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Blue Jays 2026 40-man Roster Review: Brandon Valenzuela has backup catcher potential
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Photo credit: © Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Feb 17, 2026, 10:00 ESTUpdated: Feb 17, 2026, 07:38 EST
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Before the 2025 trade deadline, the Toronto Blue Jays acquired their future backup catcher.
This is Blue Jays Nation’s annual 40-man roster review ahead of the new season. If you missed the most recent article, we looked at Jake Bloss. In this article, we’ll look at Brandon Valenzuela.
The San Diego Padres signed Valenzuela to a signing bonus of $100,000 during the 2017-2018 international free agency period. He made his professional debut the following season, slashing .253/.379/.323 with a home run in 243 plate appearances. Valenzuela regressed slightly in 2019, slashing .248/.399/.290 with no home runs in 183 plate appearances for a 103 wRC+.
Following the pandemic, Valenzuela joined the Padres’ Single-A team, where he slashed .307/.389/.444 with six home runs in 378 plate appearances for a 123 wRC+. He then joined their High-A team, where he hit an additional home run in 65 plate appearances.
To start the 2022 season, Valenzuela repeated the High-A level, slashing .209/.334/.348 with 10 home runs in 413 plate appearances, with a 15.3 BB% and 23 K%, giving him a 97 wRC+. Like the season before, Valenzuela started his 2023 season with the Padres High-A team, slashing .279/.372/.456 with four home runs in 156 plate appearances. However, the catcher earned a shot with the Padres’ Double-A team to end the season, hitting a home run in his 108 plate appearances at the level.
Finally a regular in the upper minors, Valenzuela slashed .241/.317/.381 with nine home runs in 347 plate appearances at Double-A to begin the 2024 season. He earned a look with the Padres’ Triple-A team, where he slashed .195/.292/.234 with no home runs in 90 plate appearances. The 2025 season was Valenzuela’s first season taking a step back, starting the 2025 season with the Padres’ Double-A team. Before the trade, he slashed .229/.313/.387 with 12 home runs in 374 plate appearances for a 105 wRC+.
On July 31st, the Padres sent Valenzuela to the Blue Jays in exchange for Will Wagner, one of the two trades the Blue Jays have made stemming from the Yusei Kikuchi deal in 2024. Ending his season with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons, the switch-hitting catcher slashed .207/.295/.370 with three home runs in 105 plate appearances, seeing his K% jump up to 30.5%. Despite that, Valenzuela was added to the Blue Jays’ 40-man roster in November to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.
There is a little bit of pop in Valenzuela’s bat, as his 15 home runs in 2025 was a career-high. He’s also shown a good eye at the plate, although there is some swing and miss in his game. Valenzuela isn’t perfect offensively, and there’s still questions about whether his bat will play at the big league level, but he’s a darn good fielder. Last season, he threw out over a third of would-be stealers, with good blocking and receiving.
Last season, the Blue Jays relied on Ali Sánchez when both Alejandro Kirk and Tyler Heineman had stints on the concussion injured list. If either catcher misses time this season, they’ll turn to Valenzuela, and he may even get a look considering he plays first base. 
Steamer projects the 25-year-old to slashed .202/.272/.316 with a home run in 32 plate appearances. ZiPS has him slashing /.205/.272/.341 with 12 home runs in 437 plate appearances if he gets a legitimate look.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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