Blue Jays – Roster cuts aplenty as the 2024 MLB Draft class joins the farm system
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Tyson Shushkewich
Aug 8, 2024, 20:30 EDTUpdated: Aug 8, 2024, 21:32 EDT
The Toronto Blue Jays signed 19 of their 21 picks from the 2024 MLB Draft and added over 11 players on minor league deals as undrafted free agents over the past few weeks. On top of the draft signees, the Jays added 12 prospects into the organization at the trade deadline, adding some much-needed depth.
With 30+ players entering the organization and a cap limit of 165 players allowed within an organization’s farm system (excluding the Dominican Summer League teams), some players were given their walking papers over the past week to make room.
Here are some notable names that are no longer in the Blue Jays farm system.
Miguel Hiraldo – 3B
Buffalo Bisons
Signing with the Blue Jays as an international free agent in 2017, infielder Miguel Hiraldo stopped at every level of the minor leagues on his way to triple-A Buffalo. He began the 2024 campaign in double-A New Hampshire before being promoted in late June, his first time with the Bisons squad since beginning his professional journey.
Once a top prospect, Hiraldo joined a crowded infield group near the top of the Jays farm system and fell towards the bottom of the depth charts over the past couple of campaigns. He finished his Jays career with a .260/.323/.404 slash line and a .727 OPS. The infielder would have been free-agent eligible this winter.
Mike Mayers – RHP
Buffalo Bisons
Signed to a minor league free agent deal in Spring Training, the right-hander inserted himself into the bullpen conversation but was destined for Buffalo after his late start to the campaign.
With over 262 innings of experience at the big league level, Mayers could not find a groove in Buffalo – posting a 6.10 ERA through 31 outings (three starts) with a 9.8 H/9 and a 4.8 BB/9 – while also missing a couple of weeks early in the year due to injury.
Aaron Sanchez – RHP
Buffalo Bisons
A familiar face in the Blue Jays organization, right-hander Aaron Sanchez joined the Blue Jays in early May on a MiLB deal looking to find his way back to the big leagues. The California product was a shade of his former self, authoring a 7.92 ERA through 14 starts.
His last four starts were trending in the right direction, as he only allowed six earned runs through 20 innings of work with 12 strikeouts, but it wasn’t enough to keep him on the squad after the acquisition of Jake Bloss.
Glenn Santiago – SS
New Hampshire Fisher Cats
Drafted by the Blue Jays in 2019, infielder Glenn Santiago spent most of his career in single-A Dunedin as he continuously worked toward the big league level. This season, his bat struggled between high-A and double-A, with the Blue Jays parting ways with Santiago after he posted a .187/.266/.269 slash line with a .525 OPS.
Jeffrey Wehler – 2B
Vancouver Canadians
Signed by the Blue Jays last season from the Staten Island Ferry Hawks, Jeffrey Wehler impressed early through three different levels in the Jays system. From single-A to double-A, the infielder posted a .305/.404/.515 slash line with a .919 OPS.
This season, Wehler returned to high-A Vancouver and put up a solid line – .259/.315/.364 – with six home runs to the tune of a .679 OPS. He was a bit on the older side (25) compared to his teammates but was playing second base well, authoring a .992 fielding percentage with just one error. With the influx of infielders, the Blue Jays must have found him expendable but it wouldn’t be surprising if he latches on somewhere within the next few weeks.
Estiven Machado – SS
Vancouver Canadians
Another former top prospect, infielder Estiven Machado joined the organization as an international free agent in 2019 but didn’t play professionally until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic (just one at-bat). From 2022 to 2024, Machado split his time between single-A and high-A but the Venezuelan product has called Vancouver home for the past two campaigns.
At the plate, the switch hitter struggled to find a rhythm in the Northwest League, amassing a .189/.289/.260 slash line with 42 RBIs, 48 walks, and 102 strikeouts while posting a .549 OPS.
Jordan Powell – RHP
Dunedin Blue Jays
Intrigue is the name of the game with Powell, as the right-hander joined the Blue Jays on a MiLB deal this past offseason after working with Tread Athletics to refine his game.
Boasting a knuckleball, the Jays brought in R.A. Dickey to help with the pitcher’s development but Powell struggled with his command in single-A ball. Through 16 outings, he allowed 19 hits and 23 earned runs while walking 29 batters compared to 22 strikeouts – with opponents boasting a .271 average on the right-hander.