With spring training around the corner, the Toronto Blue Jays have added to their minor-league depth, agreeing to contracts with catcher Christian Bethancourt and left-hander Richard Lovelady on Wednesday.

The signings, which the club officially announced, are minor-league deals and include invitations to spring training. Both players would have to be added to the organization’s 40-man roster to break camp with the team ahead of Opening Day.

Lovelady, who was non-tendered by the Tampa Bay Rays last November, began last season with the Chicago Cubs before joining the AL East. He made 35 total relief appearances, pitching to a 4.46 ERA and 3.92 FIP with 26 strikeouts over 34.1 combined innings.

The 29-year-old southpaw excels at inducing ground balls, as evidenced by last season’s 51.9-per-cent clip, which would’ve ranked in the top 10th percentile had he recorded enough innings to qualify. His arsenal includes three pitches, two low-90s fastballs — a sinker and a four-seamer — and a mid-80s slider, all benefiting from his 96th-percentile pitch extension (7.2 feet) in 2024.

For an organization thin of lefty relievers, Lovelady will enter camp as a depth option behind Brendon Little, joining fellow lefties Josh Walker, Easton Lucas and Mason Fluharty.

Bethancourt split last season between the Miami Marlins and Cubs, logging 62 big-league games. There isn’t much that stands out about his offensive profile, considering he slashed .209/.241/.367 with a 66 wRC+ (100 league average) in 2024. Behind the plate, though, his 1.9-second average pop time and plus-four caught stealing above average ranked in the 87th and 89th percentiles, respectively.

With Alejandro Kirk the runaway starter, Tyler Heineman — the only other backstop on the 40-man roster — appears to be the leading candidate to serve as his backup, with the likes of Bethancourt, Ali Sánchez and Phil Clarke next in line on the depth chart.