Does Ricky Tiedemann have a realistic chance of breaking camp with the Blue Jays?

The 40-man roster deadline has come and gone and the Toronto Blue Jays are now up to 38 players as they have added a high end prospect to that list. The Blue Jays have added left handed pitcher Ricky Tiedemann on the 40-man as the former number one prospect in the organization has a big Spring Training ahead of him.

The 23-year-old who was drafted in the third round of the 2021 MLB draft is trying to work his way back to being the pitcher that seemed like he was going to be a part of the big league picture for years to come. But as it currently stands, is there a chance that he breaks camp with Toronto going into 2026?

Does Ricky Tiedemann have a realistic chance of breaking camp with the Blue Jays?

As it currently stands the Blue Jays starting rotation consists of Kevin Gausman, Shane Bieber, Trey Yesavage, and José Berrios. Eric Lauer, who started 15 games in 2025, but was moved to the bullpen for the stretch run and the postseason, is on the depth chart as the number five starter. If the Blue Jays make no further moves, a Spring Training battle between Lauer and Tiedemann could be one of the main storylines to watch.

Both hurlers are lefties and while Tiedemann arguably has the higher upside, the 30-year-old Lauer has the proven track record as being a capable, if not confident, back end of the rotation option. In 2025, Lauer pitched 74 innings as a starter with a 3.77 ERA, with 74 strikeouts, a 1.257 WHIP, and held batters to a .257 batting average against, with a 9.0 K/9 rate.

Those numbers are fairly consistent with his career numbers as a starter. He's got an identical .257 batting average against, with a 1.359 WHIP and an 8.5 K/9 rate, although his career ERA as a starter is 4.24. Regardless, Lauer seems like a valuable swing-man piece and emergency spot starter, should anyone in the rotation falter.

That leads to Tiedemann possibly having the inside track. He was drafted as a starter and has been brought up through the system as a starter. Unfortunately, he's only pitched in 23 games since 2023 due to undergoing Tommy John surgery in the middle of the 2024 season. Tiedemann looked to be somewhat on track to getting to the big leagues before that.

He climbed four ranks of minor league ball in 2023 - similar to Trey Yesavage's rise in 2025, but only got into 15 games as he dealt with a left bicep injury. Though in those 15 outings across the four minor league systems, he compiled a 3.68 ERA and 1.68 FIP in 44 innings with a K% of 44.1%. Not dominant, but certainly heading in the right direction. However, the following year, his numbers were not good before he underwent the surgery as he had a 5.19 ERA and a 6.74 FIP.

The Blue Jays have been linked to some of the big name starters on the free agent market this season. They already have Bieber back into the mix as the former Cy Young award winner opted in for a $16 million deal for the 2026 season, but they could be looking for further upgrades, including Ranger Suarez and Dylan Cease. But if Toronto doesn't make a big splash on the market, Tiedemann looks like he'll get all the opportunity to show that he's ready to play in the majors.

Outside of Tiedemann and Lauer, the Blue Jays do have some other internal options. Yariel Rodriguez was originally signed as potential starter, though he found a comfortable role in the bullpen throughout much of 2025. Louis Varland was hinted at being a potential starter after the Blue Jays acquired him at the 2025 deadline, but after his impressive postseason performance out of the 'pen, Varland looks to be a consistent high leverage option late in the game.

There's also other guys trying to make the jump to the big leagues including Jake Bloss, Adam Macko, and Angel Bastardo, while Bowden Francis will also be looking to rejoin the big league group after an inconsistent and injury plagued 2025 campaign. For Tiedemann, being on the 40-man was a necessary move to keep him from being exposed in the Rule 5 Draft next month, and should also stand as a vote of confidence to make something happen for himself in Spring Training.