Shortstop Bo Bichette has been an indispensable element of the Toronto Blue Jays franchise since his debut in 2019. The son of former major leaguer Dante Bichette, the 27-year-old always seemed like he would be a Blue Jay for life. But now it appears that his days in Toronto are slipping away. As a free agent for the first time in his seven-year career, the three-time All-Star appears increasingly likely to sign elsewhere.
The Blue Jays also seem less and less interested in a reunion with Bichette, turning their attention instead to free agent outfielder Kyle Tucker, who they are reportedly pursuing with a long-term contract offer, even up to 10 years.
With a projected $312 million payroll, third-highest in baseball, heading into the 2026 season, the Blue Jays would almost certainly find it impossible to bring both Tucker and Bichette on board. With that in mind, Bichette held a videoconference meeting with Philadelphia Phillies officials earlier this week.
The Boston Red Sox are reportedly also considering an offer to Bichette, according to an Athletic report.
Blue Jays Sign SS For Modest, 5-Figure Bonus
With Bichette looking more and more like a memory from the Blue Jays’ past, the organization on Thursday focused on the future — including, of course, the future of the shortstop position. Jan. 15 marked the opening of MLB’s annual international signing period. Even though the window to sign overseas prospects lasts 11 months, most of the top signees ink their contracts on the first day, which is why the date is known as International Signing Day.
The Blue Jays did plenty of business on Thursday, securing deals with 13 international prospects as of 6 p.m. ET on Thursday, according to signings listed on the team’s official transactions ledger.
But it was at shortstop that the Blue Jays made a very quiet move that could have a big impact on the Bichette-less team in the future. Toronto signed Sebastian Casanova, a shortstop out of Venezuela described by Blue Jays Nation writer Damon as “the biggest sleeper of their class.”
While the exact amount of Casanova’s signing bonus has not yet been publicly confirmed, according to baseball journalist Francys Romero of Beisbol FR, the Blue Jays were estimated to spend a mere $75,000 to bring Casanova into the system.
Scouting Report Praises Casanova
So what do the Blue Jays have in Casanova, other than a shortstop with one of the more memorable names in baseball?
According to a scouting report by Baseball America, the 5-foot-10, 175-pound infielder, despite not even making it onto MLB Pipeline‘s top 50 international free agent prospects list, is “an excellent athlete with premium speed.”
“At 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, he’s a plus-plus runner with explosive lower-half athleticism to play all over the field,” wrote the publication in its scouting report on Casanova. “He has experience both in the infield and in center field and should play somewhere up the middle, whether it’s a shortstop, second base or in center. He’s a hard-nosed player with good all-around instincts, a line-drive approach and gap power with an all-fields approach from the right side of the plate.”
Topping Toronto’s signing class on Thursday was Venezuelan catcher Juan Caricote, who received a bonus of $1.95 million according to Baseball America.
Blue Jays Sign ‘Explosive’ SS as Bo Bichette Future Grows Murkier