Out-of-options catcher in roster limbo ahead of Blue Jays’ Opening Day

It seems like the Blue Jays just can’t get enough of Tyler Heineman. While he’s only played 34 games in a Blue Jays uniform, Toronto has acquired the 32-year-old catcher three separate times in his career. 

Although Toronto elected to keep Heineman on its 40-man roster throughout the offseason, he’s out of options, which means that his time on the Blue Jays’ roster could come to an end this spring depending on what the Blue Jays want to do with their backup catcher position.

Tyler Heineman could be stuck in roster limbo at the end of spring training 

Heineman’s in the middle of a roster battle, as both he and Christian Bethancourt are battling for the backup catcher spot behind Alejandro Kirk. 

Heineman’s always been more of a glove-first catcher, as he boasts a career slashline of .212/.298/.273 with just one MLB home run. That said, he’s saved nine runs behind the plate in his career and has a rapport with the pitchers on the Blue Jays’ roster. 

Perhaps the biggest thing going in Heineman's favor is his inclusion on the 40-man roster. While he’s out of options (which means he’d be subject to waivers if he was taken off the 26 and 40-man rosters), Bethancourt isn’t on the 40-man roster, so the Blue Jays would need to make some kind of roster move to add him. 

Neither catcher has been great this spring: Heineman is 3-for-18 at the plate with two RBI, while Bethancourt is 3-for-15 with a double. 

Bethancourt would project as more of a “bat-first” backup, as he’s slugged 35 home runs across his 427 career games. 

The biggest threat to both of their roster spots could come from outside the organization. Backup catcher can be one of the volatile positions in all of baseball (especially at the start of spring training).

Last year, the Blue Jays broke camp with Brian Serven as their backup catcher due to Danny Jansen’s injury. In total, Serven, Jansen and Heineman combined to appear in 86 games behind Kirk. While those backup catcher appearance numbers are a little inflated because of Jansen, backup catcher is still important.

It’s a bit hard to tell what the catcher market will look like as team’s cut down their roster. Later today, all free agents who signed a minor league Article XX(b) contract in free agency will be eligible to opt out of their deals if they won’t get a roster spot. 

There are two catchers on those deals: Max Stassi (Giants) and Luke Maile (Royals). 

Stassi is in a fight with Sam Huff for the backup spot on San Francisco’s roster after Tom Murphy’s injury. He’s hitting .300 with two home runs in spring training, but hasn’t played in MLB since 2022. 

Maile’s a glove-first catcher who’s having a good spring (.333 average, one home run) but is on a Royals team that has Salvador Perez and Freddy Fermin ahead of him on the catching depth chart. He spent three seasons with Toronto (2017 through ‘19) and hit .193 with seven home runs in 158 games. 

Neither one of them moves the needle much. 

As MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson pointed out earlier this week, the Blue Jays may have tipped their hand earlier this week when Heineman and Kirk were the catchers in the Blue Jays’ split-squad games on Monday. 

While it's important to have a solid backup catcher, Heineman's presence on the roster could become a moot point if Kirk doesn't produce. He'll be the bonafide No. 1 catcher now that Jansen's gone, and could be the engine that moves the middle of the Blue Jays' lineup.