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Blue Jays prospect Sean Keys swinging his way into September roster expansion conversation
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Photo credit: Kevin Sousa-Imagn Images
Michael Coyle
Aug 24, 2026, 10:00 EDTUpdated: Aug 23, 2026, 21:29 EDT
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Sean Keys is making a statement through the month of August. 
The 23-year-old continued his good run on Sunday in Triple-A with the Buffalo Bisons during their 10-2 victory over the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. 
Keys went 4-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored to raise his season totals to .301 with 13 home runs and 41 RBIs across 45 games since being promoted to Triple-A on June 5. 
The August showing is a great sight for the Toronto Blue Jays’ management group, as after his brief 12-game stint with the big-league club, Keys slumped through much of July. In his eight games after being optioned, Keys went 4-for-26, good for a .153 average with no home runs and one RBI. 
Fast-forward to August, and Keys is swinging the bat the best he ever has since being drafted by the Blue Jays in the fourth round of the 2024 draft out of Bucknell University. Through 19 games in August, Keys is batting .370 with five doubles, six home runs and 20 RBIs. 
Keys has reached base at a .478 clip with the help of 12 walks to help bring his season on-base percentage to .419 since becoming a Bison. Keys’ OPS this month sits at 1.190, an impressive mark for someone his age at the Triple-A level. 
Originally called up by the Blue Jays on June 27 as they dealt with offensive struggles, their No. 6-ranked prospect per MLB Pipeline was overmatched in his first stint against MLB-calibre pitching. In 12 games, Keys batted .167 with one home run and five RBIs. The first baseman was only able to work one walk and struck out a glaring 13 times in 35 at-bats. 
Now swinging it at his best, Keys is going to give the Blue Jays a decision to make when the rosters expand to 28 on September 1. While there isn’t a clear path to playing time due to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. occupying first base and Kazuma Okamoto holding third, Keys could function as the designated hitter when the club opts to rest George Springer.
With an offence that ranks tied for 28th in runs scored and 28th in home runs with 124, Keys represents the best option in Triple-A to join Toronto and provide some thump to their lineup as they try and push for a playoff spot for the second consecutive campaign. 
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