Examining the prospects Blue Jays manager Ross Atkins has traded away

Ross Atkins joins the Toronto Blue Jays as General Manager on December 03, 2015.

2016

Sean Ratcliffe

• Traded to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for RHP Jason Grilli on May 31, 2016

Career MLB Stats: N/A

A Canadian pitcher in the Blue Jays farm system, Sean Ratcliffe was drafted by the organization in the18th round of the 2013 MLB amateur draft. He spent his first two seasons of professional baseball in the rookie league with the Gulf Coast Blue Jays before being promoted to the Vancouver Canadians (A-) the next season. He would be used as a reliever but struggled through his three years in the Blue Jays farm system, never having an ERA below 4.00.

Ratcliffe would be traded to the Atlanta Braves and would join the organization’s Appalachian Rookie League team in Danville and would struggle there as well, pitching to an 18.00 ERA in just two games and one inning of work. The right-hander would be released and would join the Kitchener Panthers of the Intercounty Baseball League in Ontario for the 2017 season. This would be his last season in baseball, as his social media profile now has him saying he is a former professional baseball player.

Hansel Rodriguez – Pitcher

• Traded to the San Diego Padres in exchange for Melvin Upton Jr. on July 26, 2016

Career MLB Stats: N/A

Another international free agent signee from the Dominican Republic, pitcher Hansel Rodriguez joined the Blue Jays organization in 2014. Pitching two and a half seasons in the Blue Jays rookie league level, Rodriguez had some significant upside before being dealt midway through 2016, throwing to a 3.06 ERA, 1.113 WHIP, and 26 strikeouts in six starts with the Bluefield Blue Jays.

Rodriguez would be traded to the San Diego Padres with the Blue Jays acquiring veteran outfielder Melvin Upton Jr. to help bolster for one last playoff push. The 6’2 right-hander has spent the past four seasons in the Padres organization, never making it past the A+ league level, and would not pitch in 2020 due to the MiLB season being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Rodriguez would elect free agency after the end of the 2020 season and would sign with the Los Angeles Angels a few weeks later on a minor league contract.

Guadalupe Chavez – Pitcher

• Traded to the Houston Astros in exchange for RHP Scott Feldman on August 01, 2016

MLB Career Stats: N/A

A native from El Fuerte, Mexico, Guadalupe Chavez joined the Toronto Blue Jays in 2015 where he would spend one and a half seasons with the Gulf Coast Blue Jays in the Rookie League. A starting pitcher, Chavez would start nine games over ten appearances for Gulf Coast, with his best season being in 2016 where he would pitch to a 1.69 ERA over 32.0 innings with 26 strikeouts and a 1.031 WHIP before being traded.

Chavez would shock the Astros by retiring in early 2017 due to personal reasons back home in Mexico, effectively putting his baseball career on hold. He would make a return to the Astros in 2019 when he un-retired and would spend the season in the A league. He would not play in the MiLB last season due to the COVID-19 pandemic and instead pitched in the Mexican Pacific Winter League with Tomateros de Culiacan, throwing an impressive 1.29 ERA and 1.143 WHIP while starting two games and finishing four, throwing 14.0 innings.

Colton Turner – Pitcher

• Traded to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for C Dioner Navarro on August 26, 2018

Career MLB Stats: N/A

A 21st round selection in the 2012 MLB amateur draft, relief pitcher Colton Turner was a member of the Toronto Blue Jays for roughly four seasons before being traded to the White Sox in 2018. The left-hander would reach AA New Hampshire in 2016, where he would throw 10.1 innings to the tune of a 5.23 ERA, 1.935 WHIP, and 10 strikeouts over nine appearances. He missed the entire 2014 due to tommy john surgery. 

After being traded to the White Sox, Turner would spend most of his time bouncing between AA and AAA before becoming a free agent at the end of the 2019 season. The Texas native would sign a minor league contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks for the 2020 campaign but would be released from the organization in May as there would be no minor league season. It appears that he is currently a free agent.

Brady Dragmire – Pitcher

• Traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for cash considerations on October 05, 2016

Career MLB Stats: N/A

Drafted out of Bradshaw Christian High School in the 17th round of the 2011 amateur draft, Brady Dragmire spent six seasons in the Blue Jays farm system before being traded. The highest Dragmire would reach was AA New Hampshire, appearing in 45 games while pitching to a 4.38 ERA with 41 strikeouts and a 1.472 WHIP.

Dragmire would be DFA’d by the Blue Jays in September 2016 and eventually traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates a week later. He wouldn’t appear in a game for the Pirates, as the Texas Rangers would pick him off from waivers later that off-season. In a strange twist of events, Dragmire would bounce between the Pirates and Rangers all off-season before finally beginning the season in the Texas farm system. He would be released midway through 2017 and would sign a minor league contract with the Washington Nationals where he pitched until being released in mid-2019. He would finish the season playing independent ball and appears to be a free agent at this time.

2017

Lane Thomas – Outfielder

• Traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for other considerations on July 02, 2017

Career MLB Stats: 52 games; 84 PA; .216/.310/.473; .782 OPS; 5 home runs; 14 RBI

One of the highest-drafted prospects traded by Ross Atkins, Lane Thomas was selected out of high school by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 5th round of the 2014 amateur draft. Spending time in the outfield as well as third and second base, the versatile right-hander never advanced past A ball before being dealt to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Traded for international bonus money, Thomas would work his way up the Cardinals farm system before making his MLB debut on April 17, 2019, bouncing between AAA and the MLB all season. Thomas would play in 18 games last year, spending time both between the alternate training site and the MLB roster. The Tennessee native also spent three weeks on the COVID list after contracting the virus and would return to the Cardinals to finish the season, slashing .111/.200/.250 as he struggled with various symptoms after recovering from COVID. He will get another opportunity to make the active roster this upcoming season as the Cardinals have traded away a few outfielders this past off-season and appear to be looking for internal solutions to these open roster spots.

Ryan McBroom – First Base

• Traded to the New York Yankees in exchange for 1B Rob Refsnyder on July 23, 2017

Career MLB Stats: 59 games; 168 PA; 269/.321/.436; .757 OPS; 6 home runs; 16 RBI

Drafted out of West Virginia University in the 15th round in 2014, Ryan McBroom stands at 6’3″ and is known for power when he stands at the plate. The first baseman would spend three and half seasons in the Blue Jays organization, making his way to AA New Hampshire before being traded to the New York Yankees.

A rare trade with an A.L. East rival, McBroom would spend a year and a half in the Yankees organization before being traded to the Kansas City Royals on August 31, 2019. The right-hander would make his debut a few days later, finishing the season on the Royals roster. He would make the Royals opening day roster in 2020 but would see a short stint at the alternate training site before rejoining the active roster just a few games before seasons end. McBroom will be in tough competition with the Royals already having Carlos Santana and Hunter Dozier being able to play first base but could be used as the designated hitter if the team decides to use Jorge Soler in the outfield. He will not be eligible for free agency until 2026.

Osman Gutierrez – Pitcher

• Traded to the Miami Marlins in exchange for RHP Tom Koehler on August 19, 2017

Career MLB Stats: N/A

A native of Nicaragua, Osman Gutierrez joined the Blue Jays organization in 2012 and would spend three seasons in the Dominican Summer League before jumping stateside in 2015. Gutierrez would pitch with the Gulf Coast Blue Jays (Rookie), Bluefield Blue Jays (Rookie), and Dunedin Blue Jays (A) before being traded in 2017 to the Miami Marlins.

The starting pitcher would pitch three games for the Marlins before being released prior to the 2018 season. Since being released, Osman has spent the past three seasons in the Nicaraguan League and most recently pitched with Gigantes de Rivas, appearing in 8 games and throwing to a 6.75 ERA with 18 strikeouts over 13.1 innings.

J.B. Woodman – Outfielder

• Traded to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for INF Aledmys Diaz on December 1, 2017

A second-round draft pick in the 2016 MLB amateur draft (selected one pick before current Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette), J.B. Woodman was widely regarded for his strong batting presence during his college career where he slashed .299/.385/.485 over three seasons at the University of Mississippi. Woodman would spend just two seasons in the Blue Jays minor league system, spending most of his time in center field and never advancing past A+ ball.

The outfielder would be traded in the 2017/2018 off-season and would spend the 2018 season in the Cardinals A+ league team before being released in early August. Woodman has not appeared in affiliated baseball since being released and appears to be retired at this point in his career.

2018

Edward Olivares – Outfielder

• Traded to the San Diego Padres with RHP Jared Carkuff in exchange for INF Yangervis Solarte on January 6, 2018

Career MLB Stats: 31 games; 101 PA; .240/.267/.375; .642 OPS; 3 home runs; 10 RBI

Signed by the Blue Jays as an international free agent in 2014, Edward Olivares spent four years in the organization’s farm system, starting in the rookie league and making it to A+ league with the Dunedin Blue Jays. An outfielder who spent most of his time in right and center field, Olivares best season with the Blue Jays came in 2017 across the A and A+ league where he played 120 games and slashed .269/.327/.468 with a 795 OPS, 17 home runs, and 72 RBI.

The right-hander would be traded in the 2017/2018 off-season to the San Diego Padres and would spend the next two seasons in the A+ and AA leagues in the Padres organization. He would make his MLB debut this past season with the Padres before being optioned to the alternate training site in mid-August. Ten days later he would be traded to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for reliever Trevor Rosenthal, where he would make his debut with the Royals a few days later and be used in all three positions in the outfield. The Venezuelan native is under team control for the next three seasons and cannot become a free agent until 2027.

Jared Carkuff

• Traded to the San Diego Padres with OF Edward Olivares in exchange for INF Yangervis Solarte on January 6, 2018

Career MLB Stats: N/A

A late-round selection from the 2016 MLB amateur draft, Tennessee native Jared Carkuff was used as a relief pitcher during his two years in the Blue Jays organization. He would start 2016 in the rookie league and 2017 in A+ ball but would finish the season in AAA with the Buffalo Bisons, appearing in just one game while going 3.1 innings with one hit, one walk, and one strikeout.

Carkuff would be traded to the San Diego Padres along with Edward Olivares and would pitch in almost every level of the Padres farm system (A-AAA) before being released by the organization on May 31, 2018. The right-hander would finish the 2018 season pitching for the Chicago Dogs and the New Britain Bees in Independent ball and hasn’t appeared in professional/organized baseball since. He is currently the pitching coach of the Collins Hill High School baseball team and the wide receiver’s coach for the school’s football team in Suwanee, Georgia.

Conner Greene – Pitcher

• Traded to the St. Louis Cardinals with RHP Dominic Leone in exchange for OF Randal Grichuk on January 18, 2018

Career MLB Stats: N/A

Drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 7th round of the 2013 MLB amateur draft, Conner Greene progressed well through the organization’s farm system, starting in the Rookie League in 2013 and making it to AA New Hampshire in 2016. As a member of the Blue Jays, Greene was used as a starter and would pitch to mixed results in the higher levels of the farm system.

Greene would be traded to the St. Louis Cardinals prior to the 2018 season and would finally see a bump to AAA, albeit in a new bullpen role rather than as a starter. At the end of the 2018 season, Greene would be DFA’d by the Cardinals and would go on to sign with the Kansas City Royals, where he would pitch again to mixed results in AA and AAA being used as both a starter and as a reliever.

The right-hander would not make the Royals player pool last season (with the MiLB season being shut down) and would become a free agent at the end of the year. He recently signed a minor league contract with the Baltimore Orioles for the upcoming season.

Connor Panas – Outfielder

• Traded to the San Diego Padres in exchange for LHP Clayton Richard on December 30, 2018

Career MLB Stats: N/A

Another Canadian to find himself traded by Ross Atkins, outfielder Connor Panas was a 9th round draft pick in the 2015 amateur draft for the Toronto Blue Jays. Panas spent three years in the Blue Jays farm system, starting in 2015 in the rookie league and advancing to AA New Hampshire where he spent the entire 2018 season, accumulating 406 plate appearances with a .232/.296/.359 slash line, .655 OPS, and nine home runs.

Panas would be traded to the Padres just before New Year’s Eve in the 2018/2019 off-season and would spend just under half a season with the organization before being released. The Toronto native would sign with the Les Capitales de Quebec in the Canadian-American Association Independent baseball league to finish the 2019 season. Panas’s rights would be traded to the Winnipeg Goldeyes prior to the 2020 season (where he would sign) but would be released two months later. After looking at his social media, it appears that Panas signed with the Caimanes de Barranquilla in the Colombian Professional Baseball League at the end of 2020 and did play in a few games, but is no longer with the team as of right now.

Tune in later this week for Part Two!