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When fans can expect Blue Jays outfield prospect Alan Roden to make his Major League debut in 2025
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Photo credit: © Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports
Trevor Fitzpatrick
Jan 12, 2025, 08:00 ESTUpdated: Jan 11, 2025, 22:44 EST
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It’s no secret that the Toronto Blue Jays struggled with hitting the ball during the 2024 season. A team OPS of .703 placed them in the bottom half of MLB in that category (18th) and their 156 home runs (26th in MLB) showed a concerning lack of power at the plate.
With 2025 spring training less than 50 days away and the Jays having yet to make a big splash on a big bat in free agency, it might be time to start looking within their development system for some power at the plate.
In all of the team’s uncertainty entering the New Year, their outfield is one of the biggest question marks. To be more specific, their corner outfielders, as Daulton Varsho’s defence is almost irreplaceable out in centre field. As for those aforementioned corners, George Springer had a career-worst year in right field and left fielders fared even worse for the Jays. The combination of Davis Schneider and trade deadline acquisition Joey Loperfido hit below the Mendoza line and Jonatan Clase had his fair share of ups and downs when he was on a big league roster (both in Seattle and Toronto).

Blue Jays prospect Alan Roden is looking to make the jump to the big leagues in 2025

Fortunately for the team, Alan Roden, a corner outfielder, is one of their top 15 prospects who is closest to a big league promotion.
A former Creighton University Blue Jay, the 25-year-old Roden spent last season split between AA and AAA after he went 6 for 24 with two home runs during 2024 Spring Training. An on-base machine, he hit well in 54 games with double-A New Hampshire, sporting a .805 OPS with a .373 OBP. Things took off even further once he earned his promotion to triple-A Buffalo in mid-June.
With the Bisons, his OPS shot up over 100 points to a monstrous .916, all while he hit over .300 through 71 games. He also added nine home runs and 48 RBIs and posted a .510 SLG – the first time he has posted above the .500 mark in that category. Roden walked 35 times compared to 41 strikeouts and also added eight stolen bases.
Another benefit that he brings as part of his game is that he can play first base if Vladimir Guerrero Jr. needs a day as the DH. In 2022, Roden played over half of his games with Creighton as the first baseman. While he hasn’t been tested there in the minor leagues, (aside from one game in A+ Vancouver) it remains a viable emergency option if needed.
If Roden continues producing at the rate he has been, a promotion could be in the cards sooner rather than later. Barring a completely dominant 2025 spring training, expect to see him get more plate appearances in Buffalo to start the season.
If all goes well for him there – and continues to go poorly for his seniors in the majors – the most likely outcome for the outfielder appears to be a call-up around midseason. This would allow him to get at-bats against even tougher competition to see if his bat continues to hold up after the strong numbers he posted to finish out the 2024 season. An injury to one of the corner outfielders may also expedite his promotion to the Major Leagues, which could be on the horizon considering Varsho is slated to begin the year on the IL, but a strong spring showing is likely also needed given the other depth pieces alongside Roden in the mix. 
On the flip side, if the Jays have a rebound season – especially with Springer and Loperfido – then it wouldn’t make much sense to call him up so soon. In that scenario, an early 2026 call would make more sense.
Another factor to consider is that the Jays are still looking for a free-agent power bat. Reports have linked Anthony Santander as a potential candidate, and a signing of that calibre would push Roden’s timeline back even further.
With all of that in mind, it would be wise to keep an eye on Roden’s performance during this upcoming Spring Training. It could be the deciding factor between a quick call up, or another year in the minors.

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