OFFICIAL: We’ve signed RHP Jacob Barnes to a Minor League deal with an invite to #SpringTraining.
Blue Jays reunite with Jacob Barnes on a minor-league deal
Photo credit: Blue Jays reunite with Jacob Barnes on a minor-league deal - USA Today
Feb 17, 2025, 15:00 ESTUpdated: Feb 17, 2025, 14:56 EST
The Toronto Blue Jays signed someone on Monday.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t Vladimir Guerrero Jr., as the team announced that they had signed Jacob Barnes to a minor-league deal.
If that name seems familiar, it’s because he’s pitched for the Jays before. In 2021, the year that is known for the musical chairs of relievers, the Jays traded Troy Miller to the New York Mets for the reliever.
The Blue Jays were Barnes’ fifth organization and he wasn’t great for them, posting a 6.30 ERA and a 3.57 FIP in 10 innings pitched, with a 30.6 K% and a 12.2 BB%. You know the rest of the story, the Blue Jays missed the postseason on the final day with Barnes being designated a few weeks later.
Since then, Barnes has forged a big-league career with several other teams. The 34-year-old signed with the Detroit Tigers. His 2022 was split between them and the New York Yankees in the big leagues where he had a 5.64 ERA and a 5.26 FIP in 22.1 innings pitched, with a 12.4 K% and a 9.3 BB%. Barnes also pitched for the Seattle Mariners’ Triple-A team.
In 2023, Barnes pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals in the big leagues where he had a 5.93 ERA and a 3.91 FIP in 13.2 innings pitched, but also pitched for the Philadelphia Phillies and the Texas Rangers in Triple-A.
The entirety of Barnes’ 2024 season was spent with the Washington Nationals, his 12th MLB organization, where he had a respectable 4.36 ERA and a 4.38 FIP in 66 innings pitched with a 19.9 K% and a 7.2 BB%.
This off-season, the Blue Jays have improved their bullpen drastically. They signed Yimi García and Jeff Hoffman and acquired Nick Sandlin in the Andrés Giménez trade. On top of that, they signed Josh Walker to a major league deal around Christmas time and even signed Amir Garrett yesterday. It seems as if they’ll have a ton of depth options in Triple-A to start the season.
As always, you can follow me on Bluesky @ryleydelaney.bsky.social.
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