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What the Blue Jays are getting in Brandon Valenzuela
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Photo credit: © Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Apr 5, 2026, 13:45 EDTUpdated: Apr 5, 2026, 13:38 EDT
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Following Saturday’s 6-3 loss to the Chicago White Sox, it was announced that Brandon Valenzuela will make his big league debut on Sunday.
It’s probably a little sooner than the Toronto Blue Jays would have wanted, but with Alejandro Kirk fracturing his thumb in Friday’s loss, Valenzuela had to be called up. But the question is, what are the Blue Jays getting in Valenzuela?
The 25-year-old catcher was originally signed by the San Diego Padres in 2017. He worked his way up the minor league ladder over the years, reaching the upper-minors in 2023, and spending his whole season there in 2024. Valenzuela began his 2025 season with the Padres’ Double-A team, where he slashed .229/.313/.387 with 12 home runs in 374 plate appearances.
Before the 2025 trade deadline, the Padres sent the switch-hitting catcher to the Blue Jays in exchange for Will Wagner, with Valenzuela playing the rest of his 2025 season with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. There, he slashed .207/.295/.370 with three home runs in 105 plate appearances. At the end of the season, Valenzuela was added to the Blue Jays’ 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.
Valenzuela had a strong Spring Training, slashing .304/.370/.478 with a home run in 27 plate appearances, with an 11.1 BB% and 25.9 K% for a 119 wRC+. More interestingly, Valenzuela had the second-highest average exit velocity on the Blue Jays, only behind Kirk.
Beginning his season with the Bisons, Valenzuela hit a home run and was slashing .200/.294/.400 in 17 plate appearances before the call up. He’s had an encouraging start to his 2026 season, as his average exit velocity sat at 91.6 mph, in the 80th percentile in Triple-A. 
Additionally, he’s been barreling the ball and is rocking a 50% hard-hit percentage, in the 90th and 83rd percentile respectively. Valenzuela isn’t chasing outside the zone either, with his 18.18 chase % being in the 87th percentile. All of these stats come courtesy of Prospect Savant.
There’s some upside with the bat, of course. Last season, his 15 home runs were a career-high, and it’s not like his average exit velocity is an outlier either. Valenzuela has improved drastically with chasing and striking out, but big league pitching is far tougher than Triple-A pitching.
Where Valenzuela stands out is behind the plate. In the minor leagues, three runners have tested his arm, with Valenzuela hosing two of them. After the trade, Valenzuela threw out eight of the 26 would-be base stealers, a 30.8 CS%. For the 205 season, Valenzuela threw out 33 base runners on 98 attempts, a 33.7 CS%.
Kirk is one of the best receivers in Major League Baseball, and has been since he made his debut. The Blue Jays won’t lose that aspect from their catching staff, as Valenzuela is also a good receiver. Where he and Kirk differ is Kirk is the best blocker in baseball, while it’s the one area behind the plate where Valenzuela needs some work.
If Valenzuela can hit at a league average level, that’s just a bonus for the Blue Jays. He’s likely their backup of the future, so hopefully he can have a good showing until Kirk’s return.
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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