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Blue Jays GM Meetings minor moves: Victor Arias and Josh Stephan retained

Toronto retains some valuable depth for the organization.
ByEdward Eng
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Nov 13, 2019; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Toronto Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins speaks with members of the media during general managers meetings at the Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 13, 2019; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Toronto Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins speaks with members of the media during general managers meetings at the Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

With the GM Meetings currently ongoing, the Toronto Blue Jays have made a couple of minor moves thus far. The Blue Jays have retained outfielder Victor Arias and right-handed pitcher Josh Stephan on minor league deals, with both getting an invite to training camp. Both players will serve as valuable minor league depth in their respective positions for the Blue Jays.

Arias was originally signed by Toronto as an international free agent out of Venezuela in 2019 as a 16-year-old with his professional baseball career beginning in 2021. After putting together an MVP minor league season with the High-A Vancouver in 2025, Arias spent last season primarily with the Double-A New Hampshire.

But unlike his previous year, he batted a modest .226 with a .656 OPS. He was still able to still tally 42 runs scored, 14 doubles, three triples, 10 home runs, 43 RBIs and nine stolen bases in 87 total games played. He was good enough to find himself ranked 24th among the Blue Jays’ top prospects according to MLB Pipeline by the year’s end.

The 23-year-old outfield prospect has looked impressive in Winter ball with Aguilas del Zulia of the Venezuelan Winter League. He compiled a solid .329 batting average, .898 OPS, together with 12 runs scored, two doubles, three home runs, 16 RBIs and six stolen bases in 23 games. Arias should begin the 2027 campaign again in New Hampshire but with the opportunity to advance to Triple-A Buffalo if all goes well.

Blue Jays retaining Josh Stephan, originally acquired in the Josh Smith trade with the Texas Rangers

As for Stephan, he was acquired by the Blue Jays along with Josh Smith in the trade that sent Adam Macko to the Texas Rangers at the deadline. The 25-year-old pitcher suited up for seven games with the Triple-A Buffalo and amassed a dismal 0-6 record with a bloated 6.64 ERA and 1.40 WHIP. He allowed 29 earned runs, including eight home runs, along with 12 walks and 34 strikeouts in 39.1 innings of work.

Despite the struggles, the Blue Jays brass saw enough things they liked about Stephan and are giving him a further opportunity to showcase himself in 2027. Stepan is not currently ranked among the Blue Jays’ top 30 prospects list.

He will need to further prove himself following a less-than-stellar 2026 campaign in the minors. Stephan will likely begin 2027 with Buffalo with the chance to crack the Toronto big league roster if he can find fix the issues that plagued him.

He first reached Triple-A in 2025 while in the Rangers' system, pitching 7.2 innings that season. He spent the entire year at that level in 2026, throwing 101 innings for the Round Rock Express, accumulating a 5.44 ERA and 5.62 FIP.

There's no telling how minor moves like this will turn out down the road. The majority of them fizzle out, but every now and then you get a story like Spencer Miles emerging out of the crop and solidifying themselves among the MLB corps.

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