The Blue Jays announced Friday that they’ve selected the contracts of catchers Riley Adams and Gabriel Moreno, right-hander Ty Tice, outfielder Josh Palacios and infielder Otto Lopez. All five are now protected from being selected in next month’s Rule 5 Draft. Toronto’s 40-man roster is now full.
Adams, 23, adds another catching option to a roster already well stocked at that position. He topped out with a solid Double-A showing in 2019 and ostensibly isn’t too far from MLB readiness. The 20-year-old Moreno, on the other hand, hasn’t played above A-ball, although he hit quite well there in ’19.
Tice, 25, logged a 2.34 ERA between Double-A and Triple-A in ’19 and racked up better than 11 K/9 but did so while walking nearly six per nine frames. Palacios plays all three outfield spots and is an OBP-over-power option who has seen some time in Double-A. Lopez, 22, hasn’t advanced beyond A-ball. He hit well there in 2019 and has experience at both middle infield spots and both corner outfield positions.
I’m pleasantly surprised Tice got selected. You don’t usually see relievers protected from the draft so hopefully he’ll be competing for a big league spot next.
Relievers are the most sought after position in rule 5 draft usually.
Isn’t it mostly SP prospects who get moved to a relief role because it’s way easier to carry them there? I could be wrong but I don’t remember many prospects who came up through the minors strictly as relievers who got chosen in the rule 5 draft. Like I said though I could be wrong.
Jays lost Travis Bergen and Dany Jimenez who were relievers. Got both back.
And Romano.
It was looking like he might contribute last year at spring training/summer camp. Good addition. I think he would have been a candidate to be selected if left unprotected.
No word on Shaw.
Josh Winckowski broke out and pitched very well in 2018 and 2019. Surprised they left him off and protected Josh Palacios.
Shaw asked to not be on the 40-man.
Said nobody.
I could believe they try to tender Shaw a contract but he whiffs and his pen misses the paper.
Castillo and Winckowski pitched very well in 2019. I am surprised that the Blue Jays protected Palacios, Tice, Adams, and Lopez.
Lopez swung the bat pretty well. No pop with his 160 pounds. Palacios I would have left off. Going to be 26 and still needs time in AAA. Still wondering what the Jays are going to do with Adams as he was passed over by Kirk in 2020.
I might be wrong…. but if the player is taken in the rule 5 they need to remain in the acquiring team all year or be offered back….
But if the Jays protect them… and then cut them from the 40 man later than any team can grab them on a minor league deal I think with no requirement to keep them in their 40 man for the season.
So sometimes the guys protected aren’t necessarily the guys they think are most valuable. Just the guys most likely to be taken and not returned.
I think that’s how it works anyway?
No Kevin Smith?
And no Logan Warmoth
Fisher, Roark and Shaw are taking up empty space on this roster. Arguably Espinal could be not on this roster too.
This team is winning nothing in 2021 if they don’t go big on free agents for the rotation, CF and 3rd base. And no, Vlad Jr is not playing 3rd base. He can’t at this level..
If that is the case I would cut the baggage and look for some rule 5’s of their own to fill up the roster. PS, no one in their right mind is trading for Fisher, Roark, Shaw or Espinal.
who do you prefer the Jays get for 3B? Or do you see them as really in on Lindor and shuffling things around?
One year of Lindor is far too expensive for the Jays to pay.
For 3B, Justin Turner is out there but there might be a overpay for the Jays to get him. That leaves trades or DJ Lemahieu and the Jays would be in competition for him with the Yankees. I think Lemahieu would be excellent.
Looks like 3B will be Travis Shaw. As of now he’s still on the roster.
Can we question the process yet?
haha Dec 2nd- non tender deadline!
Jays are at 40 and still talking about making additions. Someone gonna get non tendered?
5 catchers. Someone gonna get traded?
Most excited for Kim’s posting, expected around Dec 1.
Filthy let’s hope.
Deadline shmedline. This decision should have been made three weeks ago. No reason he should be holding a spot unless they intend to keep him. Trying to trade him is a waste of time.
The Jays always run out the clock on these decisions. I wouldn’t sweat the Shaw thing. They probably made theses roster additions at 5:59 with a 6:00 deadline.
Still not the point. Cut bait. Just do it quick and move on. They haven’t because they are considering alternatives, including the idea of keeping him.
I’m guessing that in addition to offers to every free agent, there is probably trade offers to every team.
Unlikely, unappealing, you name it, it’s probably been proposed by Atkins.
Last winter might’ve got Wil Myers for a bag of balls (Shaw) if they were willing to pay Myers contract?
Some teams might be in the market for a bag of balls this winter if a team was willing to take on a big salary?
I keep looking at the Cubs. obviously not Shaw for Bryant, but maybe take on Kimbrel as well, and Shaw looks like a minor throw in to even things out. Varying prospect level going back to Cubs depending if Contreras or Baez get pushed into the conversation.
Or Cards- Carpenter/Fowler.
Rox- Arenado/Gray.
Unlikely. Unappealing. No real harm in waiting for teams to laugh off all the offers.
It doesn’t prevent any signings or trades does it?
I guess it depends if the blue jays plan is to rule 5 any players from other organizations they are going to need the roster space.