As the off-season progresses, the slow crawl toward 2025 Spring Training inches closer.
The Toronto Blue Jays signed pitchers Eric Pardinho and Eric Lauer, and catcher Ali Sanches to minor league contracts, the team announced Friday.
The trio was also invited to Blue Jays' Spring Training in Florida.
Pardinho, a 23-year-old righty, appeared in 45 games between Double-A New Hampshire and Triple-A Buffalo this past season. The Brazilian posted a 3.25 ERA with a 28.1 per cent strikeout rate in that span. Paradinho originally signed with the Blue Jays through international free agency in 2017. He's made 21 starts across the Blue Jays system since, going 13-7 with a 4.22 ERA through 232.2 innings.
Lauer, 29, also has previous ties with the organization, getting selected by Toronto in the 17th round of the 2013 MLB Draft. He opted to go to college, however, and the San Diego Padres then selected him in the first round in 2016. The lefty suited up for 19 appearances (16 starts) between the Pirates and Astros’ Triple-A squads in 2024, posting a 5.26 ERA with a 25.3 per cent strikeout rate. Across six seasons in the majors between the Padres and Milwaukee Brewers, he made a total of 120 appearances, going 36-37 with a 4.30 ERA through 596.2 innings.
Lauer also pitched in KBO last season with the Kia Tigers. He made seven starts with the Korean club, recording 37 strikeouts and 12 walks through 34.2 innings.
Sanchez is coming off a campaign in which he suited up 31 times for the Miami Marlins while also appearing in 48 games between Triple-A Jacksonville and the Cubs Triple-A affiliate in Iowa. The 27-year-old slashed .167/.211/.190 with two doubles in the majors while posting .205 with 14 doubles, three home runs, and 26 RBI between both levels. He's appeared in 38 total contests in the majors with the Marlins, New York Mets and St. Louis Cardinals.
COMMENTS
When submitting content, please abide by our submission guidelines, and avoid posting profanity, personal attacks or harassment. Should you violate our submissions guidelines, we reserve the right to remove your comments and block your account. Sportsnet reserves the right to close a story’s comment section at any time.