5 items the Blue Jays should have on their Christmas wish list

Have a prospect step up

As much as the Jays want to bring in all of the top players either by free agency or by trade to help the ballclub, there’s only so far they can go in terms of their ultimate budget and resources they can spend. As a result, some of their remaining needs will require internal options to step up to fill the void.

In retrospect, the Jays actually haven’t had someone internally that could provide such an immediate impact since the emergence of both Alejandro Kirk and Santiago Espinal over three years ago. Both have gone on to become everyday starters, in addition to being named an All-Star as well. Although in the case of Espinal, his somewhat disappointing season in 2023 has put him a little further back in the depth chart now, but remains a key part of their bench.

For the Jays to have long-term success, they will need a prospect (or two!) to step up this coming season to complement the stars and veterans already in place to round out the team. It could be Davis Schneider filling in at second base or the designated hitter spot, as he gave everyone a glimpse of what he could provide in his two-month stint with the club last season with his performance. Or it could even be Spencer Horwitz becoming the designated hitter, who obliterated minor league pitching all year long in 2023.