February 14, 2024

By Kevin Glew

Canadian Baseball Network

Toronto Blue Jays pitchers and catchers have reported to Dunedin.

Most Canadian baseball fans will tell you that they have been underwhelmed with the Blue Jays’ additions this off-season.

Their biggest signing was 39-year-old slugger Justin Turner who agreed to a one-year, $13-million contract on February 2.

With the New York Yankees landing Juan Soto and the Baltimore Orioles acquiring 2021 National League Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes, the Blue Jays are being picked by many to finish fourth in a strong American League East division.

The Blue Jays are banking on bounce-back seasons from players like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Montreal, Que.), George Springer, Alejandro Kirk and Alek Manoah. They will need them to contend.

But let’s forget about the present for now and focus on where some of your favourite ex-Jays have landed this off-season.

Here’s a summary that includes more than 70 updates:

LHP Anthony Banda, who made seven relief appearances for the Blue Jays in 2022, signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Guardians on January 30. He has been invited to big league spring training.

C Rod Barajas will return to the Miami Marlins as their field coordinator.

RHP Jeremy Beasley has re-signed with the Hanshin Tigers of the Japan Central League. It’s a one-year contract worth $800,000.

RHP Tyler Beede, who was selected by the Blue Jays in the first round of the 2011 MLB draft but did not sign, has signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Guardians.

RHP Danny Barnes will return to his position as strategy coach with the New York Mets.

C Henry Blanco, who played 15 games for the Blue Jays in 2013, was named Washington Nationals catching and strategy coach on November 10.

LHP Ryan Borucki re-signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates on November 17. It’s a one-year, $1.6-million deal.

RHP David Bush was named Texas Rangers’ director of pitching strategy on January 4. He spent the previous four seasons as the pitching coach of the Boston Red Sox.

INF Miguel Cairo was named Washington Nationals bench coach on November 10.

INF Vinny Capra, who played eight games for the Blue Jays in 2022, was claimed off waivers by the Milwaukee Brewers from the Pittsburgh Pirates on November 2.

RHP Miguel Castro had his $5-million, 2024 option with the Arizona Diamondbacks vest when he made 60 appearances with the club in 2023.

RHP Jesse Chavez signed a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox on February 8. The deal includes an invite to big league spring training.

RHP Adam Cimber signed a one-year, $1.65-millon contract with the Los Angeles Angels on December 13.

INF Darnell Coles was named Washington Nationals hitting coach on November 10.

OF Griffin Conine, who was selected by the Blue Jays in the second round of the 2018 MLB draft, has been invited to big league spring training by the Miami Marlins.

OF Jonathan Davis has re-signed with the Florida Marlins. He announced the transaction on Instagram on January 8. It’s a minor league contract that includes an invite to big league spring training.

INF Paul DeJong signed a one-year, $1.75-million contract with the Chicago White Sox on November 28.

RHP Anthony DeSclafani, who was selected in the sixth round of the 2011 MLB draft by the Blue Jays, was traded by the Seattle Mariners to the Minnesota Twins on January 29.

LHP Jeff Francis (North Delta, B.C.) has joined the Fanshawe College Falcons (London, Ont.) as a pitching consultant.

LHP Matt Gage, who made 11 relief appearances for the Blue Jays in 2022, was claimed off waivers by the New York Yankees from the Houston Astros on January 29. The Yankees then traded him to the Los Angeles Dodgers, along with Christian Zazueta Jr. for Caleb Ferguson on February 5.

Former manager John Gibbons was named bench coach of the New York Mets on December 4.

RHP Ken Giles signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves on February 2.

INF Ryan Goins announced his retirement on October 9. You can read his full retirement announcement here. On November 11, he joined the Los Angeles Angels as an infield coach.

RHP Mauro “Goose” Gozzo will return for his fifth season as manager of the Atlantic League’s Gastonia Honey Hunters. He was named the Atlantic League’s manager of the year in 2023. It was his second straight season winning the award.

INF Josh Groshans was designated for assignment by the Miami Marlins and claimed on waivers by the New York Yankees on February 13.

OF Lourdes Gurriel Jr. re-signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks on December 22. It’s a three-year deal worth $42 million. It includes an opt-out close after the 2025 season and a $14-million team option for 2027.

RHP Thomas Hatch was released by the Pittsburgh Pirates on November 30. He then signed with the Hiroshima Carp of the NPB (Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball circuit) on December 9. Per MLB Trade Rumors, it’s a one-year, deal worth a reported $1.3 million.

C Tyler Heineman was claimed off waivers by the New York Mets from the Blue Jays on December 1. The Mets designated him for assignment on January 30 and he was acquired by the Boston Red Sox for cash considerations on February 2.

RHP Liam Hendriks had his 2024 option declined by the Chicago White Sox and has become a free agent.

RHP Pat Hentgen has returned to the Toronto Blue Jays organization as a special assignment to player development.

OF Teoscar Hernandez signed a one-year, $23.5-million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers on January 7, per Jeff Passan of ESPN.com.

RHP Jordan Hicks finalized a four-year, $44-million contract with the San Francisco Giants on January 18. According to an Associated Press report, the deal includes incentives that could make it work $52 million.

RHP Daniel Hudson signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers on December 22.

RHP Jay Jackson signed with the Minnesota Twins on February 7. MLB Trade Rumors reports that Jackson will be guaranteed $1.5 million. He will be paid $1.3 million in 2023 and there is a $3-million team option (with a $200,000 team buyout) for 2025.

RHP Steve Karsay, the Blue Jays’ first round pick in the 1990 MLB draft, has been named the bullpen coach of the Los Angeles Angels.

LHP Anthony Kay has signed with the Yokohama BayStars of the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization (NPB) in Japan, per Robert Murray of FanSided.

LHP Jimmy Key was elected to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame on February 6.

INF/OF Jake Lamb, who played 12 games for the Blue Jays in 2021, has signed a minor league contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates, according to the Baseball America Minor League Transactions page.

RHP Derek Law, who is arbitration eligible, was not offered a contract by the Cincinnati Reds and is a free agent.

RHP Casey Lawrence was released by the St. Louis Cardinals on October 27. He signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners on February 7. He has been invited to big league spring training.

Former first-base coach Tim Leiper has been named third base coach of the San Diego Padres.

RHP Jesse Litsch has been named manager of the Sanford River Rats of the Florida Collegiate Summer League.

LHP Zach Logue, a former Blue Jays’ ninth round pick in 2017, signed a minor league deal with the Atlanta Braves on December 22.

LHP Aaron Loup had his 2024 option declined by the Los Angeles Angels on November 4. He is a free agent.

OF Jordan Luplow, who played seven games with the Blue Jays in 2023, signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves on January 10. He has been invited to big league spring training.

C Luke Maile re-signed with the Cincinnati Reds on October 19. It’s a one-year deal with an option for 2025. Mark Sheldon, of MLB.com, reports that the deal guarantees Maile $3.5 million.

OF Jake Marisnick, a Blue Jays’ third round pick in 2009, signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Angels on December 22. He has been invited to the club’s big league spring training.

INF/OF Austin Martin, the Blue Jays’ first-round pick in the 2020 MLB draft, had his contract selected by the Minnesota Twins and was added to their 40-man roster on November 14.

C Russell Martin (Montreal, Que.) was elected to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame on February 6.

INF Mason McCoy, who played six games for the Blue Jays in 2023, signed a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres on December 1.

OF/1B Billy McKinney was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates by the New York Yankees for cash considerations on December 15.

LHP Chris Michalak will return as pitching coach of the Colorado Rockies triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes.

LHP Brian Moran, who made two relief appearances for the Blue Jays in 2020, signed a minor league contract with the Atlanta Braves on February 4. The deal includes an invite to big league spring training.

LHP Thomas Pannone signed a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs on December 22.

OF Kevin Pillar signed a minor league contract with the Chicago White Sox on February 5.

OF Phil Plantier, who went to spring training with the Blue Jays in 1998, has been named assistant hitting coach of the Los Angeles Angels.

INF Nick Podkul, who was drafted in the seventh round by the Blue Jays in 2018, has been signed to a minor league contract by the Philadelphia Phillies. The deal includes an invite to Phillies’ big league spring training, per a Phillies release.

RHP Paul Quantrill (Port Hope, Ont.) has rejoined the Toronto Blue Jays as a special assistant to player development.

C Guillermo Quiroz was named manager of the Chicago White Sox class-A Winston-Salem Dash.

LHP Robbie Ray was traded by the Seattle Mariners to the San Francisco Giants for former Blue Jays 2011 sixth-round draft pick Anthony DeSclafani and outfielder Mitch Haniger. The trade was reported by Jeff Passan on January 5.

RHP Sergio Santos was named manager of the Chicago White Sox double-A Birmingham Barons.

OF Michael Saunders (Victoria, B.C.) became the 12th member of Baseball Canada’s Wall of Excellence on January 13. He will return to his position with the Atlanta Braves as a minor league outfielder/baserunning coordinator this year.

RHP Joe Smith announced his retirement on January 30.

INF Kevin Smith, who played 18 games with the Blue Jays in 2021, was not offered a contract by the Oakland A’s. He became a free agent on November 17. He signed a minor league deal with the New York Yankees on January 8, per Martin Gallegos, of MLB.com.

LHP Kirby Snead signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners, per the Baseball America Minor League Transactions page.

OF Cal Stevenson, who was drafted in the 10th round by the Blue Jays in 2018, has signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies. The deal includes an invite to big league spring training, per a Phillies release.

RHP Ross Stripling was traded, along with cash considerations, to the Oakland A’s by the San Francisco Giants on February 2 in exchange for outfielder Jonah Cox.

RHP Marcus Stroman signed a two-year, $37-million contract with the New York Yankees on January 11, per Jon Heyman of The MLB Network.

INF/OF Mark Teahen will have his No. 10 retired by Saint Mary’s College of California, his alma mater.

INF/DH Rowdy Tellez signed a one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates on December 15. Per MLB Trade Rumors, the deal reportedly guarantees him $3.2 million, but he could earn an additional $800,000 in performance bonuses.

RHP Ty Tice, who made four appearances for the Blue Jays in 2021, has signed a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals, per the Baseball America Minor League Transactions page.

LHP Andrew Vasquez, who made nine relief appearances for the Blue Jays in 2022, re-signed with the Detroit Tigers on January 4. It’s a minor league contract that includes an invite to spring training, per Evan Petzold, of the Detroit Free Press.

RHP Jacob Waguespack has signed a minor league contract with the Tampa Bay Rays and has been invited to their major league spring training.

RHP Kirby Yates signed a one-year, $4.5-million contract with the Texas Rangers on December 6, per MLB Trade Rumors. Yates signed with the Blue Jays on January 20, 2021, but never pitched for them in a regular season game after undergoing Tommy John surgery that March.