2026 C’s Chat – Vancouver Canadians RHP #34 Jay Schueler – C's Plus Baseball

The first reliever on C’s Chat in 2026 is Vancouver Canadians pitcher Jay Schueler.

Born in Sterling, Illinois, Schueler attended Rock Falls High School where he lettered in baseball, basketball and golf. He was the Rockets Pitcher of the Year in his sophomore and junior campaigns. A Second Team All-Big Northern Conference in 2018, Schueler was a First Team Conference selection and Most Valuable Player in 2019 after batting .355 and posting a 1.62 earned run average with a 25-1 strikeout-to-walk total in 13 innings.

It was off to Parkland Community College in Champaign, Illinois for Schueler but there was no reason to pop the bubbly just yet as his freshman season in 2020 was limited to four appearances on the mound because of COVID. He won his lone decision and put up a 2.45 ERA in 11 innings in which he struck out 18 batters. In 2021, Schueler was named to the All-Mid-West Athletic Conference First Team after punching out 77 batters in 45⅔ innings while going 5-3 with one save and a 1.77 ERA. After making seven of his 12 appearances as a starter in 2021, Schueler made eight starts and two relief appearances in 2022 and piled up 59 whiffs in 43 innings while going 2-1 with a 3.77 ERA.

A transfer to Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida followed in 2023. He had a 1-0 record with a 4.13 ERA and 32 strikeouts in 24 innings, mostly as a reliever before turning in a 2.35 ERA in 2024, where he fanned 15 batters over 7⅔ innings, limiting batters to a .179 average.

Schueler’s summer college resume includes two seasons with the West Viriginia Black Bears of the MLB Draft (2021 and 2022) and one with the Peninsula Pilots of the Coastal Plain League (2023). What is missing on the baseball card was a stat line from the Western Canadian Baseball League in 2024 with the Okotoks Dogs. Unfortunately, fate struck Schueler literally when he took a foul ball off the nose to prevent him from ever pitching on Albertan soil. However, the story had a happening ending for Schueler as the Toronto Blue Jays signed him as a free agent on July 22, 2024 on the recommendation of scout Matt O’Brien.

The Dunedin Blue Jays was Schueler’s first assignment where he pitched nine innings in 2024 before preparing for his first full season in 2025 with the D-Jays. He won six of eight decisions with a 4.19 ERA, one save and 32 strikeouts in 34 innings.

Schueler’s C’s tenure in 2026 began with 6⅓ shutout innings and has not given up a run in seven of his 11 appearances on the season.

C’s Plus Baseball chatted with the 24-year-old Schueler during the team’s mid-May homestand against Everett. This interview has been edited for clarity.

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C’s Plus Baseball – Jay, let’s talk about how you wound up with the Blue Jays organization. You came from a Southeastern University in Florida.

Jay Schueler – So it was all started by the coach that signed me to Southeastern. He was just like, ‘Hey, you want to sign a free agent deal with the team?’ I was just like, ‘Yeah, I’m open to anything. I mean I’m starting to get to that age where I was like, ‘Alright, I gotta start thinking about life after baseball.’ Like I had one more year left of school so and he was just like, ‘Hey, do you want to take a free agent deal?’ I was like, ‘Absolutely!’ I wasn’t expecting anything to happen but I mean I just kept working each and every day and they were like, ‘Hey you want to come play?’ And I was, fun fact, I was actually up in Okotoks, Alberta and I got the call then and right before a game came out, it was just like a dream come true and as soon as he said, ‘Hey let’s go do it, I was ecstatic.’

CPB – Which league was this again?

JS – It’s the Western Canadian Baseball League and it’s got quite a few teams that are pretty notable. I mean, it’s a fun league even though I didn’t get to throw because I busted my nose on the day I was supposed to debut but still, the Blue Jays were just like, ‘Hey we’re gonna take a shot on you and here we go.’

CPB– Was it with Okotoks you were supposed to play for or was it another team?

JS – I was supposed to play for Okotoks but the day I was supposed to debut, I took a line drive to the nose and it was straight to the operating room and fixed it right up.

CPB – Well, thankfully you’re okay. So you arrived at the Blue Jays camp. What was that whole experience like for you when you get to the Player Development Complex and get introduced to the organization?

JS – I thought it was awesome. Sometimes it still doesn’t sink in that I’m playing for the Blue Jays and like, it’s honestly a blessing. I mean, I come out each and every day say, ‘Hey I get to play baseball’. It’s like you’re playing a childhood game.

CPB – Some Southeastern University connections for you. There was JJ Sánchez who you got to play with and also Colby Martin. Did they tell you anything about the organization when you joined?

JS – They just said keep working your tail off, do what got you here and there’s no difference. Just competing at a higher level.

CPB – Was there anybody you hit it off with right away when you got to camp for the first time?

JS – When I got to camp for the first time, it was Jonathan Todd and a little bit of Jack Eshleman. I mean I wasn’t sure with some guys where I was like, ‘Alright, I’m trying to figure out my group here.’ I mean we solved it pretty fast and I’m a pretty social guy so it’s easy to get along with others.

CPB – after your first taste of pro ball, what did the team tell you to work on in the offseason?

JS – Just filling up the strike zone, commanding offspeeds and just continue to go out there and get outs.

CPB – Did you have a big workout regimen? What was your offseason like in terms of that?

JS – So my offseason work starts with just obviously starting in the gym and I try to go at least five to six days a week regardless of how little work I need to do. It could be as much as stretching and sometimes strength work or plyometrics just to kind of move explosively but I try to start everything in the gym and then it goes to the field and getting mechanically sound and everything else just comes from there.

CPB – As far as the Player Development Complex goes, I don’t know if you’re a big analytics guy or anything like that but was there something maybe you learned about yourself as far as your style of pitching?

JS – I mean I’m not a huge analytical guy but I mean it’s also really nice to see all the numbers because baseball is a numbers game and it’s good to have feedback from those numbers and it does give the coaches really good info to help me get better each and every day.

CPB – Your pitch mix, what is it that you’re throwing right now?

JS – Slider, fastball and splitter.

CPB – How would you describe the slider? Gyro slider or sweeping slider?

JS – Sometimes it gets to be a little bit of a curveball but it’s mainly gyro and I just think, ‘Throw it as hard as I can and let it do its thing and try to get outs with it.’

CPB – Would you say that’s your number one pitch seeing that was the first pitch that you mentioned?

JS – Yeah, the slider is definitely my go-to.

CPB – Did anybody help you develop that or show you a grip ?

JS – Yeah, so my coach in junior college, Parkland College, you might know (about the college) from Kevin Kiermaier. (My coach Ian Yunker) helped me really develop a slider because before when I got to junior college, I was only throwing curveballs and fastballs. He’s like, ‘Hey let’s try a slider. It might fit you a little bit better’. So he and I worked on it relentlessly and it became my best pitch slowly but surely.

CPB – Now your fastball, is it two-seam or four-seam?

JS – It’s a four-seam.

CPB – The splitter. I know (Blue Jays assistant pitching coordinator) Cory Riordan, from what I’ve heard from Johnny King, is a very big proponent of that pitch. How did he help you develop it?

JS – He just said you gotta find what grip works for your hand because obviously everyone’s hand’s different and it’s just whatever feels comfortable in your hands honestly. He just pounded it in my head, ‘Just keep trusting it. Trust it, trust it.’ And at the end of the day, splitters and change-ups are feel pitches and they are hard to control it sometimes too.

CPB – How would you describe your delivery? How did that all develop?

JS – The delivery kind of started from my Dad. He was just like hey just go right at them try to be as focused as you possibly can. My Dad played a little bit of independent league baseball when he was playing and he kind of gave me the roots for where I need to go for my mechanics. I try to be smooth as possible while moving fast.

CPB – You’re here with Vancouver, how would you compare the difference between pitching here and in Dunedin?

JS – I like it here because you don’t get as hot and you’re not sweating all the time. Personally, I grew up in Illinois where it’s doesn’t get too crazy warm during the spring and I think it’s absolutely beautiful and I love it.

CPB – How would you compare it in terms of the competition? Are the batters a little bit more refined?

JS – Yeah, they’re definitely more disciplined and they can they can see pitches out of the hand and know when to take or swing.

CPB – How would you say things have been going for you this season in Vancouver?

JS – I think it’s gone pretty good, just got a few things that I need to clean up. I mean, just limiting the walks and getting to two strikes as fast as possible but other than that I think, as a club, I think we already got a really good shot to start winning some ball games here soon. The bullpen let alone has been doing really good holding games, tight games and starters are doing their jobs and overall, I think this season’s gonna be really good for us.

JS – Did you have a favourite major league team or player growing up?

CPB – I grew up watching the Cubs but my favourite player of all time is Nolan Ryan just because my Dad instilled in my brain like, ‘Hey, this guy knew what he was doing. He wasn’t the biggest guy but he knew how to throw hard.’

CPB – Speaking of the major leagues, you know a couple major leaguers, tell us who you know?

JS – Jedd Gyorko (his West Virginia Black Bears coach) and Jakob Junis and a (2010) first rounder, Seth Blair with the Cardinals a long time ago. I actually got to meet Coco Crisp too as well in (the MLB) Draft League. I also in 2012, September 12th, I still have the ticket stub to this game, I got to shake Derek Lee‘s hand during an on-field batting practice. So I’ve been around baseball my entire life and I know a lot of big names in sports.

CPB – That’s pretty cool. As far as teammates go, who’d you say is your funniest teammate?

JS – He’s not here but I’d probably say Aaron Munson. He’s probably the funniest guy, he’s always got jokes but if I had to say someone here right now, it’s got to be Carson Pierce. Okay, very interesting. Okay, cool.

CPB – Just wanted to ask as well your favorite uniform with the Canadians. You got “The Nat” uniform, red, white, black, blue, gray, do you have a favourite?

JS – I think the red one. You can’t go wrong with a good red jersey. I mean, my school colors were red and I was just like, ‘Yeah, that fits me.’

Jay Schueler File

Born – June 5, 2001, in Sterling, Illinois
Height/Weight – 6’3, 205 libs
Bats/Throws – Right/Right
Uniform Numbers – Wore number 26 in 2020, number 21 in 2021 and number 34 in 2022 for the Parkland College Cobras in 2022. Wore number 34 in 2023 and 2024 for the Southeastern University Fire. Wore number 5 in 2024 and number 31 in 2025 for the Dunedin Blue Jays.
Instagram – @jay_schueler_21
Twitter – @SchuelerJay
Professional Debut – August 7, 2024, for Dunedin Blue Jays vs. Palm Beach Cardinals. Pitched one shutout inning.
First Professional Strikeout – August 7, 2024, for Dunedin at Palm Beach. Struck out Sammy Hernández, his first professional batter.
First Professional Save – August 30, 2024, for Dunedin at the Lakeland Flyers Tigers.
First Professional Win – April 27, 2025, for Dunedin at the Tampa Tarpons. Pitched 1⅓ shutout innings.
C’s Debut – April 7, 2026, versus vs. Eugene Emeralds. Pitched two perfect innings with two strikeouts.
Fun Fact – Jay’s father Joe Schueler played in the independent leagues for the Minneapolis Millers in 1994 and cousin Noah Schueler was an infielder at Sauk Valley Community College in 2023 and a pitcher at Grandview University in 2024 and is now an assistant coach with Sauk Valley.
Fun Fact 2 – In addition to former lefthander JJ Sánchez and righthander Colby Martin, righthander Reese Wissinger joins Schueler as Southeastern Almuni pitchers to have pitched for Monty’s Mounties.
Even More Fun Facts (courtesy of Dunedin broadcaster Eli Fishman) – Used to live on a farm and ride horses. Hobbies include fishing and card collecting. Favorite food is steak and potatoes. Became fluent in Spanish at Southeastern thanks to his Dominican roommate, Antonio Escanio. Has played golf at a competitive level, won numerous local tournaments while he was in high school. Doesn’t use a driver, always uses his four wood off the tee. At one point, wanted to be a broadcaster and even called play-by-play of his junior college’s baseball games on some days when he didn’t pitch.