Blue Jays infield prospect depth could allow for some major swings at 2026 trade deadline

For those watching the Toronto Blue Jays this season, hearing the word injury has become a daily routine. The defending American League champions are a shell of their 2025 selves due to crushing injuries at the worst possible times. Case in point, the injuries to Dylan Cease and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. during Sunday's 4-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Those injuries made it seem like the Blue Jays were hitting hit rock bottom.

Thankfully, those injuries appeared to be minor, with no serious long-term ill effects reported after the game. However, both players did miss time. Guerrero only missed two games and returned to the team for their series finale against the Miami Marlins on Wednesday, while Cease was placed on the 15-day IL on Monday and remains out.

Even though there has been some better injury news for Toronto coming out recently, the Blue Jays still find themselves treading water to stay alive in the American League playoff race and their own division race. Sure, things could be worse, but this season has been a massive disappointment so far as the Blue Jays have spent more time off the field than on it.

That begs the question: if the Blue Jays do not find a way to turn things around by August, what will they do? Will the team decide to sell by the deadline to plan for the future/alleviate burdensome contracts that are holding the team back?

If that is the case, immediately, both George Springer and Shane Bieber are names to watch out for as potential trade candidates. However, both players provide obstacles to potential moves due to Springer's large contract and Bieber's recent injury history. Springer and Bieber are not the only names to think about, however, as the Blue Jays have a ton of infield depth they can use for a trade.

Josh Kasevich could be the key to a big move for the Blue Jays

The Blue Jays have a star middle-infield prospect, Josh Kasevich, who has been stellar playing for Triple-A Buffalo. The 25-year-old has played 44 games and slashed .298/.366/.384 with a home run and 18 RBI.

Currently, the Blue Jays organization views him as the future and values both his fielding ability and his contact, which could be the trigger for a potential trade. Sports journalist Matt Postins suggested the path to keeping Kasevich would be to deal AL Gold Glove winner, Andrés Giménez, to a big market contender to take on the remainder of his seven-year, $106 million deal, freeing up space for Kasevich to take over the infield.

That would be the cheapest option to maintain talent up the middle and could free up salary space for a new acquisition as a trade or during the offseason. Kasevich could also be a pawn in a larger deal to bring in a good relief pitcher, such as Josh Hader from Houston, but with how much Toronto values Kasevich, the deal would have to be too good to pass up.

Which ever way Toronto decides to go as it approaches the deadline, Blue Jays fans will want to keep an ear out for Kasevich's name. He could be the key piece to a major deal Toronto makes to either bolster the current team or pave the way for the future.

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