5 Blue Jays players who could begin the year on the roster but be gone by May

The Toronto Blue Jays are in thick of spring training, which means there are plenty of players on the roster still battling it out for a roster spot. In fact, a lot of the players on Toronto's roster bubble have played well this spring, which could result in Toronto's front office having to make some tough decisions.

But starting the year with the big league club doesn’t guarantee a permanent roster spot for the rest of the year since an impressive spring doesn't automatically result in a productive regular season.

With that in mind, here's a look at five Blue Jays who could begin the year on the roster but be gone by the time May rolls around.

5 Blue Jays players who will begin the year on the roster but could be gone by May

LHP Josh Walker

The Jays signed Walker to a one-year, $760,000 major league deal in the offseason to add some much-needed depth to their bullpen.

Walker spent six seasons in the Mets' organization, where he posted a less-than-stellar 5.11 ERA, along with six walks and 11 strikeouts in 12 1/3 innings of work over 10 relief appearances in MLB.

But Walker has a few things working in his favor as he fights for a bullpen spot. He is one of the few lefty relievers on the Jays’ 40-man roster and he also has some MLB experience, which should give him a leg up on the competition. He's also looked good this spring, as he has a 3.38 ERA, 0.56 WHIP with zero walks and five strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings pitched over four appearances. That solid performance could give him the inside track to one of the final bullpen spots.

That said, the 30-year-old struggled with the Mets, and he still has a minor league option still available, so it wouldn't be a surprise to see him back in Triple-A sooner rather than later if he struggles at the start of the season.

RHP Zach Pop

Pop joined the Blue Jays at the 2022 trade deadline and immediately helped with Toronto's playoff push. Pop went 2-0 with a tidy 1.89 ERA and 1.05 WHIP, while giving up just one home run in 19 total innings of work across 17 innings of work, which had Blue Jays fans excited for Pop's future.

Unfortunately, Pop failed to reproduce that type of elite performance with Toronto over the past two seasons. His last two seasons were marred by injuries and ineffectiveness, which led to the 28-year-old putting up ERA greater than 5.50 and WHIP greater than 1.23 along with a worrisome walk rate.

Now Pop is looking for redemption and has put up solid numbers so far this spring. In five relief appearances, Pop has compiled a 1-0 record with a 3.60 ERA while walking just one batter to go along with five strikeouts.

Pop will likely begin the season with the Jays due to the fact he has no minor league options and Erik Swanson's injury. However, if he ends continuing to struggle like he did in 2023 and 2024, his time with the Blue Jays could come to an end before summer's officially here.

2B/OF Davis Schneider 

Schneider was the talk of the town in Toronto for two consecutive years — alibet for complelty different reasons. Jays’ fans will forever remember Schneider’s record setting debut in August 2023 when he appeared to be the next homegrown star. During the final two months of the 2023 season, he posted a stunning 1.008 OPS, along with 23 runs scored, 12 doubles, eight home runs and 20 RBI in just 35 games.

However, Schneider’s 2024 campaign was a far cry from that. After starting the year on a solid note, Schneider regressed. Ultimately, the 26-year-old hit just .191 with 13 home runs and 46 RBI in 135 games. He also appeared to be overmatched against major league pitching for most of the second half.

But he's still an appealing option to start the year since he can play second base and left field. He's also shown flashes of his 2023 self this spring by posting an impressive .368 average with three doubles, one home run and three RBI in 19 at-bats.

But Schneider could still have a short leash since he has three options remaining. If he doesn’t show significant signs of improvement, he could soon find himself back in the minors.

OF Myles Straw

Veteran outfielder Myles Straw has been one of the biggest surprises of Blue Jays' camp after the team acquired his bloated contract in a trade with the Cleveland Guardians to gain $2 million in international bonus pool space. That money helped give Toronto a legitimate shot at recruiting Japanese sensation Roki Sasaki in free agency, but we all know how that turned out.

Straw was given a Non-Roster Invitee spot to spring training to see what he could do, and the 30-year-old has made the most of his opportunity. Straw has amassed a .476 batting average with one double, one home run and six RBI in just 21 at-bats.

As a former Gold Glove winner with the Guardians back in 2022, Straw is perhaps the best defensive outfielder not named Daulton Varsho left in camp. It's very easy to imagine him beginning the season as the Jays’ extra outfielder thanks to his speed and elite defense.

However, Straw has had his struggles at the plate over the past three seasons, compiling a less-than-stellar .229 average and .579 OPS in 306 games. He spent the bulk of his 2024 campaign in the minors after being placed on outright waivers by the Guardians prior to the start of the season.

His impressive play so far this spring could earn him a spot on the Jays’ 26-man roster, but could be gone soon if his impressive spring turns out to be a mirage.

UTIL Addison Barger

After being ranked as one of Toronto's top 10 prospects over the past couple of seasons, Barger finally made his long-awaited Blue Jays debut last season. Despite showing some glimpses of potential during his three call-ups, Barger had his fair share of us and downs during his time with Toronto.

The 25-year-old struggled in his first two call-ups, batting just .159 with a .391 OPS in 21 games. However,, Barger finally showed some of his promise after he got called up against after Toronto's trade deadline exodus.

Not only did Barger have an impressive nine-game hitting streak at the end of August, he also had a solid stretch from mid-August to mid-September. He hit .263 with four doubles, five home runs and 13 RBI in 22 games. However, his inconsistency reared its ugly head once again as he had a dismal .097 average across his final 12 games.

This year, Barger's looked better as the spring has gone on. He has a.381 batting average with two home runs and 10 RBI in 10 games this spring.

Barger has experience playing every infield position and the corner outfield spots in the minor leagues, so there's a chance he could end up being a super-utility player off the bench. He played at third base as well as left and right field last year and registered three Defensive Runs Saved.

All that makes it seem like Barger has a good shot at making the Opening Day roster. That said, it wouldn't be surprising to see him sent down to Triple-A if he struggles again.