Blue Jays: Potential options from the minors when the rosters expand

A.J. Cole – RHP

A solid arm in the Blue Jays bullpen last season, A.J. Cole returned to the club this season and while he didn’t make the club on Opening Day, he pitched well when he was activated on May 8th before finding himself on the 60-day IL, appearing in six games and allowing only one earned run through 8.0 innings while posting a 1.13 ERA. Currently on a rehab assignment in AAA, the right-hander has allowed three hits and one earned run through 4.0 innings while striking out one batter with one walk.

Cole could find himself being DFA due to 40-man roster space being limited but the upside is there if he can remain healthy once the rehab assignment is complete.

Kirby Snead – LHP

Making his major league debut back in July, left-hander Kirby Snead has been solid in both the majors and the minors this season. Through 7.2 innings with the Blue Jays, Snead has thrown to a 2.35 ERA with two earned runs, seven strikeouts, and two walks. The southpaw has given up his fair share of hits (seven) and opponents hold a .259 average on him this season but he has been able to keep the damage to a minimum so far this year.

Riding the options bus twice already this season, the roster expansion could provide Snead a permanent spot in the bullpen to finish out the year, especially if fellow left-hander Brad Hand continues to struggle.

Anthony Castro – RHP

While he did not make the Opening Day roster, Anthony Castro was fantastic through April, striking out nine batters through 7.1 innings while only giving up three hits with zero earned runs. The issue for Castro this season has been staying healthy, as the right-hander has experienced multiple stints on the IL and really started to get hit around in June/July, with his ERA now sitting at 5.31 through 20.1 innings.

Currently down in AAA on a rehab assignment since August 14th, Castro has pitched well through five relief appearances, allowing two earned runs through 5.0 innings while striking out six batters with zero walks. The biggest tests for Castro will be his ability to stay healthy and to find his old form if he wants to make his way back to the Blue Jays bullpen when rosters expand.

Danny Jansen – Catcher

Currently on a rehab assignment down in AAA, Danny Jansen is most likely ready to return from his hamstring injury sometime over the next week or so, whether it be through the roster expansion or resulting in the demotion/designation of either Alejandro Kirk or Reese McGuire.

While his .176/.259/.336 slash line and .595 OPS are tough to look at, the Blue Jays front office likes having Jansen in the majors and while it may seem a bit silly to have three catchers on the major league roster, it is a move the club could make if they wanted to when rosters expand. Kirk would most likely receive more time as the designated hitter if the Blue Jays want to keep his bat in the lineup and have Jansen catch more behind the plate.

The September 1st roster expansion to 28 players provides a few different options for the Blue Jays who could look to bolster the club with some current minor league players.

The major roadblock for Jansen making the club is that both Kirk and McGuire are playing well enough that they are not really deserving a demotion right now. While the Blue Jays are not on a winning streak, the club may be smart to run with the more offensive weapons in the lineup given the recent dip in batting order productivity, which would mean Kirk and McGuire would stay in the big leagues.

Otto Lopez – INF

The Blue Jays #6 ranked prospect, Otto Lopez got his first taste of big-league action earlier this month against the Washington Nationals, appearing in one at-bat and striking out before being optioned back down to the minor leagues.

Fans didn’t really get a chance to see Lopez and what he can do, as the Dominican product is hitting well this season between AA and AAA, sporting a combined .314/.386/.434 slash line with three home runs, 47 RBI, 12 steals, and a .820 OPS. The righty batter does have versatility to play multiple infield positions as well as left and right field, something that could bode well for the Blue Jays when it comes to having more players being able to cover more areas.

Jarrod Dyson – OF

Picked up by the Blue Jays yesterday off the waiver wire, Jarrod Dyson is known for his speed on the basepaths. His career .244/.314/.333 slash line puts him in line to be a bench outfielder and he is apparently set to join the roster this weekend in Detroit.

With Josh Palacios also in the majors, one of the two will most likely be sent down when George Springer returns in the near future unless the injury keeps him sidelined for longer than expected.

Ryan Borucki – LHP

A few seasons removed from his stellar 2018 campaign, southpaw Ryan Borucki is now a relief pitcher for the Blue Jays and has found his fair share of struggles this season on the mound. Multiple injury stints and a 5.12 ERA through 20 appearances this season with the Jays saw Borucki be sent back to the minors on August 8th and has been on the Development List ever since. A bit of a long shot at this point to rejoining the roster given the other current options.

Julian Merryweather – RHP

After a great start to the season with the Blue Jays that saw him collect two saves and seven strikeouts through 4.1 innings of work, injuries once again caught up to Julian Merryweather and the right-hander has missed most of the season on the IL.

The hard-throwing relief pitcher is currently on a rehab assignment down in the lower levels of the minor leagues but considering he has not pitched for almost a full season, it seems very unlikely a return this year at the big league level is in the cards.

Anthony Kay – LHP

Another victim of the options game, Anthony Kay has been transferred between the major league squad and AAA numerous times this season. The only player left from the Marcus Stroman trade, Kay has struggled this year at both levels and will most likely finish the season in the Bisons rotation.

Bryan Baker – RHP

One of the Bison’s most effective relievers this season, Bryan Baker has been great in the bullpen. Through 31 games, Baker sports a 1.41 ERA through 32.0 innings with 16 walks, 38 strikeouts, and nine saves. His biggest obstacle to making the active roster is that he is not on the 40-man roster, meaning somebody would have to be designated for assignment for him to slide in. A tall order given the current roster but one that could happen if the Blue Jays decide to call upon him to finish out the year.

Dany Jimenez – RHP

Another strong arm in the bullpen down in AAA, Dany Jimenez has found a groove to the tune of a 2.86 ERA through 34.2 innings pitched. With three saves and 54 strikeouts on the season, Jimenez is also not on the 40-man roster and would need a spot in order to make the Blue Jays.

Hobie Harris – RHP

Leading the Buffalo Bisons in appearances, right-hander Hobie Harris is another contender to be called upon if a 40-man roster spot opens up in the near future. Through 32 games and 32.2 innings, Harris has thrown to a 3.21 ERA with six saves, 12 walks, and 41 strikeouts with a 1.01 WHIP.

Gabriel Moreno – Catcher

Gabriel Moreno makes this list as probably the biggest longshot out of everyone in this article but there is no denying that when he is hitting the ball well, the entire team takes notice.

Skyrocketing up the prospect standings and drawing praises from across the league Moreno is playing well in AA to a .373/.441/.651 slash line with eight home runs, 45 RBI, and a 1.092 OPS. The righty batter is on the 40-man roster should the Blue Jays want to call him up to the majors sometime in the near future but he hasn’t played since June 30th after sustaining a thumb injury.

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While the club did call-up Alejandro Kirk last season when the rosters expanded in September and he had yet to play above Single-A ball, the same fate could happen to Moreno but seems unlikely. There is a lot of depth at the major league level within the catching position and with the Venezualan product missing almost two months of baseball, it doesn’t seem feasible at this time (even though fans may want to bring him and his 1.092 OPS up sooner rather than later).

Cavan Biggio – UTIL

The 2021 season is one that Cavan Biggio would most likely want to put behind him. Multiple injuries and a rough performance at the plate have limited Biggio to just 77 games and a .215/.316/.350 line with 78 strikeouts in 246 at-bats. The son of Hall of Famer Craig Biggio was also entrusted with third base to begin the season, a position he struggled with to find a proper form and currently sports a .935 fielding percentage with nine errors on the season.

Currently in AAA on a rehab assignment, Biggio is now facing a new injury, this time to his elbow, different that the back and neck issues he has been dealing with earlier this year. It might be best to let Biggio finish the season in Buffalo and start anew next year.

Mallex Smith – OF

Picked up from the Cincinnati Reds on August 14th, Mallex Smith has bounced around five different organizations prior to landing in Toronto since being drafted back in 2012. With 442 games at the major league level under his belt, Smith is one of the more experienced players down in AAA and could be a viable option off the bench in that he can also steal bases, posting 40+ stolen bags in both 2018 and 2019.

Smith is not on the 40-man roster and would need to find a spot before being called-up to the major leagues. Another hurdle in his way is the recent addition of Jarrod Dyson, who also fills in the “speedy outfielder bench player” role but he is on the 40-man roster already and scheduled to join the Blue Jays in Detroit this weekend, a step ahead of the former Reds outfielder.