The Toronto Blue Jays have been the bridesmaid but never the bride when it comes to free agency over the last two offseasons.
Following the 2023 season, the Blue Jays crafted an impressive pitch to superstar Shohei Ohtani to bring his talents north of the border. For a brief moment, it seemed to have worked when a prominent MLB insider posted on X that Ohtani was flying to Toronto, but that report proved false. In the end, Ohtani landed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, executing a historic season with the first 50-home run, 50-stolen base campaign in MLB history, capturing his third MVP, and winning his first World Series.
Fast forward to this past offseason. Once again, the Blue Jays pursued another generational talent in Juan Soto, emerging as one of five finalists for the four-time All-Star. But despite their best efforts, they failed to land the big fish as Soto signed a record-breaking $765 million contract with the New York Mets.
Now, with Opening Day upon us, a top MLB insider has revealed what ultimately doomed Toronto’s pursuit.
MLB insider: Juan Soto unimpressed with Toronto Blue Jays’ farm system depth
ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports that Soto was “wowed” during meetings with Toronto officials, who showed him a video presentation featuring him in a Blue Jays uniform at Rogers Centre.
But despite Toronto’s appeal, Soto ultimately eliminated them from consideration because of their underwhelming minor league system.
“As engaging as the Blue Jays were in their meeting — with a video nearly as resonant as the Mets’ and the presence of Edward Rogers, the team owner who never before had involved himself in these sorts of summits — their farm system lagged far enough behind that he eliminated them,” Passan reports.
The Blue Jays simply don’t possess the prospect depth that other top-tier organizations do. MLB.com ranks Toronto’s farm system 27th in baseball, with only two top 100 prospects: shortstop Arjun Nimmala (No. 86) and pitcher Trey Yesavage (No. 87).
“With Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette entering their final years before free agency, the Jays don’t have prospects of their quality behind them as potential replacements, at least right now,” MLB.com notes.
While the Blue Jays hold the eighth overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, which should provide a boost, their lack of top prospects in the pipeline might force them to consider trading Guerrero and Bichette if they can’t secure extensions with either star.
