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.