Blue Jays look to international free agent pool to build outfield depth

With the International Free Agent pool officially open, the Toronto Blue Jays took the plunge into those international waters with a couple of moves made on Thursday (Jan. 15). While the entire baseball world was seemingly hanging onto the prospect of what Kyle Tuckers decision might be, the Blue Jays added two other outfielders to their organization; Michael Mesa and Aneudy Severino, both from the Dominican Republic.

Blue Jays look to international free agent pool to build outfield depth

Mesa, 17, signed for $900,000 and was ranked 30th on the MLB Pipeline Top 50 International Prospects list. He has received some high praise from scouts who say he could wind up being the best hitter in the 2026 international free agent class. The left-handed hitter is someone who makes a lot of hard contact and could develop above average power.

Scouts also say his path to the big leagues is clearly as an outfielder. They say he takes really good routes to the balls and should have an average throwing arm by the time he gets to the majors. He doesn't have a ton of speed on the bases but Mesa can track down balls in the gap as might even develop into a 20/20 type of player.

Meantime, Severino has signed for $700,000. Baseball America's scouting report (subscription required) says Severino is a talented player, despite an "unconventional look." The report states, "At 5-foot-9, he’s on the shorter side, but it’s a powerful build that’s extraordinarily strong for his age. His strength and bat speed allow him to drive the ball with high-end exit velocity from the right side of the plate, albeit with a flatter path for now that’s more conducive to loud line drives than loft."

The Blue Jays have a number of impact players of that stature, including Alejandro Kirk, Davis Schneider and Daulton Varsho. If Severino can lock in to that strength, and bat speed, there will be a place for him on the major league roster in a few years time.

It's not surprising the Blue Jays signed a couple of outfielders during this process. The franchise has long lagged in developing their own impact outfielders. The last player you could put under that category is probably Lourdes Gurriel Jr., who last played for Toronto in 2022. Perhaps Addison Barger, who will likely get a long leash as a right fielder this year, will become that guy.

But in the meantime, the Blue Jays are preparing that next wave of the future by getting two very intriguing outfielders from the Dominican Republic.