Adding another minor-league free agent to their system on Monday, the Toronto Blue Jays have inked first baseman/outfielder Jorge Burgos to a contract for next season, per the
transaction log. The 23-year-old lefty slugger had spent his entire professional career with the Cleveland Guardians, who signed him out of Venezuela in 2019.
Burgos spent last season at double-A, repeating that level for the second time in his career, clubbing 14 home runs with 73 RBIs and slashing .206/.295/.386 over 98 games, earning a 101 wRC+ (100 league average). He finished the season on the injured list, playing his final contest on Aug. 10.
The left-handed-hitting Burgos — who’s gone 1-for-8 (.125) with a trio of strikeouts across four games in the Venezuelan Winter League this season — was a hit-first prospect with the Guardians organization, featuring plus bat speed from the left side of the plate. He displayed more of his power in 2024, particularly during his 71-game stint at high-A, posting 15 home runs and a .452 SLG. But he also struck out nearly 30 per cent of the time.
Last season, Burgos cut down on his swing-and-miss during his second trip through the double-A circuit, striking out only 23.3 per cent of the time and walking 10.6 per cent. At the same time, though, his power production travelled in the wrong direction as he became less aggressive in the batter’s box.
The 5-foot-10, 165-pound first baseman/occasional corner outfielder will attempt to find more of a balanced approach with the Blue Jays organization next season. They’ll be tasked with rediscovering the left-handed stroke that made him an intriguing prospect inside the Guardians’ pipeline.
After repeating the double-A level in 2025, Burgos — who went unclaimed during the minor-league portion of the Rule 5 draft at this month’s Winter Meetings — could begin the ’26 campaign at triple-A Buffalo, competing for reps at first base alongside Damiano Palmegiani and Jackson Hornung.
