Monday, March 10

DUNEDIN, Fla. -- A good spring is a healthy spring. Breakouts are just cherries on top. 

The Blue Jays have done well in this regard, particularly with their veteran players, and Daulton Varsho still feels like he’s pacing ahead of schedule on his return from right shoulder surgery in September. 

No camp is perfect, though, and prior to Friday night’s game against the Yankees, manager John Schneider told reporters in Tampa that reliever Erik Swanson felt some discomfort in his right elbow after a recent bullpen session and was getting an MRI. This comes after Swanson’s early ramp-up was slowed by a forearm issue, so while the Blue Jays are hopeful this is a minor issue for Swanson, it brings the reality of injuries -- and depth -- back to the forefront. 

Injuries are rarely predictable. Beyond the controllable variables like a club’s medical staff and strength programs, there are large elements of hope and luck involved. Depth will be tested, it’s just a matter of where. 

These are the positions where Toronto still needs to improve its depth, either internally or externally:

1. The bullpen

Swanson’s setback is a good example to start with. The Blue Jays improved their bullpen this offseason, bringing back Yimi García and adding Jeff Hoffman to replace Jordan Romano in the closer’s role. They’ve also built out their depth with some intriguing options, but “depth” doesn’t always mean replacing the 26th spot on the roster … or the eighth spot in the bullpen. 

After Swanson returned from Triple-A in July last season, he posted a 2.55 ERA with 27 strikeouts over 24 2/3 innings. Most importantly, his splitter was fooling hitters again, plummeting beneath bats at the last second. Swanson is projected to be a major piece of this bullpen -- and still easily could be -- but if he or any of the back-end arms miss time, Toronto will need relievers with upside to step in, not just relievers who can eat innings. 

This is where relievers like Josh Walker, Brendon Little or non-roster invitee Jacob Barnes come in. Looking further out, No. 22 prospect Ryan Jennings has some enticing bullpen upside if the Blue Jays keep him shortened up. With any of these names, though, you’d be hoping for the absolute highest-end outcome. That’s why trades or free agency -- with someone like David Robertson still, surprisingly, available -- seems more attractive. 

The X-factor in all of this? Yariel Rodríguez. If Toronto feels comfortable shortening up Rodríguez as a one- to two-inning reliever, he at the very least possesses the upside to succeed in high-leverage situations and knows the role well from his time in Japan. 

2. Catcher

How many games can the Blue Jays ask Alejandro Kirk to catch? Is it 100? Is it 115? 

Regardless, Toronto will need a backup catcher to play a meaningful number of games. The days of the tandem between Kirk and Danny Jansen are gone, leaving Tyler Heineman as the lone catcher remaining on the 40-man roster and Christian Bethancourt as his main (off-roster) competition. 

The Blue Jays have no catchers ranked in their Top 30 prospects, leaving high-Minors options like Phil Clarke and Ali Sanchez as the next wave. This feels like a position that could be addressed again as rosters are cut down and the waiver wire begins to churn. 

3. First base

This position looks different for the Blue Jays in 2025. A year ago, they brought in Daniel Vogelbach and Joey Votto, and that was on top of Spencer Horwitz. With Horwitz gone and no veterans brought in this season, it’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and … who? 

Will Wagner is likely next in line and Anthony Santander could slide over to first in a pinch, but this isn’t a matter of depth for a potential injury. Instead, it’s a matter of having a bench bat that can maximize a lineup like Horwitz did at times last year. This is why Vladdy isn’t expected to see much time at third base in 2025. There’s not another first baseman on the roster whose presence helps Toronto crush a lefty starter, for example. 

This is also a matter of trends. Beyond Horwitz, Vogelbach and Votto, the Blue Jays have brought in Justin Turner, Brandon Belt and others, all while Guerrero has been the primary first baseman. As rosters churn leading up to Opening Day, this is another spot to keep an eye on.

Toronto came 27th in MLB Pipeline’s new farm system rankings. Given that this could be the last year we see Guerrero and Bo Bichette in Toronto, that’s not exactly good news. 

Pitching injuries decimated the Blue Jays’ system in 2024, and while they did add a landslide of prospects at the Trade Deadline, most of those added would land in the 20-to-40 range of most public rankings. 

This system has consistently produced big leaguers in recent years, but particularly with Vladdy and Bichette potentially leaving, it needs to produce a star … or two, or three. All eyes are on Arjun Nimmala (Toronto’s No. 1 prospect and the No. 86 prospect in baseball) and Trey Yesavage (No. 2; No. 87) who are on the Blue Jays’ roster for their Spring Breakout game on Saturday against the Twins. 

John Schneider had his two sons, Gunner and Grayson, with him in camp on Thursday to take in drills. Grayson even suited up for that afternoon’s game, joining his dad in the dugout. 

Schneider loves having them around through the season but joked that he’s been taking some heat at home from the two aspiring managers. 

“Especially Gunner,” Schneider said, laughing early Thursday. “He’s one of my biggest critics -- along with a lot of other people in the media -- about decision-making, lineup construction and things like that. It’s nice to bounce some ideas off him.”

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