Why a World Series berth will attract more higher end free agents to consider Toronto

This postseason run for the Toronto Blue Jays is magical because it was entirely unexpected. Who can blame the experts?

Toronto was attempting to pull itself out of the basement of the AL East and somehow compete with the elite clubs in baseball. The Blue Jays led the league in free agents who they were "linked" to. The only problem was that none of those "linked" players ever put pen to paper on a contract. The front office must have felt cursed as they went about their business.

Then, the actual free agent they did sign ended up performing poorly for large stretches of the season. The guy who was signed specifically to hit baseballs out of the ballpark ultimately delivered next-to-nothing in terms of production.

Why a World Series berth will attract more higher end free agents to consider Toronto

Obviously, free agency in baseball is an imperfect science. The best plans can blow up in a team's face while the less-heralded roster moves turn out to be the masterstrokes of the offseason. Did anyone see a role for Myles Straw when he was brought aboard in January?

Having said that, a World Series berth for Toronto should put them in a much better position to attract free agents than a season ago. This postseason run will inject confidence into every corner of the organization.

Toronto will always face the obstacles of playing in another country and the differences between the USA and Canada. Maybe someone like Corbin Burnes was never going to sign with Toronto because he prefers the comfort of playing near his home in Arizona. Maybe someone like Pete Alonso just prefers playing in a place that has embraced him since his rookie year.

Would someone Max Fried, have been more likely to sign with the Blue Jays if he was convinced they could make the playoffs? It sounded like Fried placed a large importance on winning. The Blue Jays ultimately served up sweet revenge on him when they knocked the Yankees out of the playoffs in the ALDS.

“(The goal) is not to get to the playoffs, it’s not to do anything but hold up the trophy at the end of the year,” Fried said during his introductory press conference with the Yankees. “...I love playoff baseball and I love to be able to have meaningful baseball at the end of the year and the Yankees are an organization that’s going to do that year in and year out.”

MLB free agents want to know whether or not a team can win in the future. This World Series is fantastic, but what if it's just a flash in the pan? The good news is that Toronto has a strong farm system. The story of Trey Yesavage needs to be at the top of every recruiting pitch in the future to show prospective free agents that Toronto is built for the future and willing to run elevated payrolls.

The Blue Jays also have a solid reputation when it comes to taking care of players and their families. Countless officials have boasted about the renovated spring training facility in Florida. A World Series would validate all of this and could convince any free agent that Toronto is the place to spend their formative career years.