Brendon Little on the other hand has a little bit of a different story. After graduating from Conestoga in 2015, Little was drafted out of high school in the 36th round of the 2015 draft. Although he was drafted, he chose to go play at the University of North Carolina instead. 

After his freshman year there, he transferred to State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota for his sophomore season. In 13 appearances he posted a 3.68 ERA and a 1.136 WHIP. That was enough for him to be drafted 27th overall in the 1st round of the 2017 MLB Draft. Unlike Yesavage, Little’s adventure through the minors was a long one, as it took him 7 years to reach the Majors. 

Although 2 very different stories, both Yesavage and Little prove that the District 1 competition in the area is top of the line, and anyone who has success in it should be proud. Now with a 3-2 lead going in to game 6 tonight, let’s hope the local boys can pull it out.