The Toronto Blue Jays are expected to let a former top-five prospect go this offseason.
Toronto signed Japanese slugger Kazuma Okamoto to a four-year, $60 million deal this offseason with the Blue Jays. Okamoto projects to play third base, but the signing also means Toronto needs to create a 40-man spot.
The Blue Jays have some potential players they could remove from the 40-man, like Rule 5 picks Angel Bastardo or Spencer Miles. Or other pitchers like Paxton Schultz, Lazardo Estrada, or newly-acquired Chase Lee.
Yet, Toronto also has some options on the position side. Blue Jays analyst Tyson Shushkewich of BlueJaysNation predicts the team will DFA former top-five prospect Leo Jimenez.
“If I had to guess, I think Leo Jimenez’s time might be up with the Jays organization,” Shushkewich wrote. “He’s out of options and with Okamoto joining the club as a potential third base option, it seems like Jimenez will be further down the depth chart than the likes of Schneider, Ernie Clement, and the host of others who can slot into the infield.
“DFA Jimenez and trade him to a team that can use him on an everyday basis and hope an Otto Lopez 2.0 situation doesn’t rear it’s ugly head.”
Jimenez is 24-years-old and has spent his entire career in the Blue Jays orgainzation. Toronto signed him as an international free agent on July 2, 2017, giving a $800,000 signing bonus. The infielder has appeared in 81 career MLB games with Toronto but that could be coming to an end.
Jimenez Was Once a Highly-Touted Blue Jays Prospect
If Toronto does DFA Jimenez it would end his tenure with the Blue Jays. It would also be a disappointing ending to what looked like a promising career.
MLB Pipeline ranked Jimenez as Toronto’s fifth-ranked prospect in 2024, the highest ranking he reached. Jimenez can play shortstop and second base. At just 24-years-old, a team would likely trade for him to give him a shot in the majors.
Jimenez doesn’t have a clear path to playing time in Toronto and with him out of options, being DFA’d or traded seemes likely. The 24-year-old is known for his defense, but his bat has struggled in the majors.
In the 81 games, Jimenez had 208 at-bats, hitting .207 with 5 home runs and 20 RBIs. He appeared in just 18 games for Toronto last season, while he played in 63 in 2024 when Toronto struggled, but he failed to win a job this season.
With Okamoto signing, and the Blue Jays still having Ernie Clement, Davis Schneider, Addison Barger, and Andres Gimenez, Jimenez’s path to playing time is slim to none.
Toronto Not Ruled out From Other Moves
Although the Blue Jays made a splash by signing Okamoto, Toronto may not be done.
The Blue Jays have been linked to the likes of Bo Bichette, Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman, and this signing may not end those hopes. Blue Jays insider Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet reported that Toronto is still in those market. Although the team may also have to trade away someone to subtract from the roster.
“As the winter has progressed, the Blue Jays have also stayed in touch with the representatives for Bo Bichette, Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman, among others,” Nicholson-Smith wrote. “The Okamoto deal doesn’t necessarily preclude further additions.
“But the Blue Jays liked their position player core even before adding the 29-year-old, so any further additions might have to be paired with a corresponding subtraction via trade. Either way, at this point in the winter, the Blue Jays appear positioned to let the market come to them.”
After the Okamoto deal, the Blue Jays have the seventh-best odds to win the World Series.
Blue Jays Predicted to Move On From Former Top-5 Prospect After Okamoto Deal