Blue Jays news: Minor signings roundup, Jake Bloss gets fourth option

The Toronto Blue Jays did some of the quieter offseason work that keeps an organization running. They brought back a familiar bullpen arm, added a teenage left-hander from Taiwan, and got a roster break they did not expect on one of their most injury-hit pitching prospects.

None of these moves will make headlines on their own, but they do cross off some items on their offseason check list.

Pitching depth expands as Blue Jays get back a familar face in Lazaro Estrada

The Blue Jays have re-signed right-hander Lazaro Estrada to a minor league contract with an invitation to spring training. The 27-year-old Estrada has spent his entire professional career in the Blue Jays organization since signing out of Cuba in January 2018.

Estrada was designated for assignment in mid-August, cleared waivers, was outrighted to Triple-A Buffalo, and then elected minor league free agency. He pitched in eight big-league games in 2026 with a 5.54 ERA and 6.25 FIP across 13 innings. But he was much better in Triple-A. While pitching for the Buffalo Bisons he recorded a 3.25 ERA and 1.06 WHIP over 36 innings in 18 outings.

A right shoulder impingement cost him about two and a half months of the season and he'll look to prove he is fully healthy in spring training. He'll likely be competing for a shot at a bullpen job where he can occassionaly be used in a bulk role. However, Toronto's bullpen appears somewhat crowded already, so Estrada may have to begin the year in Triple-A regardless.

Estrada was not the only familiar name brought back. According to Blue Jays Nation, five other minor leaguers re-signed alongside him: right-hander Josh Stephan, acquired in the Josh Smith trade; catcher Geovanny Planchart; outfielder Hedbert Perez; outfielder Alexis Hernandez; and infielder Adrian Pinto.

Hernandez is the name to watch as the 23-year-old hit .298/.386/.493 with 15 home runs between High-A Vancouver and Double-A New Hampshire this year and is Rule 5-eligible, so bringing him back on a minor league deal likely means the Blue Jays believe he won't be taken in that draft (if it happens - CBA pending) in December.

Outfielder Rudy Martin Jr. also re-signed on a minor league deal with a spring training invite earlier in the week, after clearing waivers on October 30.

On top of those signings, it's being reported the Blue Jays are bringing in another teenager from Asia. Reported by @NWints30 on X - the Blue Jays have added LHP Cheng-Hao Wu out of Taiwan. While that is an unverified account, they have also led the way in reporting a number of other Blue Jays signings from the Pacific Rim, including those of Si-Woo Kwan and Seojun Moon

Wu has been signed to for $200K according to this tweet and at this stage of the International Signing Period that means the Blue Jays are very high on his potential. It's been reported that Wu can average 93 mph with his fastball. The 19-year-old lefty also throws a sinker, slider and changeup.

Lastly, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet reported that Bloss has qualified for a fourth option year. Players normally get three option years, but a fourth can be granted when a player has burned through all three before reaching five full seasons in the minors and majors.

Bloss was drafted by Houston in the third round of the 2023 draft, reached the majors less than a year later, and was traded to Toronto in the Yusei Kikuchi deadline deal weeks after that. The Blue Jays optioned him after the trade, then again at the start of 2025 and 2026, so he used all three options in just four professional seasons, but the 25-year-old has been hurt for a majority of that time.

He underwent UCL surgery in May 2025which cost him most of that season and the first month of 2026. He worked his way back to Triple-A Buffalo by mid-June, pitching to an 8.69 ERA in 19.2 innings over five starts, then a teres major strain in his shoulder shut him down in August.

He is healthy again and while pitching in the Arizona Fall League with the Mesa Solar Sox, he was named to the Fall Stars team and his fastball touched 97.5 mph throughout that competition.

With the fourth option, Toronto now buys themselves some time since they won't have to pass Bloss through waivers if he doesn't breaks camp with the club.

The projected 2027 rotation is Dylan Cease, Trey Yesavage, José Soriano, and Cody Ponce. Players like Spencer Arrighetti, Chad Dallas, and Bowden Francis will be competing for that fifth spot. A health Bloss should be firmly in that mix as well.

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