Blue Jays reportedly diving back into the international free agent pool with 3 signings

The offseason may have just started for the Toronto Blue Jays and there are many takes on how they should go about their business over the next few months. They'll need to make some splashes at the major league level once the World Series wraps up.

In the meantime though, they have been quite proactive in signing free agents already at the international stage. Just this past week, the Blue Jays had successfully acquired Si-Woo Kwon out of South Korea to bolster their young pitching depth.

This week, Toronto reportedly dipped into the international free agent pool once again as they have added three more intriguing young pieces in infielder Cayro Hazel from the Netherlands, pitcher Cai-Chen Long from Taiwan and outfielder Junior Fortunato from the Dominican Republic.

Blue Jays bolster their organizational depth with young talent from the international stage

As per Francys Romero, Hazel will receive a bonus of $80,000 after signing with the Blue Jays. This season, the 18-year-old utilityman played for the Hoofddorp Pioniers of the Dutch Major League where he compiled a .281 average and .792 OPS, along with six runs scored, five doubles, three RBIs, 10 walks and just nine strikeouts in 18 total games played.

In terms of his potential, Hazel has the ability to play in multiple positions in the infield. He profiles more as a contact hitter more than a power hitter once he has fully developed.

In the case for Long, the international free agent deal from the Blue Jays was worth $260,000. He will become the first Taiwanese amateur to get a deal from Toronto in over two decades when the signing is made official. He'll also be the first Taiwanese player to join the organization since Chien-Ming Wang in 2013. Long possesses a fastball that can reach 93 mph already, giving him a solid pitch to develop in the Blue Jays' system.

Finally, for Fortunato, he has reportedly agreed to a massive $3.2 million signing bonus with the Blue Jays, but it can't officially be announced until the international signing period opens in January of 2027. The Blue Jays believe that the 16-year-old is one of the top players in the 2027 international signing class.

He has the potential of being a five-tool player with a greater than 60+ grade in terms of his power skills and his arm. Fortunato supposedly carries a mature approach to the plate and has a strong strke zone discipline.

The Blue Jays are certainly wasting no time in preparing for their future with these acquisitions. There could be a lockout coming this winter and so they are trying to get a head start on some of the minor moves to ensure that they are ready for whatever the new CBA will throw at them.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow