3 Blue Jays players who should have a reduced role in 2025 if they’re not traded first

After entering the 2024 MLB season with high aspirations, the Toronto Blue Jays became a huge disappointment by the end of it when all was said and done. Not only did they fail in making the postseason for the first time in three years, the Jays ended up finishing dead last in the AL East with a dismal 74-88 record.

However, despite that, there was a silver lining to it all in that they got to see the promising growth and development of some of their young players on the team. That included standouts such as Will Wagner and Leo Jiménez, who ended up providing some significant contributions to the team as a result. 

Nevertheless, the Jays will be looking to have a proactive offseason in retooling their roster so that they could be competitive again for the upcoming year. In doing so, there will be some of those aforementioned young players that should be expecting a reduced role in 2025, that is, if they don’t end up getting traded this winter. Here, we will take a look at three players that could receive the short end of the stick going forward.

3 Blue Jays players who should have a reduced role in 2025 if they’re not traded first

Joey Loperfido 

Acquired from the Houston Astros in the Yusei Kikuchi trade at the deadline, Joey Loperfido instantly became a regular in the lineup after joining the Jays. Known for his mix of speed and raw power, Loperfido gave Toronto fans a glimpse of it during his two-month stint to finish off the season. However, his dominant stretches came few and far between as he ended up posting just a .197 average, .579 OPS, along with just 13 runs scored, eight doubles, three triples, two home runs, nine RBI and two stolen bases in 43 games played.

More significantly, the plate discipline of Loperfido is clearly still a work in progress as he struck out a whopping 52 times in just 137 at-bats, to go along with just six walks. His play in the field was much more promising though, as he registered 4 DRS and a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in 94 total chances with reps in left and center field with the Jays. However, with Toronto looking to upgrade their outfield this offseason, Loperfido could find himself relegated to a bench role or perhaps even start 2025 in the minors until he can prove that he could effectively handle MLB pitching on a more consistent basis.

Addison Barger

Among the top 10 prospects in the organization for the past couple of years, Addison Barger finally made his MLB debut with the Jays this past season. In particular, following the mass exodus of players at the trade deadline, Barger found himself with an extended run to show what he can provide to the team going forward. However, he failed to capitalize on the given opportunity. In total, he ended up appearing in 69 games during 2024, compiling just a .197 average, .601 OPS, along with 20 runs scored, 11 doubles, seven home runs and 28 RBI.

However, with the infield logjam of the Jays heading into the 2025 season, along with the team’s pursuit of outfield help this offseason, Barger will be in tough to maintain a starting role or perhaps even a bench role as a utilityman for next year. Nevertheless, he did show off his positional flexibility by making starts at both of the corner outfield positions, as well as at third base this past season. With all of those factors taken into consideration, Barger becomes one of the Jays’ most valuable trade chips this offseason to help the club address their immediate needs.

Davis Schneider 

Finally, we have the Jays’ 2023 surprise breakout player down the stretch in Davis Schneider. After bursting onto the scene following the trade deadline that year, Schneider took the baseball world by storm with his unexpected power and immediate contributions that he made in his debut. In the end, he posted a stellar .276 batting average, 1.008 WHIP, together with 23 runs scored, 12 doubles, eight home runs and 20 RBI in just 35 games played. That great first impression earned him a much longer look during the 2024 season.

However, despite starting off the 2024 campaign on a strong note, opposing pitchers eventually figured him out as the year progressed. In doing so, Schneider found himself struggling mightily from June onwards, while eventually losing valuable playing down the stretch as a result of it. In total, Schneider batted just .191 with a .625 OPS, 48 runs scored, 13 home runs and 46 RBI in 135 games played. That included a miserable extended stretch in which he hit just .149 with a .469 OPS, along with just four doubles, three home runs and 11 RBI in his final 67 games of the season. More importantly, Schneider was often overmatched at the plate, leading to a whopping 144 strikeouts in just 397 total at-bats. In addition, his walk rate also decreased almost 5% from his previous season.

Even though his versatility in being able to play at second base and left field has its merits entering 2025, unless Schneider significantly improves on his approach at the plate and regains his prior dominant form, it would be hard to justify more playing time for the 25-year-old going forward.