3 Blue Jays who could be traded at the end of spring training

It's no secret that there have been plenty of roster spots up for grabs at spring training for the Blue Jays this year.

Whether it be in the infield, outfield, bench or pitching staff, the battles had been fierce and are headed right down to the wire as Opening Day approaches.

We already know some players that have made the roster, along with some that didn't. Usually a player who misses out on camp is ticketed for Triple-A. However, there could be a select few whose tenure with the franchise could come to an end this week via a trade.

Here, we will take a look at three Blue Jays players that will most likely be traded after spring training officially ends.

3 Blue Jays players most likely to be traded after spring training ends

OF Steward Berroa

After spending seven years in the Blue Jays’ minor league system, Berroa made his MLB debut in 2024.

Berroa can play to play all three outfield positions and has some decent speed, so he mainly saw action as a pinch runner or defensive replacement late in games. In the end, the 25-year-old outfielder got in 28 games, but posted a dismal .189 batting average with one double, one RBI and six stolen bases in 45 plate appearances.

Nevertheless, Berroa still entered camp with an outside shot of making the Jays’ big league roster for the upcoming season. And he put up valiant effort for that spot as he hit a solid .278 with a .714 OPS, together with five runs scored, two doubles, one home run, four RBI and three stolen bases in 17 games this spring. That said, his 10-to-1 strikeout to walk ratio left a bit to be desired.

However, his counterparts in Davis Schneider, Myles Straw and Alan Roden have all had even stronger trainings (we already know Schneider has made the team), which will likely keep Berroa on the outside looking in.

Berroa likely isn't a part of the Blue Jays' future, so this may be the perfect time to use him as a valuable trade chip following his solid spring.

RHP Tommy Nance

Brought over to Toronto from the San Diego Padres at last year's trade deadline, Nance actually became a key cog for the Jays’ bullpen and appeared in over 20 games down the stretch. He might not have been lights out over that time, but he did manage to show some signs of brilliance during a six-game stretch between the end of August to early September.

Over that time, he held the opposition scoreless on just two hits and one walk with seven strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings of work. In the end, the 34-year-old reliever still posted a respectable 4.09 ERA and 1.23 WHIP with 19 strikeouts in 22 innings over the final two months of the season. 2024 with the Jays.

Nance entered the spring with a chance to secure a full-time spot in the Blue Jays' bullpen, but failed to capitalize on the opportunity.

He has compiled a less-than-stellar 5.06 ERA this spring while blowing two saves. In total, the right-handed reliever has given up three runs on a whopping nine hits with three walks and six strikeouts in just 5 1/3 innings of work.

That disappointing performance, combined with his lack of minor league options, could lead to the Jays looking to trade Nance this week as opposed to losing him for nothing.

While Nance has struggled in his career, his strikeout ability could make him an attractive trade chip, as he's struck out 106 batters in 94 1/3 career innings in the majors.

OF Nathan Lukes

Finally, we have Lukes, who always seems to show out during spring training. For the past few seasons, Lukes seemed to always put together an impressive spring showing, only to find limited opportunities with the Jays’ big league club for the rest of the season. In 2022, he averaged .400 in the spring with 1.147 OPS but spent the entire year in the minors In 2023, he hit .286 with six RBI in and earned an Opening Day roster spot, but only ended up 26 at-bats in 29 total games in the majors. 

Finally, he had a stellar .450 average and 1.100 OPS in the spring last year, which helped him earn some MLB at-bats at the end of the season. Lukes took full advantage of his opportunity, posting a solid .303 average with one home run and 10 RBI in 22 games down the stretch for the Jays. That strong showing gave him an opportunity to crack the MLB roster this spring.

However, perhaps the competition had been too stiff and tight, as Lukes surprisingly has faltered this time around. He struggled to a .206 average with a .710 OPS, along with one home run and three RBI in 16 games of action this spring. Similar to the situation with Berroa, the intense outfield competition likely has Lukes destined to start the year in the minors once again.

But at 30-years-old, Lukes likely doesn't fit into Toronto's next window, which could lead to him ending up elsewhere. Don't be surprised if an outfielder-needy team strikes a deal for Lukes this week.