Blue Jays see 15 minor leaguers elect free agency, including a surprising name

According to Baseball America, a whopping 513 players elected minor league free agency on Monday, Nov. 4. Now that the World Series has ended, the free agent pool has been flooded by major- and minor-league players hitting the open market.

As far as the Toronto Blue Jays are concerned, 15 players from their farm system elected free agency, including a few with big league experience and one name that sticks out like a sore thumb amongst the rest.

Of the bunch, Luis Frias, James Kaprielian, Yerry Rodriguez and Payton Henry have previously spent time in the major leagues. Rodriguez and Frias both surfaced on the Blue Jays during the 2024 regular season, but neither arm posted an ERA below 15.43 across their combined eight appearances in The Show.

Other notable names to depart include Sebastian Espino, Braydon Fisher and Rafael Lantigua.

Espino just wrapped up his first season as a relief pitcher after beginning his professional career as an outfielder. The 24-year-old hit .181 in 2022 and .199 in 2023, but his strong throwing arm always stood out. The Blue Jays tried him out as a pitcher this year and he posted a 6.08 ERA with 18 strikeouts and eight walks through 13.1 innings of work.

Fisher, 24, came over to the Blue Jays in a one-for-one swap with the Dodgers that sent Cavan Biggio out west. The right-hander made 14 relief appearances for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, posting a 2.76 ERA with 26 strikeouts and seven walks in 16.1 innings. While it was a small sample size, he seems to be one of the departing players most worthy of another shot in the Blue Jays system.

Lantigua will hit the open market for the second straight offseason. In 2023, he was one of the best hitters in the Blue Jays system, but his numbers regressed quite a bit in 2024. He's a decent hitter with a ton of defensive versatility, so he should have no problems landing on his feet elsewhere.

By far the most surprising player to leave here is Eric Pardinho, who did a ton to raise his stock in 2024. The 23-year-old has overcome a ton of injuries to get healthy and return to the mound. He made a total of 45 appearances in 2024, posting a 3.25 ERA with 66 strikeouts and 28 walks in 55.1 innings of work. While he likely won't return to a starting role, he thrived as a reliever and is the one player here who must be brought back before another team brings him aboard as a diamond in the rough signing.