Blue Jays Sign Three to Minor League Deals

Mar. 5, 2012; Lakeland, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Jonathan Diaz fields a ground ball during spring training against the Detroit Tigers at Joker Marchant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY SportsAccording to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet, the Toronto Blue Jays have inked a trio of Minor League players to deals. The contracts for Michael Broadway, Jonathan Diaz, and Marcus Walden are all of the Minor League variety and all include an invite to the team’s Spring Training camp in February.

Broadway is a 26-year-old right-hander who spent 2013 split between Double-A and Triple-A with the Washington Nationals. Over the course of nine seasons, all in the minors, Broadway has appeared in 228 games, made 23 starts, and holds a lifetime ERA of 4.36. The former 4th round pick will be with his fourth organization and has never made an appearance at the Major League level.

After seven seasons in the Blue Jays organization, infielder Jonathan Diaz got his first taste of the Major Leagues with the Boston Red Sox in 2013, going hitless in four at-bats. He’ll return to the Blue Jays organization in 2014, where he owns a career average of .230 and an OPS of .655. He likely won’t pitch again in 2014, after making two relief appearances for the Pawtucket Red Sox last season.

The 25-year-old Walden will return again in 2014. The former 9th round draft pick got his first taste of the advanced minors in 2013, making 26 starts for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, the team’s Double-A affiliate, and pitched well, posting a 6-14 record with a 3.71 ERA, but a middling 1.76 K/BB ratio.

All three signings are simply a matter of Minor League depth, with none likely to make any impact on the Major League roster in 2014.