logo
Blue Jays: Checking in on three position players competing for a bench role
alt
Photo credit: © Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
Ben Wrixon
Mar 11, 2026, 08:00 EDTUpdated: Mar 11, 2026, 08:42 EDT
Comments
The competition to secure a place on the Toronto Blue Jays’ pitching staff this spring training is steep and well-documented. Not to be overlooked, however, are the battles taking place between several players for the final bench spots on the roster. 
Here’s how three names on the bubble of the active roster have fared thus far:

Eloy Jiménez

Is this actually happening? Jiménez is finally healthy after a half-decade of injuries and underperformance. The 29-year-old has been a man reborn at the plate so far this spring, recording a .903 OPS through 28 at-bats. 
Jiménez was a disaster the last time we saw him in MLB in 2024. Yet, despite the poor results, he still hit the ball extremely hard and maintained high bat speed. He never lost the tools that made him successful; he just couldn’t stay on the field. 
With all that said, Jiménez is more likely to start the season in Triple-A than he is to make the MLB squad over someone who has contributed more recently. It wouldn’t be a shock to see him in a Blue Jays uniform at some point during the season, though. 

Davis Schneider

Schneider is another position player competing for a spot on the Toronto Blue Jays in 2026. He hit 11 home runs with an impressive .797 OPS last season, showcasing excellent plate discipline and some defensive versatility. 
Unfortunately, it hasn’t been pretty at the plate for Schneider this spring as he’s recorded just two hits in his twenty-one at-bats. Further exacerbating the issue is how well those competing with him have performed while he has been struggling so far. 
Still, Schneider’s track record should nonetheless give him the inside track on an MLB job come Opening Day. He was an important member of the 2025 Blue Jays who endeared himself to fans and his teammates. There is real pressure to perform. 

Josh Kasevich

The Blue Jays are thin on infield depth behind Andrés Giménez and Ernie Clement as currently constructed. Kasevich, the organization’s 13th-ranked prospect, is playing himself into the conversation as a direct result of that need. 
He’s put up a .945 OPS with a home run and two stolen bases in 23 spring at-bats. He scuffled at Triple-A in 2025, but hit well there the previous year. He’s been knocking on the door of a promotion to the big leagues for a while now. 
Kasevich making the team over Schneider would still be a stunner. The more likely scenario is that he gets called up midseason when someone lands on the injured list. However, he could make himself impossible to deny if he keeps this up. 

CHECK OUT OFF THE ROSTER – NEW EPISODES EVERY WEEKDAY

Off The Roster is Toronto sports. Hosted by Cabbie Richards, Lindsay Dunn, and Dan Riccio, this is the go-to morning conversation for everything happening in the 6ix – Hockey, Baseball, Basketball and everything in between. From breakout performances and questionable trades to throwback jerseys, viral moments, and the stories fans are actually talking about—it’s smart, sharp, and never scripted. Live weekday mornings on the Nation Network YouTube channel and available wherever you stream podcasts, the show delivers real opinions, real chemistry, and real Toronto energy. Missed an episode? Catch up anytime. Off The Roster—The new sound of the 6ix.

Featured

Editorials

Breaking News