The Toronto Blue Jays recently had six of their key players from the big league roster enter free agency upon the completion of the 2025 MLB season. Without question star shortstop Bo Bichette is the biggest name among the group, but the likes of Chris Bassitt, Max Scherzer, Seranthony Domínguez, Ty France and Isiah Kiner-Falefa are also solid pieces that could provide some impact.
But in addition to that distinguished group, the Blue Jays have also seen a mass exodus to the free agent market from the minor league portion of their roster as well. In fact, to date, a grand total of 15 players have elected for free agency that were a part of the Blue Jays organization last year.
The 15 minor league Blue Jays free agents who have declared free agency
The 15 Blue Jays minor league free agents include:
RHP Andrew Bash (AAA)
RHP Edinson Batista (A+)
RHP Elieser Hernandez (AAA)
RHP Adam Kloffenstein (AAA)
RHP Bobby Milacki (AA)
RHP Robinson Pina (AAA)
LHPJoe Mantiply (AAA)
C Phil Clarke (AAA)
C Rene Pinto (AAA)
3B Alex De Jesus (AA)
3B Buddy Kennedy (AAA)
3B Eddinson Paulino (AA)
OF Dasan Brown (AAA)
OF Eloy Jimenez (AAA)
OF Gabriel Martinez (AA)
Some of the notables among the list include Adam Kloffenstein, Robinson Pina, Joe Mantiply, Eloy Jiménez, Dasan Brown and Buddy Kennedy.
As a former third round selection by the Blue Jays back in the 2018 MLB Draft, Kloffenstein was known for being a part of the package that Toronto sent to the St. Louis Cardinals at the 2023 trade deadline in exchange for shutdown reliever Jordan Hicks. The 25-year-old right-hander ultimately found his way back to the Blue Jays’ organization on a minor league deal this past season, but posted a disappointing 2-9 record with a 5.66 ERA, 1.59 WHIP while giving up 57 earned runs including 20 home runs in just 90 2/3 total innings.
Acquired by the Blue Jays from the Miami Marlins in late June, Pina would eventually make his debut with his new team in early July, but surrendered three runs on four hits with a walk and a strikeout in 1.1 innings of work in his only appearance. He would spend the bulk of the remainder of the 2025 season in Triple-A Buffalo and on the sidelines with an UCL sprain.
Toronto also took a chance on some former stars in reliever Joe Mantiply and slugger Eloy Jiménez this past season. Mantiply was signed to a minor league deal in mid-July for valuable bullpen depth. But the veteran would not end up seeing time with the big league club as he spent the rest of the year in Buffalo, compiling a 2-1 record, 3.45 ERA with 19 strikeouts in 15.2 total innings over 14 appearances.
As for Jiménez, the Blue Jays also signed him to a minor league contract during their stretch run to add a potential power bat to the organization. But the former Silver Slugger struggled to just a .167 average, .508 OPS with three walks and five strikeouts in six games with Buffalo and never got the call in the end.
Brown was actually one of the promising, homegrown speedsters within the Blue Jays’ organization, who also happens to be one of Canada’s very own. The young 24-year-old outfielder managed to record 149 stolen bases over his six-year minor league career with Toronto. But a disappointing 2025 campaign that saw him hit just .174 with a .545 OPS, along with just seven doubles, four home runs, 15 RBIs and a whopping 86 strikeouts in 242 at-bats over 101 games played in the minors likely dropped him further down the depth chart as a result.
Finally, Kennedy may have only appeared in two games for the Blue Jays in 2025. But he will forever be remembered for taking home with him one thing that none of his Jays’ teammates managed to get this year. That is the elusive World Series ring for getting into seven games with the Los Angeles Dodgers this past season.
So with that, we can continue to expect more changes to be made by the Blue Jays this offseason with the goal being to strengthen the organization to become perennial contenders from here on out.
