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Toronto Blue Jays sign 22 international free agents from seven countries

Colton Pankiw
Colton Pankiw
|
Jan 24 2025, 11:57 pm
Toronto Blue Jays sign 22 international free agents from seven countries
Dan Hamilton/USA TODAY Sports

Toronto Blue Jays management has been busy the past few days.

The Blue Jays announced that they have signed 22 international free agents, nine of which are pitchers. Meanwhile, they also landed five catchers, four outfielders, and two infielders.

Eight of the players signed hail from the Dominican Republic, while seven are from Venezuela. There are also three from Mexico, while four others are from Panama, Colombia, Netherlands, and Cuba.

Though these deals are all just being announced today, several were signed earlier in the week.

Though Blue Jays fans continue to hope that the organization can lure a few more big-named free agents similar to Anthony Santander, management is also clearly hoping that they can find a gem or two through the international free-agent process.

Fans shouldn’t expect to see any of the names listed above any time soon, as these signings are often viewed as long-term investments. Blue Jays infielder Leo JimĆ©nez was an international free-agent signing, as was catcher Alejandro Kirk.

While the chances of any of these recent signings turning into household names may seem slim, it’s not impossible. Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who has turned into one of the better hitters in the MLB, signed the same type of deal with the Blue Jays back in 2015 at just 16 years old. He’s since appeared in four All-Star Games and was the MLB home run leader in 2021.

The Blue Jays continue to monitor the market for free agents who are ready to make an immediate impact, as well. They are reported to have interest in several names that remain up for grabs, most notably longtime New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso.

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