Blue Jays Sign Josh Fuentes To Minors Deal

The Blue Jays have signed Josh Fuentes to a minor league deal, per Scott Mitchell of TSN Sports (via Twitter). He has been issued an invitation to Major League camp, adds MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson (via Twitter).

Fuentes, 29, has spent the whole of his Major League career with the Rockies. He was largely a bit player until last season when he started 56 games at third base. Of course, third base in Colorado had previously been spoken for by Fuentes’ cousin, Nolan Arenado. Fuentes appeared in 32 games on the other side of the diamond at first base, though he was mostly inserted as a late game replacement.

Offensively, Fuentes struggled mightily in 2021, posting a lowly 48 wRC+ and .225/.257/.351 triple slash line. For his career, a total 443 plate appearances, Fuentes owns an acceptable 25.7 percent strikeout rate, too-low 3.4 percent walk rate, and below-average .134 isolated power mark.

There isn’t expected to be much in the way of playing time on the Blue Jays’ roster for a right-handed corner infielder – not with Matt Chapman and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. locking down those spots. That said, there is some opportunity for a bench role in Toronto. Righties fill the lineup, however, so Fuentes will likely start behind non-roster invitees like Greg Bird or Gosuke Katoh in his effort to claim the final bench spot.