Blue Jays Nation’s 2025 Pre-Season Prospect Countdown – No. 15: Cristopher Polanco
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Feb 17, 2025, 11:00 ESTUpdated: Feb 20, 2025, 03:58 EST
The Toronto Blue Jays signed one of the top shortstops in this year’s International Free Agent market.
This is Blue Jays Nation’s annual Pre-Season Prospect Countdown, this time looking at the top 40 prospects in the organization. We’ll look at the player’s stats, my observations, and other publications’ scouting reports if available.
Let’s take a look at our 15th-best Blue Jays prospect, Cristopher Polanco!
Getting to know Cristopher Polanco…
Position: Shortstop
Bats: Left
Born: January 3, 2008
Acquired: 2025 International Free Agency
Previous ranking: Not ranked
The 17-year-old has yet to make his professional debut and will likely do so with one of the two Dominican Summer League Blue Jays teams this summer. The shortstop signed for a reported bonus of $2.3 million, the highest bonus the Blue Jays gave in the 2025 class.
Polanco, from the Monte Plata province in the Dominican Republic, ranked as MLB Pipeline’s 22nd-best prospect available in this year’s International Free Agency. His report notes that he has a fluid left-handed swing with quick bat speed and often hits the ball hard. He’s a spray hitter, which gives him a 60-hit tool.
Standing at 5’10”, 174 lbs, there’s not much projection left in his frame so he may not hit for a ton of power when he begins his professional career. As he rises in the Blue Jays’ minor league system, there’s a solid chance he’ll be pushed to second base, although he has a ton of athleticism.
Polanco is one of a handful of shortstops the Blue Jays signed in the 2025 IFA class. They’ve also signed Kennew Blanco (who ranked 39th on this list), Juan Sanchez (who just missed out), and Elaineiker Coronado, leading to them getting a second Dominican Summer League team.
Either way, it’ll be interesting to see how Polanco develops once he begins his professional career, as the Blue Jays really need an IFA signing to develop into a top prospect.
As always, you can follow me on Bluesky @ryleydelaney.bsky.social.
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