The Blue Jays make a smart depth play by signing a youthful free-agent infielder with room to grow into a bigger role. DD
The Toronto Blue Jays not only need top end talent, but also depth for their roster, and recently they added to the latter group with an infield signing.
The Toronto Blue Jays are in an extremely intriguing position when it comes to their infield, both regarding the starting group and the depth.
With Bo Bichette hitting the open market this winter, things will somewhat revolve around whether or not he is retained by the Blue Jays or decides to head elsewhere.
So, with that, adding some depth options at various infield positions would be beneficial for Toronto, as at least if anyone gets injured, they have players who can be the “next man up,” per se. Recently, there have been reports about the team being interested in Ketel Marte, and shortly after that came out, the team made a minor league signing to try to build up their center infield.
The player they brought in has MLB experience, and despite some less-than-impressive reps there, he has experience, and in Triple-A last year, he at least looked to be a serviceable option if needed down the stretch. Hopefully, he can continue to improve his batting skills throughout the offseason, now with some new coaches giving him pointers.
Who Did the Blue Jays Sign on a Minor League Deal?
The player that the Blue Jays added to their roster recently on a minor league deal was infielder Rodolfo Castro, formerly of the Philadelphia Phillies and Pittsburgh Pirates. He has not played in the MLB for a few years now, having instead spent his time in the minor leagues, trying to build back up. Over his career, though, he has played 194 games at the MLB level, so he should be valuable as a depth option.
One of the biggest concerns with his game is his defense, both at third base and shortstop, as he has accrued quite a few errors.
In 2025 with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, he picked up 20 errors at shortstop and two more at third base in 126 games, fielding a .955 rate at shortstop and .944 at the corner. It was a little less prevalent in the MLB, as he had 30 errors in 194 games, but still, it is something to keep an eye on as he continues to improve.
His value lies in his versatility, as despite being a bit hit or miss, he has played second base, shortstop, third base, left field and right field. So, Toronto could choose to use him in various spots if they end up needing him on the roster, and if they can get his glove in check, he may be a pretty valuable player just to rotate in on rest days for the infield.
