The Toronto Blue Jays made a notable roster move on Thursday, designating former top prospect Orelvis Martinez for assignment to clear space on the 40‑man roster. The decision came as the club activated right‑hander Alek Manoah from the 60‑day injured list and optioned him to Triple‑A Buffalo.Martinez, 23, was once viewed as one of the organization’s most promising young talents. Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2018 for a $3.5-million bonus — the second-largest international signing in franchise history — he quickly climbed prospect rankings on the strength of his prodigious power. Between 2021 and 2023, Martinez posted three consecutive seasons of at least 28 home runs in the minors, peaking as Toronto’s No. 2 prospect and earning a spot on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 list.After making his major‑league debut in June and recording his first hit, Martinez was suspended 80 games for testing positive for Clomiphene, a banned performance‑enhancing substance. He did not return to the majors that season, finishing the year in Triple‑A.This year, his struggles at the plate deepened. In 99 games with Buffalo, Martinez slashed just .176/.288/.348 with 13 home runs and 112 strikeouts over 394 plate appearances.Manoah, 27, had reached the maximum length of his rehab assignment while recovering from UCL reconstruction surgery that ended his 2024 season. League rules required Toronto to either reinstate him to the active roster or option him to the minors, necessitating a corresponding 40‑man move.Manoah is likely to finish the season in Triple-A as he gears up for a return in 2026. He’s made eight minor-league starts in total across four different affiliations. In five starts with the Bisons, Manoah has pitched to a 3.09 ERA, with 18 strikeouts, 12 walks, and five home runs allowed across 23 1/3 innings pitched.