The 2025 International Free Agent period opens on Wednesday. 

This season, the Toronto Blue Jays have a pool of $6,261,600 as last off-season’s free agent signings didn’t impact it. There’s a misconception that the Jays will lose $500,000 in this period if they sign a player attached with a qualifying offer (Alex Bregman, Anthony Santander, Nick Pivetta, etc.)
However, it’s just that &#8211; a misconception. They’ll lose $500,000, but it’ll be in the 2026 period. For example, the Blue Jays signed Chris Bassitt in late 2022 after the New York Mets extended him a qualifying offer. Their pool for the 2023 IFA period was untouched, as they gave Enmanuel Bonilla a bonus of $4.1 million. However, their pool in the 2024 period went from $5,284,000 to $5,152,000.
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With that being said, there are a few intriguing prospects the Blue Jays could be signing.
<h2>Who are the Blue Jays expected to sign</h2>
<a href="https://www.beisbolfr.com/p/mlb-international-signing-period">According to Francys Romero</a>, the Blue Jays have an agreement with nine players, including MLB Pipeline’s 22nd-ranked international prospect, Cristopher Polanco. The shortstop is expected to sign for $2.3 million.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
The MLB international signing period (2024-25) begins in 12 days. 
Here are my top 35 talents, dark horses, team signings tracker with estimated bonuses and more. 
Full content available for paid subscribers on Beisbol FR:<a href="https://t.co/ireXLUNWDu">https://t.co/ireXLUNWDu</a>
&mdash; Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) <a href="https://twitter.com/francysromeroFR/status/1875208393411252615?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 3, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<a href="https://www.mlb.com/milb/prospects/2025/international/cristopher-polanco-829057">Polanco’s MLB Pipeline</a> notes that he has a smooth left-handed swing with “tremendous” bat speed. There’s not a lot of room for projection left in his 5’11” frame and he may end up at second base in the future, but the hit tool is ranked a 60 grade.
Another shortstop is set to sign for the Blue Jays as well, Juan Sanchez. The youngster is set to sign for $1 million and is Baseball America’s 44th-ranked available prospect. Moreover, the Blue Jays are set to sign Kennew Blanco, who ranked ninth on MLB Pipeline’s available IFA’s last season, for $600,000. Last season, he was supposed to sign, but an age controversy set his signing back a year with a lesser bonus.
Altogether, the Blue Jays are set to spend $4.76 million of their $6,261,600 pool, giving them just over $1.5 million left. There is something that complicates things though.
<h2>What about Rōki Sasaki</h2>
Are the Blue Jays going to sign Japanese pitcher Rōki Sasaki? Probably not, but TSN’s Scott Mitchell did note that the Blue Jays will be in on the righty.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Hold on tight. <a href="https://t.co/dKol9wqBMH">https://t.co/dKol9wqBMH</a>
&mdash; Scott Mitchell (@ScottyMitchTSN) <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottyMitchTSN/status/1877492343865061783?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
It’s been widely reported that teams are going to hold off signing the prospects they’ve agreed to a deal with until Sasaki signs around Jan. 20. Unlike most overseas players, he can’t be given a deal like Yoshinobu Yamamoto was last season, instead he’ll sign a minor league deal like Shohei Ohtani did with the Los Angeles Angels when he was posted.
The Blue Jays don’t have the largest pool to sign Sasaki, as several small market teams have a bonus pool of $7,555,500, while some other small market teams have a bonus pool of $6,908,600. Of course, the Blue Jays could also trade for more intentional bonus pool money, as they have done in the past. A good example of that was in 2015 when they traded Chase De Jong and Tim Locastro to the Los Angeles Dodgers for over $1,000,000.
They aren’t seen as the favourite, nor have they reportedly had a meeting with the 23-year-old pitcher. However, there’s a mystery team in on him and <a href="https://www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/article/blue-jays-need-better-contingency-plans-this-off-season/">Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins has personally scouted Sasaki in Japan</a>.
Perhaps there’s a chance they sign him, but this looks like a good batch of international free agents the Jays are bringing in if they can’t get Sasaki.
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As always, you can follow me on Bluesky @ryleydelaney.bsky.social.
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The 2025 International Free Agent period opens on Wednesday. 



This season, the Toronto Blue Jays have a pool of $6,261,600 as last off-season’s free agent signings didn’t impact it. There’s a misconception that the Jays will lose $500,000 in this period if they sign a player attached with a qualifying offer (Alex Bregman, Anthony Santander, Nick Pivetta, etc.)

However, it’s just that - a misconception. They’ll lose $500,000, but it’ll be in the 2026 period. For example, the Blue Jays signed Chris Bassitt in late 2022 after the New York Mets extended him a qualifying offer. Their pool for the 2023 IFA period was untouched, as they gave Enmanuel Bonilla a bonus of $4.1 million. However, their pool in the 2024 period went from $5,284,000 to $5,152,000.
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With that being said, there are a few intriguing prospects the Blue Jays could be signing.
<h2>Who are the Blue Jays expected to sign</h2>
<a href="https://www.beisbolfr.com/p/mlb-international-signing-period">According to Francys Romero</a>, the Blue Jays have an agreement with nine players, including MLB Pipeline’s 22nd-ranked international prospect, Cristopher Polanco. The shortstop is expected to sign for $2.3 million.

https://twitter.com/francysromeroFR/status/1875208393411252615

<a href="https://www.mlb.com/milb/prospects/2025/international/cristopher-polanco-829057">Polanco’s MLB Pipeline</a> notes that he has a smooth left-handed swing with “tremendous” bat speed. There’s not a lot of room for projection left in his 5’11” frame and he may end up at second base in the future, but the hit tool is ranked a 60 grade.

Another shortstop is set to sign for the Blue Jays as well, Juan Sanchez. The youngster is set to sign for $1 million and is Baseball America’s 44th-ranked available prospect. Moreover, the Blue Jays are set to sign Kennew Blanco, who ranked ninth on MLB Pipeline’s available IFA’s last season, for $600,000. Last season, he was supposed to sign, but an age controversy set his signing back a year with a lesser bonus.

Altogether, the Blue Jays are set to spend $4.76 million of their $6,261,600 pool, giving them just over $1.5 million left. There is something that complicates things though.
<h2>What about Rōki Sasaki</h2>
Are the Blue Jays going to sign Japanese pitcher Rōki Sasaki? Probably not, but TSN’s Scott Mitchell did note that the Blue Jays will be in on the righty.

https://twitter.com/ScottyMitchTSN/status/1877492343865061783

It’s been widely reported that teams are going to hold off signing the prospects they’ve agreed to a deal with until Sasaki signs around Jan. 20. Unlike most overseas players, he can’t be given a deal like Yoshinobu Yamamoto was last season, instead he’ll sign a minor league deal like Shohei Ohtani did with the Los Angeles Angels when he was posted.

The Blue Jays don’t have the largest pool to sign Sasaki, as several small market teams have a bonus pool of $7,555,500, while some other small market teams have a bonus pool of $6,908,600. Of course, the Blue Jays could also trade for more intentional bonus pool money, as they have done in the past. A good example of that was in 2015 when they traded Chase De Jong and Tim Locastro to the Los Angeles Dodgers for over $1,000,000.

They aren’t seen as the favourite, nor have they reportedly had a meeting with the 23-year-old pitcher. However, there’s a mystery team in on him and <a href="https://www.sportsnet.ca/mlb/article/blue-jays-need-better-contingency-plans-this-off-season/">Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins has personally scouted Sasaki in Japan</a>.

Perhaps there’s a chance they sign him, but this looks like a good batch of international free agents the Jays are bringing in if they can’t get Sasaki.

<hr />

As always, you can follow me on Bluesky @ryleydelaney.bsky.social.

<hr />

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International Free Agency primer: The Blue Jays are set to sign nine players

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