Former Blue Jays currently playing in the Nippon Professional Baseball league

The Nippon Baseball League, Japanse highest level of professional baseball, has yielded tons of talented players that have succeeded within Japan and have also found success overseas in Major League Baseball. While the Blue Jays have not dipped their feet too far into the international pool when it comes to baseball players from Japan, their most recent experience was with Shun Yamaguchi, a right-hander signed by the club back in 2019/2020 offseason.

The NPB has also been a proving ground for former MLB players and minor league players alike, with some athletes choosing to play overseas rather than in the Minor Leagues or on the bench of a big-league time. Some players go over and struggle to adapt while others find their old forms, usually returning back to North America to try a second round at the MLB stage.

With all that in mind, the Blue Jays are well represented in the NPB in terms of former players, some with the team as recently as last year. Let’s take a look at how they are doing so far in 2022.

Note, that the following teams in the NPB do not feature any past Blue Jays players: Hanshin Tigers, Chiba Lotte Marines, Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, Chunichi Dragons, Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, Yokohama DeNA Baystars, and Saitama Seibu Lions.

A current look at former Toronto Blue Jays who have decided to take their talents overseas to the Nippon Baseball League in Japan.

Tokyo Yakult Swallows

A.J. Cole – RHP

After spending the past two seasons with the Blue Jays organization, right-hander A.J. Cole took his talents overseas after an injury-filled 2021 campaign and signed a one-year deal with the Yakult Swallows.

Through 15 games in relief, Cole owns an impressive 2.76 ERA with 10 strikeouts and just five earned runs through 16.1 innings. While he has not earned a save on the year, Cole has two holds and boasts a 1.041 WHIP.

Nori Aoki – OF

Not many Blue Jays fans may remember that Nori Aoki was once a member of the Blue Jays, as he was an additional piece of the deal that saw Francisco Liriano head to Houston and Teoscar Hernandez find his way to Toronto back at the trade deadline in 2017. The outfielder spent one month with the Jays, collecting nine hits through 32 at-bats with three home runs and eight RBI before being DFA’d at the end of August and subsequently released.

Aoki returned to the Yakult Swallows (that was his original team before moving to the MLB) and has been on the roster since 2018. So far this year, the lefty batter owns a .210/.301/.268 slash line with five extra-base hits, six RBI, and a .569 OPS through 41 games while spending all his time in the outfield sporting a .986 fielding percentage.

Patrick Kivlehan – OF

Outfielder Patrick Kivlehan technically never played for the Blue Jays but he spent part of the 2019 season in the organization split between AA and AAA. He did start this past campaign in the Chicago White Sox organization down in AAA but was released in mid-April, signing with the Swallows in late April.

The former United States 2020 Olympic team member has yet to suit up for the Swallows this year but has instead spent time in their Minor Leagues. Through 12 at-bats, Kivlehan has three hits and two RBI.

Yomiuri Giants

Shun Yamaguchi – RHP

After signing a two-year deal in the 2019/2020 offseason with the Blue Jays, Shun Yamaguchi struggled out of the bullpen the following shortened season, earning an 8.06 ERA through 17 appearances with a 6.0 BB/9 and a 1.753 WHIP. The Jays would DFA Yamaguchi before the 2021 campaign and the right-hander signed with the San Francisco Giants. He spent the year in AAA and was released by the club in early June.

Yamaguchi returned to the NPB and rejoined the Yomiuri Giants, a team he spent three seasons with prior to joining the Blue Jays. This season, Yamaguchi started the year in the Eastern League as a middle reliever and has just one appearance with the Giants in the Central League, pitching two innings without giving up a hit and striking out four compared to two walks. He reportedly left this outing with an unspecified injury.

Matt Shoemaker – RHP

Hampered by injuries throughout his MLB career, Matt Shoemaker was cruising through the 2019 season before an ACL injury ended his year. He struggled with a shoulder injury the following season and fashioned a 4.71 ERA through six starts in the shortened campaign. He would spend the 2021 season split between the Minnesota Twins and San Francisco Giants and this past offseason he decided to take his talents overseas to the Yomiuri Giants.

Through eight starts, Shoemaker has found a groove in Japan, currently sporting a 3.28 ERA with 34 strikeouts through 46.2 innings of work. While his 6.6 K/9 is not going to top the stats charts, he has one complete game on the season and has a 0.943 WHIP on the season while walking batters at a 2.1 BB/9.

Gregory Polanco – OF

A long-time member of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Gregory Polanco spent the tail end of the 2021 campaign in Buffalo on a MiLB deal and put up great numbers (.374/.436/.747 slash line, nine home runs, and a 1.183 OPS).

Polanco decided this past offseason to sign with the Yomiuri Giants instead of waiting for the lockout to end for an MLB deal or signing a MiLB deal. This may have been a great move for Polanco to get some more playing time and establish himself as a big-league player again.

With the Giants, the lefty batter owns a .277/.341/.456 slash line through 59 games and has added nine home runs, 19 RBI, and a .797 OPS. A gamble that may pay off for the former Buffalo Bisons outfielder.

Hiroshima Toyo Carp

Ryan McBroom – INF

A 15th-round draft pick of the Blue Jays back in 2014, infielder Ryan McBroom spent parts of four seasons in the Jays’ minor league system before being traded at the 2017 trade deadline to the New York Yankees in exchange for Rob Refsnyder. He eventually made his big league debut with the Kansas City Royals in 2019 and across three seasons, the righty power hitter amassed a .749 OPS with 14 extra-base hits and 16 RBI through 164 at-bats.

The Royals released McBroom following the 2021 campaign to allow him to sign with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp and so far this season, the infielder is taking full advantage of the playing time and opportunity. Through 54 games and 194 at-bats, McBroom has 12 doubles, six home runs, and 31 RBI with a .278 batting average. He is currently tied for the team lead in RBI and leads the Toyo Carp in home runs.

Fukuoka Softbank Hawks

Tyler Chatwood – RHP

Signing a one-year deal with the Blue Jays in the 2020/2021 offseason, right-hander Tyler Chatwood fell out of favour amongst the fanbase due to his performance on the field as well as some outbursts on the mound. After 30 appearances and a 5.46 ERA, the Jays DFA’d and released the reliever and he finished the season with the San Francisco Giants.

Chatwood decided to take his talents to Japan and joined the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks this past offseason. This year, the California product has not spent time with the Giants and is down in the Western League affiliate. It appears that Chatwood has transitioned to being a starter once again and through six outings, he has allowed just seven earned runs through 24.1 outings and has amassed a 2.59 ERA with 18 strikeouts. The California product has struggled with his command, owning a higher walk-to-strikeout rate at 7.8 BB/9 compared to 6.7 K/9.

Freddy Galvis – INF

Infielder Freddy Galvis only spent one season with the Blue Jays back in 2019, appearing in 115 games and amassing a .743 OPS before being claimed off of waivers in mid-August by the Cincinnati Reds. Galvis spent a few more seasons in the big leagues with the Reds, Baltimore Orioles, and Philadelphia Phillies before joining the Softbank Hawks this past offseason on a two-year deal.

Galvis has split time between the minor leagues and with the Hawks so far this year at 26 and 22 games respectively. Through those 22 games, the switch-hitting infielder has struggled to a .129/.228/.186 with a .414 OPS. He has gone 9 for 70 at the plate with just one home run and four RBI while sporting a clean 1.000 fielding percentage at third base.