Full list of every Toronto Blue Jays player out of options for the 2025 season

While the top of the Blue Jays roster is pretty set, there’s still plenty of uncertainty on the margins. And, as Toronto’s front office works to figure out the players on those margins, one of the things to consider is which players are out of minor league options. 

Every player who is on an MLB 40-man roster is given three minor league options, which allows for them to be optioned to the minors (and removed off the 26-man MLB roster) without losing their spot on the 40-man roster. 

If an optioned player spends at least 20 days in the minors in a season, they lose an option. If a player is out of options, they must be designated for assignment (and removed from the 40-man roster) to be removed off the 26-man roster. 

Options are only available for players with less than five years of service time. If a player has more than five years of service time, they must consent to be optioned. 

With that, here’s a look at the five Blue Jays who are out of options for the 2025 season.

Every Toronto Blue Jays player out of minor league options 

Ryan Burr, RHP

Burr pitched in 32 2/3 innings last year for the Blue Jays after Toronto purchased his contract from the Phillies in May. He’s pitched in 100 games across five MLB seasons and has a career ERA+ of 106. 

His best season came in 2021 when he had a 2.45 ERA in 36 2/3 innings with the White Sox and he’s in the running for one of the last spots in the Blue Jays bullpen. Burr pitched well in whatever situation he was called upon last year.

Ernie Clement, 3B

Clement signed with the Blue Jays as a free agent ahead of the 2023 season and finally got his true MLB shot last year. He hit .263 with 51 RBI in 139 games while also earning a Gold Glove nomination at third base, and now has the inside shot to get the team’s third base job on Opening Day. 

Clement will never be a slugging third baseman, but he’s turned into a quality MLB player and will be getting paid $1.9 million through arbitration this year. He seems like a lock to make the roster.

Tyler Heineman, C

The only other catcher on the 40-man roster after Alejandro Kirk, Heineman is battling with Christian Bethancourt for the Blue Jays backup catcher spot. 

Toronto acquired Heineman off waivers in September and played in five games before the end of the season. He’s played in 34 games with the Blue Jays over the past three seasons.

He’is a career .212 hitter across 111 MLB games, but has hit .278 through 741 career minor league games. 

This roster decision will likely come down to what the Blue Jays want to prioritize out of their backup catcher spot. Bethancourt’s hit 35 career MLB home runs and hit 11 homers in 2022 and ‘23 but finished last year in the 19th percentile in framing. 

Heineman’s hit one MLB home run but has saved nine runs in his career through his framing. 

If Heineman ends up getting designated for assignment, he’ll likely end up catching on with some other organization. 

Tommy Nance, RHP 

Another pitcher battling for one of the final sports in the bullpen, Nance had a 4.09 ERA in 22 innings last year with the Blue Jays — his first MLB action since 2022. 

Nance had a 4.33 ERA in 43 2/3 innings for the Marlins in 2022, but ended up missing most of the 2023 campaign due to a right shoulder strain. He started last season in Triple-A with the Padres before the Blue Jays acquired him for cash considerations. 

He’s good at limiting hard contact (batters had an average exit velocity of just 87.3 miles per hour last year) but doesn’t miss many bats (strikeout rate of 20.4). 

Nance recorded scoreless outings in 14 of his 20 appearances, but also allowed multiple runs in four appearances.

Zach Pop, RHP

The last of the bullpen arms on this list, Pop was acquired at the 2022 trade deadline along with Anthony Bass in exchange for Jordan Groshans. 

Pop’s been in the Blue Jays’ bullpen since, where he’s recorded a 4.89 ERA across 81 games in 2 1/2 seasons. 

He opened last season in Triple-A before being called up at the end of April. Pop pitched well in May (3.65 ERA in 12 1/3 innings) before falling apart as the season went on (he had an ERA of 6.83 across 29 innings in June, July and August). 

Pop finished the year among MLB’s best in ground-ball rate (55.5 percent) but also had a hard-hit rate of 44.5 percent and a strikeout rate of 15.8 percent. 

Pop’s got potential, but he’s struggled in the time he’s spent with the Blue Jays so far.