Blue Jays: Players who could be dropped before Opening Day

TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 17: Ryan Borucki #56 of the Toronto Blue Jays on the mound in the eighth inning of their MLB game at Rogers Centre on September 17, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - SEPTEMBER 17: Ryan Borucki #56 of the Toronto Blue Jays on the mound in the eighth inning of their MLB game at Rogers Centre on September 17, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario. (Photo by Cole Burston/Getty Images) /
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Blue Jays
TORONTO, ON – SEPTEMBER 14: Reese McGuire #7 of the Toronto Blue Jays catches during a MLB game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Rogers Centre on September 14, 2021 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /

Reese McGuire

Sitting in a similar position last season, Reese McGuire enters the 2022 season out of minor league options and on the outside looking in when it comes to securing playing time. With Danny Jansen and Alejandro Kirk healthy heading into the campaign, McGuire is the third catcher on the club and needs a spot on the roster otherwise he has to be DFA’d.

This happened to McGuire last year and he ended up passing through waivers and being sent outright to Buffalo prior to Opening Day, a move that would be a stroke of luck for the Blue Jays. Jansen and Kirk would both hit the IL and the Jays added him back to the 40-man roster, where he would appear in 198 at-bats and slashing .253/.310/.343 with a .654 OPS through 78 games.

The only difference between this season and last is that the Jays’ top prospect, catcher Gabriel Moreno, is knocking on the big league doors and the club could call him up over McGuire moving forward. Add in Kirk and Jansen, even if one of those players gets traded, the lefty batter would still be the third catcher and continue to be on the outside looking in. There is a high probability the club removes him from the 40-man prior to Opening Day with Moreno on the radar.