July 23, 2019

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

The Toronto Blue Jays activated Canadian outfielder Dalton Pompey on Tuesday and designated him for assignment.

The 26-year-old Mississauga, Ont., native has just completed a 20-day rehab stint, but was out of minor league options. The speedy Canuck will now have to pass through waivers, giving other teams the opportunity to claim him, before the Blue Jays can assign him to a minor league affiliate.

Pompey suffered his third concussion this spring when he bumped his head on some bats above his locker prior to the game on March 21. He had previous concussions in 2016 and 2017.

His latest concussion ended what had been a productive spring for Pompey. He recorded 11 hits in 39 at bats (.282 batting average) with five runs, three doubles, a home run and two stolen bases in 14 contests.

The switch-hitting outfielder has had brief major league stints with the Blue Jays in four previous seasons, batting .221 with eight stolen bases in 64 games. He also served as a valuable pinch runner in the Blue Jays’ 2015 playoff run.

Pompey is only 26 and still possesses excellent tools, but with hot-hitting Lourdes Gurriel’s shift to the outfield, to go along with regulars Teoscar Hernandez and Randal Grichuk and the improved player of Billy McKinney, there was little room for the Canadian on the Blue Jays’ active roster.

In the 14 contests he played in, across three minor league levels, in his latest rehab stint, he had 11 hits in 45 at bats, good for a .244 batting average.