The Toronto Blue Jays began their rebuild by trading away all expiring contracts that another team would take over. As a result, they completely overhauled the upper echelon of their farm system. With that in mind, they have plenty of players they could use to support their major league team this year.
They are not fighting for a playoff spot, but nobody likes to lose. Adding some top minor league players to the major leagues could give fans and the team a boost in 2025.
Let me preface this by saying that all three players on this list were acquired via trades this season as the Blue Jays began their rebuild. But they are three players who ended up in the Blue Jays’ minor leagues, so calling them up would be an acquisition in and of itself.
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When the Blue Jays traded Yusei Kikuchi at the trade deadline, many thought the Houston Astros paid much more than the left-hander was worth. I was one of those who thought Houston overpaid. But luckily for the Blue Jays, they got quite a bit in return, most notably starting pitcher Jake Bloss.
Bloss is a name we’ve seen on the mound for the Astros. There’s no reason we shouldn’t see him on the mound in the near future, this time in a Blue Jays uniform.
When Toronto completed the trade with the Astros, it was obvious that they valued Bloss highly, so much so that he became the headliner returner in exchange for a solid starting pitcher in a seller’s market.
There are good reasons for this, though. The 23-year-old Bloss has an ERA of under 2.00 in 13 starts in the minor leagues this season. He was a little banged up in the major leagues, but he has worked his way through the minor leagues incredibly quickly. He has all the talent in the world and the Blue Jays will likely use him in their rotation here soon.
While Bloss was a great addition to the Blue Jays at the trade deadline, Will Wagner was one of my personal favorite additions from Toronto. He’s an older prospect, ranked in the 20s in the Blue Jays’ system, but his talent is undeniable. The infielder has been consistently successful in all of the minor leagues since his signing.
In 288 career minor league games, the 26-year-old is hitting .298/.402/.443 with an OPS of nearly .850. Those are elite numbers for any hitter, let alone a former 18th-round pick. This season, he’s even been better than his career average.
He has a batting average of .319/.435/.452 with 23 extra-base hits, 58 walks and 35 strikeouts in 70 games in the Blue Jays’ and Astros’ Triple-A organizations. If those numbers seem ridiculous, that’s because they are. Walk and strikeout rates like that are rare in today’s game. A hitter like Wagner is pretty much a lost art.
He offers defensive versatility in a similar way to Spencer Steer of the Cincinnati Reds. Wagner is not an elite defender, but he is versatile, and that versatility could take him to the major leagues this year.
Jonatan Clase was another new addition to the Blue Jays roster during the season. He doesn’t offer as much stability as the other two players on this list, but his potential is huge.
When looking at a run-first candidate, you have to fear that he could turn into a Billy Hamilton of sorts. Hamilton was obviously an outlier with his speed and ability to steal bases, but Clase is similarly fast but has somewhat questionable hitting ability.
For someone with Clase’s speed, a .250 batting average in the major leagues could mean 50 stolen bases. Last season in the minor leagues, Clase stole 79 bases, and this season he has stolen 27 bases in the minor leagues as well.
This year, he has a batting average of .275/.371/.478 in 65 Triple-A games split between the Mariners and Blue Jays. He is a switch-hitter with the ability to hit a little better than expected.
Given his performance in the minor leagues this year, the Blue Jays may ignore his first major league appearance with the Mariners. Bringing him into the fold would give him a chance to rediscover his momentum and confidence on the biggest stage. He will likely be a key part of the Blue Jays outfield going forward.
