3 Blue Jays trade candidates who could bring back a major offseason upgrade

As the Toronto Blue Jays look to make upgrades this offseason after a forgettable 2026 campaign, the trade route should provide them with plenty of options. Obviously, acquiring a player in free agency wouldn’t require the Blue Jays giving up any assets, but there could be more impact players available via trade this year. The free agent class isn't the strongest this year and it wouldn't be out of the question to see a fair number of trades being made.

There are three Blue Jays whose value right now is arguably at their peak and Toronto might look to cash in on these guys before the 2027 season begins.

These Blue Jays prospects could become valuable trade chips this offseason

P Nolan Perry

Prior to the 2026 season, Nolan Perry was your typical young pitching prospect. He showed glimpses of potential, but hadn't put everything together yet. However, the 23-year-old would have a breakout 2026 campaign for the Blue Jays, posting a 2.50 ERA and 1.02 WHIP, along with 32 walks and 117 strikeouts in 82.2 total innings across three minor league levels.

Whether it was just a fluke season or perhaps Perry has finally unlocked another level in his growth and development, we could soon find out. Given that MLB Pipeline has ranked him the No. 2 prospect in the organization and he's also included in the top 100 prospects in all of baseball, the Blue Jays could cash in on him right now.

P Gage Stanifer

As one of the Blue Jays' biggest breakout prospects the previous season, Gage Stanifer actually took a step back this year. He posted a 2.86 ERA and 1.17 WHIP in 2025. Those numbers jumped to a 4.82 ERA and 1.55 WHIP in 2026. He struggled with his control and command, leading to Stanifer giving up 66 walks in just over 100 innings pitched.

But one thing that was undeniable was his ability to still strike out batters. In 2025, Stanifer struck out 13.2 batters per nine innings over 27 games, while in 2026, he still managed a 12.5 K/9 rate over 31 games. More importantly, Stanifer was able to maintain that strikeout ratio even after reaching Triple-A.

Prospective teams will be highly attracted to his strikeout ability, and he should be knocking on the door for his MLB debut some time in 2027. With Trey Yesavage likely off limits, Stanifer becomes the most likely pitching asset that the Blue Jays have that other teams will covet, thus giving the possibility of a bigger return piece for Toronto.

P Ricky Tiedemann

Finally, after years of injury woes, Ricky Tiedemann finally made his big league debut for the Blue Jays this past season. The 24-year-old left-hander compiled a tidy 1.50 ERA with eight strikeouts in six innings of work across several stints in the majors.

However, Tiedemann struggled a bit with his command, issuing as many walks as innings pitched. But he showed great poise in getting out of the jams that he created himself. That in itself showed that Tiedemann could be ready for the big show this coming year.

For teams that want a pitcher who is already MLB-ready and has the potential to become a front end of the rotation piece, the 24-year-old Tiedemann would be a welcomed addition.

The Blue Jays should not move any of these pitchers simply for the sake of making a trade since Perry, Stanifer and Tiedemann each possesses the upside to become an important part of Toronto’s future. But if the organization has an opportunity to acquire a controllable impact player who can help immediately, their current pitching depth gives them enough flexibility to pull the trigger on a deal.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow