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Blue Jays trade Leo Jiménez to Marlins for prospect Dub Gleed and IFA bonus pool money
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Photo credit: © John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Mar 29, 2026, 19:15 EDTUpdated: Mar 29, 2026, 19:14 EDT
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The Toronto Blue Jays have made their first trade of the season.
On Sunday evening, Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith reported that the Blue Jays have sent Leo Jiménez to the Miami Marlins for corner infield prospect Dub Gleed and $250,000 in International Free Agency bonus pool money. Less than a week ago, Jiménez was DFA’d by the Jays.
Gleed, 23, was drafted in the ninth round of the 2024 draft by the Marlins. After three successful seasons at the University of California – Irvine, he made his professional debut in 2025 where he had a 124 wRC+ split between four levels. The extra bonus pool money will be helpful as well.
It’s good to see the Jays get something for Jiménez. His career has been hampered due to injury, but his power has improved each season since 2021. Added to the Jays’ 40-man roster following the 2021 season, the Panamanian shortstop got his shot with the Blue Jays in 2024. Overall, he slashed.229/.329/.358 with four home runs in 210 plate appearances. 
Jiménez missed a large portion of the 2025 season due to injury, appearing in just 26 minor league games and 18 big league games. He found success in his brief tenure with the Bisons, slashing .304/.437/.375 with no home runs in 71 plate appearances. However, Jiménez struggled in the big leagues last season, slashing .069/.129/.172 with a home run in 32 plate appearances.
Due to no options, the Jays had to add him to the 26-man roster or waive him. In the end, they elected to do the latter as Davis Schneider had a strong 2025 season. With the Marlins, Jiménez will get more of an opportunity, similar to former teammate Otto López.
How Jiménez’s and López’s tenure came to an end with the Jays is rather similar. Both middle infielders weren’t top options to make the spot and were eventually DFA’d. López was traded to the San Francisco Giants, then the Marlins, where he broke out.
In López’s first full big league season, he slashed .270/.313/.377 with six home runs in 434 plate appearances with superb defence. His power improved in 2025, hitting 15 home runs while still providing strong middle infield defence. Hopefully, Jiménez can do the same when he gets an opportunity with the Marlins.
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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