Which Blue Jays acquisitions could we see in majors this year?

For the Toronto Blue Jays, the final two months of the 2024 season are about assessing what the club has, what it doesn’t, and what it needs to prioritize obtaining this winter. It’s about trying things out, exposing players to novel circumstances, experimenting with different looks offensively and defensively. It’s essentially an early start on Spring Training, 2025

We’ve already seen some of that process with Spencer Horwitz getting regular reps at second base, Brendon Little facing leverage, Leo Jimenez playing every day, and Bowden Francis getting stretched back out as a starter. And after Toronto traded 30 per cent of its major-league roster over the last five days, opportunities for experimentation and evaluation are only going to increase.

That will be particularly meaningful for the handful of advanced prospects the Blue Jays acquired as a result of that turnover, who lack familiarity with their new club but are at points in their careers where they could fit within a big-league roster.

So, which of Toronto’s new players could fans see at Rogers Centre auditioning for future roles between now and the end of the season? Let’s take a look.

OF Joey Loperfido

We might as well start here as Loperfido has already joined the Blue Jays in Baltimore and was active for Tuesday night’s game against the Orioles. With Kevin Kiermaier out of the picture, and Daulton Varsho poised to take over the lion’s share of work in centre, there ought to be plenty of playing time available in left for Loperfido.

Of course, that’s not the only place the 25-year-old could play. He’s capable of covering all three outfield spots, second base, and first, which gives him a series of potential pathways to regular appearances in the Blue Jays lineup down the stretch. With the departures of regulars Kiermaier, Danny Jansen, Justin Turner, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the left-handed hitter become a near-everyday player over the next two months.

“He’s a late bloomer,” said Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins. “He came into his strength later than the average player his age. And has already had a ton of minor-league success for someone that has continued to get better. It’s coming into his athleticism and strength and learning how to maximize it for him.”

Of course, Loperfido’s already seen a pair of big-league stints with the Astros this season after hitting .272/.365/.568 with 21 extra-base hits in 39 games at triple-A this season. Those results haven’t quite transferred against MLB pitching, and the adjustment from an automated strike zone to a human one — Loperfido’s strikeout rate is over eight points higher and walk rate is five points lower in the majors vs. triple-A this year — appears to have been a challenge.

But ZIPS projects Loperfido to walk more and strikeout less over the remainder of the season and end up with a 91 wRC+, which isn’t spectacular but is higher than all but six current Blue Jays hitters.

Loperfido also brings strong defensive and speed elements to the Blue Jays, which can help cover what was lost in those categories with Kiermaier’s departure. He stole 27 bases in the minors last season, and 32 the year before that.

OF Jonatan Clase

A 22-year-old switch-hitting outfielder with elite speed who ranks fourth among all minor-leaguers in stolen bases since the start of 2023, it’s easy to see how Clase could be utilized in a variety of roles for the Blue Jays later this season. He’s leading off and playing centre field with the Buffalo Bisons for now, but it won’t be a surprise if he’s recalled in the near-to-medium term.

And while he scuffled in his brief major-league opportunities this year, Clase’s shown a bit of pop in the minors, reaching a maximum exit velocity of 110 m.p.h. at triple-A. That’s part of the reason why ZIPS projects him to hit 17 homers with regular big-league playing time next season.

“Clase is about as athletic as they come. He stole 79 bases a year ago. He has power. The speed tool is obvious. We feel he has the chance to be an elite defender,” Atkins said. “And depending on how good that bat becomes — it’s already been solid in the minor leagues — he has probably the most upside of any acquisition we acquired”

Of course, speed is Clase’s loudest tool — but the Blue Jays were also drawn to his on-base ability and eye at the plate as a hitter who’s walked at a 14 per cent clip over his minor-league career. That’s helped balance out the very big, aggressive swings Clase takes, which has led to elevated chase rates.

No doubt there’s room for refinement and growth in Clase’s swing decisions and overall approach. Considering he was the youngest player in the Pacific Coast League this season, it won’t hurt for some of that work to come at triple-A initially.

But he’ll be next in line should a Blue Jays outfielder suffer an injury or could be swapped straight out for Steward Berroa, who’s provided a spark and infectious energy during his two big-league stints so far, but is a lower priority prospect than Loperfido and Clase going forward.

RHP Jake Bloss

After he was selected in the third round of last year’s draft, Bloss made only 20 minor-league appearances — 19 of them starts — across five levels before being rushed into his MLB debut this June. That likely doesn’t happen if the Astros don’t suffer the catastrophic wave of pitching injuries that’s undercut their season. Of course, then the trade that brought Bloss to Toronto as part of a package for Yusei Kikuchi likely doesn’t happen, either.

Yet here we are, with the Blue Jays sending Bloss to the club’s player development complex in Florida for a check-in with performance staff en route to joining the Bisons. That’s where Bloss will begin his Blue Jays career, but it, too, could be a quick layover before the 23-year-old is pitching for Toronto.

“Our ideal outcome is that he’s helping us this year and growing and developing here in Toronto,” Atkins said. “We’re going to get to know him. Make sure that he’s in the strongest possible spot. We do have an opportunity to give him a little bit of breathing room if that’s needed, because there’s been a lot asked of him to date. But there’s also a really strong chance that he just doesn’t need it.”

For now, Toronto will cover the back end of its rotation with a combination of Yariel Rodriguez, Bowden Francis, and Paolo Espino. But if Rodriguez bumps up against a workload restriction, Francis proves untenable as a starter, or the club shuts down a veteran like Chris Bassitt, Kevin Gausman or Jose Berrios to give them a head start on their off-season recovery and preparation ahead of 2025, Bloss will be next in line.

“To be 23 years old, already competing at this level, is really impressive,” Atkins said. “The athleticism and delivery really stood out to us.”

Despite a rough go in his first three big-league starts with Houston, Bloss has displayed plenty of promise, working with a mid-90s fastball and multiple secondary weapons, while getting great extension down the mound.

He also has something the Blue Jays always covet when they’re acquiring pitchers — a unique fastball shape. Combining a high, efficient spin rate with a delivery that releases the ball from a low release point and flattens its approach angle to the plate gives Bloss’s fastball uncommon ride up in the zone and helps it travel over bats.

Bloss has put up big whiff rates with the pitch in the minors, and if the Blue Jays can help him elevate it more effectively off a big-league mound, it’ll only increase the effectiveness of his slider, curveball, and changeup down in the zone.

“It’s a big-time fastball that doesn’t have a ton of effort to it,” Atkins said. “Pitchers that have these shapes of fastball with solid secondary weapons, strong athletic deliveries that we project to be durable, with youth on their side, often times have the chance to get better and better and better.”

INF Will Wagner

Although he’s 26 and posting well-above-league-average numbers at triple-A this season, Wagner may have the most difficult time of anyone on this list earning big-league playing time this season. That’s because between Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Spencer Horwitz, Davis Schneider, Ernie Clement, Leo Jimenez, Addison Barger, Loperfido, and, eventually, Bo Bichette, the Blue Jays already have a wealth of players ahead of him eating up infield reps.

Yet Atkins says Wagner — who’s initially been assigned to Buffalo — will likely appear in the majors sometime between now and the end of the season, as the Blue Jays audition him for a potential role in 2025.

“Absolutely — I would think sooner than later,” Atkins said. “He is, we believe, ready for that challenge.”

There’s even a recently departed Blue Jay who the left-handed hitter would be a pretty good replacement for:

Obviously, Wagner’s 2024 stats have been accumulated at triple-A while Turner’s came in MLB against much tougher pitching. But it’s still remarkable how similar the strike zone management, bat-to-ball skill, and barrel control is between the two. That advanced approach and contact ability are two traits the Blue Jays value highly.