The Toronto Blue Jays sit in a precarious position heading into the 2025 season – numerous players are looking for playing time at the big league level from an internal standpoint but the Blue Jays need to find some veteran talent to fill in the gaps if they want to contend in the AL East.

There are a handful of middle infield types who got a chance to showcase their talents late in the season after Toronto’s sell-off at the trade deadline but with thoughts of contending this season, the opportunity to play is going to be limited early in the year – especially if the Blue Jays make some moves this winter.

Of the group of prospects within the Jays system, Addison Barger was one of the first names to get a crack in the big leagues. Kevin Kiermaier went to the IL with a hip flexor injury in late April and Barger got a short window to showcase his raw power and athleticism early out of the gate.

The learning curve hit Barger hard to start – he collected just one hit through 18 at-bats with six strikeouts before being sent back to Buffalo. With a violent swing in the left side of the batter’s box, Barger had some solid contact at times but wasn’t able to find a hole as well as perfect his timing, still adjusting to big league pitching and learning the hard way.

A bit more seasoning in triple-A and Barger returned for another stint in mid-June with Daniel Vogelbach being given his walking papers. The second go around was a bit more in Barger’s favour, as he posted a .200/.234/.267 slash line through 16 games. The top prospect posted nine hits and four runs in the timeframe with three doubles and five RBIs to his credit. He still struggled with the strikeouts at times (14) but his BABIP was trending in the right direction (.290) while he kept getting acclimated to life in the big leagues.

Another quick trip to triple-A saw the Washington product return towards late July and he remained on the big league roster the rest of the campaign.

Through 69 games on the season, Barger would finish with a .601 OPS, seven home runs, and 28 RBIs while posting a 26.7% strikeout rate. His best stretch came in August when he authored a .720 OPS with six doubles and four home runs – one of which was a walk-off home run to the right-centre field to bank a win over the Los Angeles Angels.

Defensively, the Jays kept finding ways to put Barger in the game via third base and the corner outfield spots. The 25-year-old has a rocket of an arm (98th percentile arm strength) that can make plays from the three spots mentioned above and his athletic ability helps him out in the different areas as well. His OAA and fielding percentage showed that he struggled at the hot corner through 256 1/3 innings (-5 and .925) but he still found a way to amass a +2 DRS. In the outfield, he snagged one outfield assist and had better numbers in right field compared to left.

Barger heads into the new year with a lot of question marks surrounding where he is going to play.

The Blue Jays could continue to try him in the corner outfield spots to give his plus arm some time to shine but historically, he has the most experience on the left side of the infield. For a team looking for a third baseman, this would generally favour someone like Barger heading into Spring Training.

That being said, the Blue Jays could look to upgrade the hot corner this year – Alex Bregman and Yoán Moncada being the top of the list – but even if they look elsewhere, Barger isn’t alone in the competition for reps at the hot corner.

Ernie Clement was a bright spot on the left side of the infield this season, earning a Gold Glove nomination at third base for his efforts. The Jays could decide to give him another crack at the spot with Barger and Orelvis Martinez waiting in the wings. Will Wanger also has some experience at third base in the minor leagues although the Jays trotted him out to second base when he was called up to the big leagues and that position is also up for grabs as of right now.

The biggest thing for Barger is to find the power swing that has followed him over the past few years in the minor leagues.

He belted 18 home runs across two levels in 2021 and added 26 more in 2022 – including three round-trippers in just eight games with Buffalo that year. The past two seasons have seen him take a bit of a dip in the home run category – although he missed considerable time on the IL in 2023 – but a return to double-digit home runs is a step in the direction for a team looking to find some power this winter.

If he can clean up the defence a bit, third base is also within his reach – especially if the Jays work with Clement in a utility role – but a .925 fielding percentage is tough to back in the Major Leagues at such an important position down the line. However, the Jays have been experimenting with Barger in the corner outfield spots since 2023 and he could find himself in a similar position as Davis Schneider did earlier this year – play the infield a bit to start but then make the move to the outfield to round out the year.

Injuries and free-agent moves will play a hand in these decisions and there is also a scenario where the Jays clear up some of the infield logjam by trading a player like Barger, although there has been zero traction or rumours regarding the Blue Jays and any trades early into the offseason.

Ultimately the direction isn’t that clear heading into the winter but when the Jays gave him some time to get his feet wet in the big leagues, the club saw better results from Barger. He likely doesn’t get that type of leeway to start the campaign in 2025 given the contention mentality from the front office (Atkins’ job is likely on the line here) but finding similar power values that elevated his prospect status in 2021/2022 in the Major Leagues this year would be a great starting point and then the Jays can keep trying to find ways to put him on the field.

This Spring will be a big year for Barger and the other internal infield options and it likely could come down to the wire, whether it be for third base, second base, the fourth outfielder spot, or a role on the bench. Barger, like many of the other Jays prospects, will have to wait to see how the offseason shakes out and see where the Blue Jays add or subtract for a clearer depth picture.

The biggest thing Barger can do to stand out from the rest is hit for power and continue to showcase his rocket of an arm. Adding some improved defense will go a long way but a strong presence at the plate will go a long way early.