Remember the days of Josh Donaldson and then Matt Chapman manning games at third base for the Blue Jays? Things seemed much simpler back then; just plug those perennial All-Stars in at the hot corner and let them dazzle on the infield.

Ever since the post-Chapman era of Blue Jays third baseman, it’s been a struggle for the organization to produce an everyday player at third base. Next to second base, it’s been the second biggest revolving door on the infield for the Blue Jays.

The team found some stability at the position post-trade deadline, but third base is still up for grabs heading into Spring Training in a few months. Let’s break down the Blue Jays’ top candidates to play third base in 2025.

Who would’ve guessed that career journeyman Ernie Clement would start the most games for the Blue Jays at the hot corner in 2024? After the signing of Isiah Kiner-Falefa, most assumed IKF would get the bulk of reps at third base, but it was Clement who took the job and ran with it this past season.

The 28-year-old is still out of options, so he’ll need to break camp with the Blue Jays out of Spring Training to stay on the roster, but given his surprising performance in 2024, that shouldn’t be an issue. Despite only starting 72 games at third base, Clement was named an AL Gold Glove finalist at third base.

However, Clement switched back and forth between shortstop and third base in the second half of 2024 after Bo Bichette’s injury. Regardless of where he’s playing, Clement can field his position with no problem, but he may be better defensively as a third baseman instead of a shortstop in a pinch.

Because of the lack of impact third baseman on the free agent market outside of Alex Bregman, it feels like third base is Clement’s to lose, and although he doesn’t have the best offensive numbers, Clement always puts the bat on the ball and makes the opposition work to get him out.

On a competitive team, Clement is a platoon bat or a late-game defensive replacement, but if the Blue Jays don’t sign someone like Bregman, Jorge Polanco, or Yoan Moncada, Toronto may have to default back to Clement at third base.

Much like Daulton Varsho and the newest Blue Jay Andrés Giméne, the bulk of Clement’s value is rooted in his glove, so he needs to be getting regular reps out there to maximize his value.

One low-key name to watch is Addison Barger. He seemed like the sexy pick to get a lot of playing time for a hot minute, but his hot and cold bat prevented him from seeing everyday ABs with the Blue Jays in 2024.

The fact that Barger saw an extended run at third base in September may have given us a window into what the Blue Jays might have in store for 2025. After his third call-up of the season, Barger had more playing time at third in August and September than he did in the outfield.

There’s no question the 25-year-old has the arm to play third base, but the bulk of his errors at the hot corner were fielding errors, so his footwork at the position may not be best suited for his skill set. Barger had -5 Outs Above Average in his 36 games at third base compared to Clement’s +3 OAA.

The Blue Jays can live with sub-par defense if Barger can break out offensively, but the team has yet to see that over a sustained period to warrant giving him an uninterrupted run at the hot corner.

As one of the Blue Jays’ top prospects in 2024, Orelvis Martinez had everything going for him until he got popped for PED use and was suspended for 80 games. Then he halted all momentum in its tracks, whether he was en route to being an everyday infielder or packaged together in a trade.

2025 will be a reset year for Martinez and he’ll once again have another opportunity to prove himself as a graduate of Toronto’s farm system. He’s split most of his time between third base and shortstop in the minors and can play most infield positions capably.

Similarly to Barger, Martinez will be given some grace defensively if he can contribute with the bat whatsoever. Of all the players on this list, Martinez has the biggest strides to make in the field, but he also has the biggest upside with his bat.

Despite his PED suspension clouding his numbers from 2024, Martinez has the potential for a 30-plus homer season in the minor leagues. The question is whether he can hit well enough at the big-league level not to be a defensive liability at the hot corner.

Wait, that’s Vladdy’s music? Here’s the big wild card for the Blue Jays’ plans at third base: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. He put his third baseman’s glove back on for 12 starts in 2024 and fared admirably there, but shifting Vlad over to third base was a move of desperation by the Blue Jays to maximize their lineup potential.

The only way I could foresee Guerrero getting more than a handful of games at third base in 2025 is if the Blue Jays sign a traditional free-agent first baseman like Christian Walker or Pete Alonso. Otherwise, it’s upsetting the applecart going into Vladdy’s potential walk year.

Ranked as the number seven prospect on MLB.com’s top 10 prospects list for the Blue Jays, Charles McAdoo was a sneaky coup by Toronto’s front office at the trade deadline. McAdoo finished the season playing third base at Double-A and could elevate to Triple-A early in 2025.

If fans see McAdoo in a Blue Jays uniform in 2025, either one of two things has happened; either the 22-year-old hit so well in the minors that he’s forced a promotion onto the big league roster, or the season has gone sideways for the Blue Jays in 2025 and they need a warm body to man the hot corner.

McAdoo factors into Toronto’s infield plans long term, but with four big league infielders ahead of him on this list, a lot would have to go wrong for McAdoo to be called upon to start some games at third base for the Blue Jays in 2025.

Much like with Martinez, the power in McAdoo’s bat is his best tool, but his outlook may be better suited at first base or the outfield.