Shushkewich: Blue Jays sign Vallee

ABC alum Mathieu Vallee (Saint-Eustache, Que.), shown here with the Southern Illinois Salukis, has signed with the Toronto Blue Jays. Photo: SIU Athletics

February 26, 2026

By Tyson Shushkewich

Canadian Baseball Network

The Toronto Blue Jays are adding some Canadian flavour to the farm system.

Per the MiLB transactions log, the Blue Jays have signed outfielder Mathieu Vallee (Saint-Eustache, Que.) to a minor league deal.

A product of Academie Baseball Canada (ABC), Vallee took his talents to Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College following high school, a NJCAA program in Region 2. However, he played just 16 games in his rookie season before it was cut short by the COVID 19 pandemic.

He headed back to the Golden Norsemen for his sophomore season, where he appeared in 40 games. The left-handed hitting outfielder posted a .434/.538/.644 slash line with 18 doubles, five home runs, and 37 stolen bases in 143 at-bats, finishing the year with a team-leading 1.202 OPS.

For his efforts, he was named to the All-Region Team and earned All-Region Gold Glove honours, not committing an error in the outfield all season. The Quebec product would also suit up for Mahoning Valley in the MLB Draft League following his time at NEO, appearing in 31 games and posting a .709 OPS.

Vallee would transfer to Dallas Baptist University, where he played sparingly, competing in just 13 games, before taking his talents to Southern Illinois in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Becoming a starter for the Salukis, Vallee suited up in 111 games over the next two seasons, crafting a .320/.424/.424 slash line with 19 doubles, six home runs, and 65 walks. Vallee also stole 30 baes and added 58 RBIs, playing alongside fellow Canucks Pier-Olivier Boucher (Levis, Que.) and Andrew Yusypchuk (Okotoks, Alta.).

Vallee then began his pro career in the Frontier League, signing with Trois-Rivieres to finish out the 2024 season. The speedy outfielder would return to the squad for 2025, where he made a name for himself on the base paths. Vallee impressed with his .352/.428/.413 slash line, but he also stole 83 bases, setting a single-season Frontier League record on the base paths. His impressive campaign earned him the Canadian Baseball Network’s Murray Zuk Award for top Canadian player in the independent or foreign ranks.

Adding Vallee into the outfield mix makes sense given what the Canadian can do on the basepaths with his plus speed. Finding a bit more power will go a long way for Vallee, using that top speed to go from first to second and adding a few more triples into the mix, but he will get a chance to carve his path in the minor leagues, likely starting in Class-A Dunedin after spring.