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Blue Jays: Former position players who are currently MLB free agents

By Tyson Shushkewich

ST PETERSBURG, FL - SEPTEMBER 28: Kevin Pillar #11 of the Toronto Blue Jays gets hit by a pitch in the sixth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays on September 28, 2018 at Tropicana Field in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)
ST PETERSBURG, FL - SEPTEMBER 28: Kevin Pillar #11 of the Toronto Blue Jays gets hit by a pitch in the sixth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays on September 28, 2018 at Tropicana Field in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) /
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TORONTO, CANADA – OCTOBER 1: Jeff Mathis #6 of the Toronto Blue Jays during MLB game action against the Minnesota Twins on October 1, 2012 at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /

Luke Maile

A product of the Tampa Bay Rays system, Luke Maile has spent the majority of his career as a backup catcher, a role he assumed when he joined the Blue Jays via waivers back in April of 2017. Maile spent three seasons with the Jays, posting a .193 batting average and a .550 OPS through 158 games. Defensively, Maile was a strong player behind the plate, posting identical .989 fielding percentages each season and was always above league average in terms of runners caught stealing, although with a smaller sample given his backup capacity.

Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table

After the 2019 season, Maile became a free agent and signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He would not see any game action during the shortened year after fracturing his finger prior to the start of the season. He became a free agent again last offseason and signed on with the Milwaukee Brewers, bouncing between the MLB and AAA all year long. He only appeared in 15 games for the Brew Crew last season, owning a .300 average through 30 at-bats.

Jeff Mathis 

Catcher Jeff Mathis spent only one season in Toronto, acquired from the Los Angeles Angels in the 2011 offseason in exchange for southpaw Brad Mills. With the Blue Jays, Mathis suited up in 70 games and authored a .218/.249/.393 with a .642 OPS. He worked more as a backup behind J.P. Arencibia, owning a .996 fielding percentage and a 41% caught stealing percentage.

Mathis would be included in the blockbuster deal with the Miami Marlins the following offseason and spent four seasons with the Marlins followed by stints in Arizona and Texas before suiting up for the Atlanta Braves last season. The Florida product spent a majority of the year in AAA with the Gwinnett Stripers and played in just three games for the Braves. Mathis is a 17 year veteran of the game and is entering the 2022 season at 39 years old.

Billy McKinney

Acquired alongside Brandon Drury from the Yankees back in 2017, outfielder Billy McKinney is a former first-round pick of the Oakland Athletics who was (and still is) struggling to find a permanent spot on an MLB roster. McKinney would spend parts of three seasons with the Jays, split between the MLB and AAA, finishing with a .230/.291/.439 line, 18 home runs, and a .730 OPS. The former top prospect would be DFA’d in September of 2020 and would be picked up by the Brewers days later, finishing the season in Milwaukee and beginning the 2021 campaign there as well.

The 2021 season saw Texas product play for three different teams, the Brewers, Mets, and finally the Los Angeles Dodgers. Combined, McKinney had 265 at-bats while posting a .638 OPS with 27 RBI. At the end of the season, the former Blue Jay would be traded to the Texas Rangers but would be non-tendered prior to the deadline, which is why he is currently a free agent.

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