Blue Jays manager finally reveals what Kyle Tucker discussed in their Dunedin meeting, and it wasn’t just about hitting.
The Toronto Blue Jays kept quiet for a week after Kyle Tucker’s facility visit.
Now, manager John Schneider has finally revealed what the two sides discussed during that 90-minute meeting in Dunedin, and it went deeper than anyone expected.
John Schneider Finally Breaks Silence on Kyle Tucker’s Dunedin Visit
Blue Jays manager John Schneider can finally talk about a player development complex visit without having to hide it.
In an interview with Sportsnet’s Hazel Mae at the winter meeting, Schneider opened up about Kyle Tucker’s December 3 trip to Dunedin and made a pointed reference to past recruiting efforts he wasn’t allowed to discuss.
“This is so much easier to talk about,” Schneider said.
“The last PDC visit, I won’t mention names, a couple of years ago, I wasn’t allowed to talk about.”
That visit was Shohei Ohtani’s secret December 2023 tour that ended with the superstar signing a $700 million deal with the Dodgers.
This time, Schneider didn’t have to dodge questions or hide on mysterious Zoom calls.
Tucker lives in Tampa, just a short drive from the complex.
He and his agents toured the renovated facilities before sitting down for an hour and a half with Blue Jays brass.
The conversation covered organizational direction, ownership commitment, and roster construction.
But Tucker didn’t just listen to a sales pitch.
“He talked baseball,” Schneider said. “It was pretty cool.”
The 28-year-old outfielder impressed Toronto’s staff by breaking down the finer points of his game.
Tucker dove into his defensive reads, his baserunning instincts, and the mental side of stealing bases.
“He talked about his defense, he talked about his baserunning, he talked about his baseball IQ, what he looks for when he is playing defense, certain tells in a pitcher to try to get 25 bags instead of 20,” Schneider explained.
“So it’s pretty cool to hear that part of his game.”
What Kyle Tucker’s Approach Means for the Blue Jays
Tucker’s focus on the details matters because Toronto values that exact type of player.
The four-time All-Star isn’t just selling power numbers. He’s showing he thinks about every part of the game.
His 2025 season with the Cubs backed that up.
Tucker slashed .266/.377/.464 with 22 home runs and 73 RBIs in 136 games.
He won his second Silver Slugger Award and made his fourth consecutive All-Star team. The on-base percentage stands out.
So does the 25 stolen bases.
Toronto needs a left-handed bat after the most painful loss imaginable.
The Blue Jays were two outs away from beating the Dodgers in Game 7 before closer Jeff Hoffman gave up a game-tying homer to Miguel Rojas with one out in the ninth.
Will Smith won it in the 11th inning, 5-4. Toronto went to work immediately.
They signed Dylan Cease to a seven-year, $210 million contract.
They’re hunting for more.
Tucker would slot perfectly into a lineup anchored by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. His ability to get on base, run the bases intelligently, and play solid defense fits the identity Toronto is building.
Schneider knows what it’s like to come close.
He watched closer Jeff Hoffman stand one out away from a championship before Miguel Rojas tied Game 7 with a homer in the ninth.
The Dodgers won it in the 11th, 5-4, leaving Toronto to replay what might have been.
“It was very productive,” Schneider said of the meeting with Tucker.
“And again, great player. And it’s not a surprise, his skill set fits exactly what we’re doing.”
Tucker could command more than $400 million on the open market.
The Yankees and Mets are circling. But his Dunedin visit remains the only confirmed in-person meeting reported this offseason.
The Blue Jays positioned themselves as serious contenders, and Schneider’s willingness to discuss the recruitment suggests confidence.
Whether that confidence translates into a signed contract is the question that will define Toronto’s winter.
