TORONTO -- With former No. 1 prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr. putting up a historic season at just 22 years old, the Blue Jays’ farm system continues to develop top-end talent behind the young core.

This summer, the spotlight belonged to Gabriel Moreno, who skyrocketed into MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list at No. 32, cementing himself as the Blue Jays’ catcher of the future. Moreno hit .373 with eight homers and a 1.092 OPS over 32 games in Double-A before a thumb injury sidelined him, but the 21-year-old got a taste of Triple-A before the season wrapped and will be one of the top stories when Spring Training opens in February.

Moreno wasn’t alone, of course. Toronto’s Top 30 prospects list had plenty of turnover in 2021, both due to performance and trades. The biggest came at the deadline, when the Blue Jays sent then-No. 2 prospect Austin Martin and No. 4 Simeon Woods Richardson to the Twins for José Berríos. That’s the exact type of trade the Blue Jays will need to make again in coming years as they look to sustain their success, and a strong prospect pool will allow them to do just that.

Here’s a look at who stood out in 2021 and what it means for the Blue Jays moving forward.

Three players who forced their way onto the radar:

SS/3B Orelvis Martinez (No. 2) -- The 19-year-old put up a massive season between Class A and Class A Advanced, launching 28 home runs with an .895 OPS. Now the No. 44 prospect in baseball, Martinez will rival Moreno’s hype in 2022.

Martinez is developing physically into a true power hitter’s frame, and while there’s still room to tidy up his plate approach -- like most 19-year-olds -- the tools are there for Martinez to hit for both average and power while putting up huge exit velocity numbers. He saw time at shortstop and third base in 2021, with third being his likelier home, and it’s entirely possible that Martinez pushes to join a young, star-studded infield in early 2023.

SS/3B Kevin Smith (9) -- Smith’s MLB debut was challenging over parts of 18 games, but the 25-year-old deserves credit for turning his prospect status around in 2021. It was a long time coming, too.

Back in ’18, Smith hit 25 home runs, stole 29 bases and saw his stock shoot up. Then, ’19 hit, which saw Smith crash back down to earth with a .666 OPS and major strikeout issues that continued into the Arizona Fall League. Few prospects were as eager to get through the lost ’20 season and get back on the diamond, and Smith made it count. In Triple-A, Smith hit .285 with 21 homers and a .931 OPS over 94 games, playing strong defense along the way. He’s earned a look with the MLB club as a depth piece in ’22.

LHP Zach Logue (27) -- The 2017 ninth-round pick has posted strong numbers through the Minors, but his performance in Triple-A in ’21 has left the organization encouraged that he’s taken another step. Logue pitched to a 3.32 ERA in Triple-A over 89 1/3 innings with strong peripheral numbers, which should put him into the rotation depth mix in ’22. Much like TJ Zeuch or Anthony Kay this past season, Logue should have an opportunity in Spring Training to position himself well upon that Triple-A ladder.

Two possible breakout players to watch in 2022:

RHP Irv Carter (15) -- The Blue Jays went well over-slot to sign Carter, a fifth-round pick in 2021, to a bonus of $850,000. The big right-hander reaches up to 94 mph with his fastball, but at 19, there should be room for more. Carter will make his pro debut in 2022 and has all the tools to succeed early, so while he still has several years of development ahead of him, he’s worth keeping on your short list of prospects to watch.

OF Dasan Brown (19) -- The Canadian has speed, speed and more speed. He stole 22 bases over 51 games in Single-A this past season, and while there is still significant development ahead for Brown at the plate, he doesn’t need to be a .300 hitter to climb the ladder. As long as Brown can reach base consistently, his speed will shine and his defense has significant potential.

One big question for next season: Is anyone untouchable?

The short answer is no. There’s a sensible trade for nearly any player or prospect, but of course the Blue Jays will have a small group of prospects they’d love to keep long-term, topped by Moreno and Martinez.

Toronto is in a window of building its MLB roster, though, not stockpiling prospects. Free agency presents plenty of opportunities this offseason, but trades will be just as appealing for the Blue Jays and may ultimately be the more sensible route. That won’t come without a cost, and as the Berríos deal showed, it can be steep.