Shushkewich: Five Toronto Blue Jays spring training stories to watch
With several players participating in the World Baseball Classic, Toronto Blue Jays infield prospect Arjun Nimmala should see more Grapefruit League action this spring.
February 27, 2026
By Tyson Shushkewich
Canadian Baseball Network
With the World Baseball Classic on the horizon and tough decisions ahead for the Toronto Blue Jays, here are five things to keep an eye on in Dunedin over the next month.
1. Players heading to the World Baseball Classic
The Toronto Blue Jays are well represented at the upcoming tournament. The entire infield – Alejandro Kirk, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Ernie Clement, Andres Gimenez, and Kazuma Okamoto – will be departing soon for their respective camps, while the likes of Leo Jimenez, Adam Macko (Stony Plain, Alta.), Yariel Rodriguez, RJ Schreck, CJ Stubbs, Ismael Munguia, and Will Cresswell will not be far behind. Jose Berrios, Jeff Hoffman and Tyler Rogers could also be donning a national team uniform before the end of the month as reserve pitchers, which could make things interesting in Spring Training.
With these players gone, there lie opportunities for others to shine in their absence.
Brandon Valenzuela and Robert Brooks will get ample opportunities behind the plate, infielders Sean Keys, Josh Kasevich, Charles McAdoo, Arjun Nimmala, Ben Cowles, and Riley Tirotta will see an uptick in playing time, and a laundry list of pitchers will get a chance to start and shine in the bullpen.
The outfield prospect gets the short end of the stick, considering no notable outfielders will be departing for the tournament. However, opportunities are still aplenty for those looking to make an impact in front of the coaching staff.
2. Starters galore
The Toronto Blue Jays used 15 different pitchers to start games last season, and the front office had a clear mission this winter in bringing that number down.
Ross Atkins and co. signed Dylan Cease to a free-agent deal to help lead the group, while adding Cody Ponce as a wild card to the group after an MVP-worthy campaign in Korea. On top of Cease and Ponce, Shane Bieber decided to opt into his contract for the 2026 season – a surprise to many – and the club recently added veteran Max Scherzer on an incentive-laden, one-year deal.
As of right now, the club has eight potential options to roll out with in the rotation:
Kevin Gausman
Dylan Cease
Shane Bieber
Trey Yesavage
Cody Ponce
Eric Lauer
Jose Berrios
Max Scherzer
You can’t say the club isn’t prepared for the worst.
Considering Bieber is going to start the year on the IL with forearm fatigue and Scherzer likely won’t be ready for Opening Day, there are six spots open in the rotation and manager John Schneider has already said that whoever is performing well will get a shot. If this rings true, there is a chance that Ponce and Lauer could usurp Berrios in the starting five with solid showings this spring, and Yesavage could begin the year on a varied schedule after his impressive rise in 2025.
Things get more complicated once Bieber and Scherzer enter the picture. The Jays will have to figure things out, whether that’s a name or two being in the bullpen despite hurt feelings or somebody is wearing a new jersey come April. Still, this group doesn’t even include Macko and Ricky Tiedemann, two prospects who should be banging on the MLB door this year.
It will be interesting to see how March unfolds for the rotation because, despite some locks, there appears to be a spot or two up for grabs on Opening Day.
3) The comeback of Yariel Rodriguez
The Blue Jays' bullpen has been a hot topic over the years, and last winter, the Jays decided to outright right-hander Yariel Rodriguez from the roster despite owing him over $21 million over the next three years.
Rodriguez was up and down in 2025. The Cuban product spent the entire campaign in the relief corps, amassing a 3.08 ERA and a 4.40 FIP through 73 innings. Rodriguez was able to keep the H/9 down as a reliever (6.2 vs. 7.7 in 2024), but his command issues continued to follow him, with 34 free passes issued to the tune of a 4.2 BB/9.
The 28-year-old also struggled in the ALCS last October, allowing three earned runs across two appearances in one inning of work, which led to him being left off the World Series roster.
The right-hander is entering the new campaign looking for a spot on the Opening Day roster, and so far, things haven’t gotten off to a strong start. Across two outings and 1 2/3 innings, Rodriguez has allowed seven hits and seven earned runs while walking three compared to two strikeouts.
It’s not fair to judge Rodriguez solely on two early Spring Training outings, but where things get tricky is that he will be departing soon for Team Cuba’s training camp for the World Baseball Classic. That’s time away from Jays’ training camp, where other pitchers are sticking behind to make their case for a spot on the roster.
If Rodriguez goes to the tournament and struggles, that will be the nail in the coffin for his bid for an Opening Day roster spot. Even if he goes and pitches well, he still might be on the outside looking in if other relievers pass him on the depth charts.
4) Ernie Clement is proving 2025 wasn’t a fluke
One of the biggest success stories for the Blue Jays in 2025 was the emergence of Ernie Clement.
The New York product was an everyday player for the Jays, and he made the most of the opportunity. Clement authored a .277/.313/.398 slash line with a .711 OPS while collecting 35 doubles, nine home runs, and 50 RBIs on top of playing Gold Glove-calibre defence at multiple positions. He also collected a postseason record 30 hits.
Clement will be departing soon for Team USA’s training camp, and so far, the right-handed hitting infielder is off to a torrid start this spring. He’s collected four hits in eight at-bats and was a home run short of the cycle in one of his latest outings, showing that his elite contact ability is still on par with what the club saw last season.
The same caveat exists here from the point above (it’s early into Spring Training), but if Clement can put up another 3.0+ bWAR campaign, it will go a long way for the Jays' postseason bid in 2026.
5) Kazuma Okamoto has big shoes to fill
The big man on campus. The ‘Young General’ has arrived.
The Blue Jays didn’t make many additions on the position player front; actually, losing Bo Bichette and missing out on Kyle Tucker likely gives the impression that they lost more than they gained. However, Kazuma Okamoto is looking to change that narrative this season and beyond and provide some power for the Blue Jays after an impressive 11-year career with the Yomiuri Giants.
Signed to a four-year deal worth $60 million, Okamoto is the largest Japanese free agent signing in franchise history. The right-hander is a proven power bat in Japan, amassing 248 round-trippers with the Giants, which includes six 30+ home run seasons. Despite missing time on the IL last season, Okamoto smacked 15 home runs across 251 at-bats in 69 games.
With Bichette gone and Anthony Santander missing a good portion of the season on the IL, Okamoto is going to be one of the key figures in the lineup, alongside Guerrero Jr. and George Springer.
The good news for Jays fans – Okamoto is off to a strong start this spring.
Across four games and nine at-bats, Okamoto has three hits – all of which were for extra bases. His double to left field yesterday left the bat at 104.9 MPH, and his home run off Mets right-hander Clay Holmes was a 431-foot shot to centre field – not a cheapie.
Okamoto will also be departing for the WBC shortly, and Jays fans will get a chance to watch their newest player defend the 2023 WBC title this March. Those who follow the international scene may recall Okamoto’s impressive solo shot during the final against Team USA.
Okamoto has a lot of pressure riding on him this season, but if the early indicators are anything, Jays fans have nothing to worry about with their newest slugger.