Toronto Blue Jays: Potential trade candidates on the roster

Who are the current Toronto Blue Jays who could see themselves moved at the deadline? We present a couple of options the team could consider moving.

Oftentimes, we talk about options for whom the Toronto Blue Jays could sign, but not who could be sent the other way. In trading Joe Panik and pitching prospect Andrew McInvale for reliever Adam Cimber and outfielder Corey Dickerson, the Blue Jays told the league that they’re open for business.

One player we planned to include in this was Rowdy Tellez who could benefit from a change of scenery. Well, it looks like the Blue Jays agreed with us as the Milwaukee Brewers took a chance on the raw power and solid defence that Tellez possesses. The 26-year-old was moved for leverage reliever Trevor Richards and triple-A starter Bowden Francis which is exactly the type of move the team needed to make at this point.

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Let’s run through some other names from the Blue Jays’ 40-man roster that could find themselves in another team’s colours come August.

Corey Dickerson

While the centrepiece of the Adam Cimber trade was, well, Adam Cimber, Corey Dickerson is not to be overlooked. The nine-year veteran has finished a season hitting .300 or better four times in his career, and can play anywhere in the outfield.

With that being said, there is nowhere to put the former Marlin on this Blue Jays team. The outfield is already clogged as it is, with George Springer, Teoscar Hernandez, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Randal Grichuk fighting for three positions. Whereas Dickerson was an everyday player with the Marlins, he is squarely a bench piece with the Blue Jays.

Dickerson has fallen into that Freddy Galvis role, seemingly always a placeholder for something bigger and better coming out of the minors. Would a team like Texas or Pittsburgh be interested in the journeyman and a prospect in exchange for one of their relievers? It’s worth a shot, considering that through no fault of his own, Dickerson’s upside with Toronto is extremely limited.

Jonathan Davis

If Dickerson stays, Jonathan Davis could be in turn shopped to other teams.

While Davis’ bat has never truly come around, his elite speed and defence definitely play at the major league level. He is the quintessential Kansas City Royal or Tampa Bay Ray: a light-hitting, speed-heavy, heady player who can swipe a bag and won’t steer you wrong in the field.

While the Royals and Rays may or may not be willing to trade with their American League counterpart, Davis is arbitration-eligible in 2023 and a free agent in 2026. Like Tellez, he could be taken on as a project with hopes of harnessing some pop down the road.

Reese McGuire

The Blue Jays haven’t had an offensive threat at catcher since Russell Martin, but one might be on the way.

Currently, Gabriel Moreno is tearing up Double-A New Hampshire. The native of Barquisimeto, Venezuela, is batting .373 with eight home runs in 32 games.

Trading Reese McGuire could be a way to clear a spot for Moreno if the Jays are looking to speed up his ascendance. Danny Jansen could fill the role for the games in-between McGuire’s dealing and Moreno’s arrival, as he has just returned from a hamstring injury.

Jansen himself could also be traded, but McGuire may potentially command a higher return. He would likely have to be packaged with a prospect or pick, but for a team in need of an emergency replacement at catcher or an upgrade in depth, you could do much worse than McGuire.

Who else could the Blue Jays consider moving in order to upgrade at the trade deadline? Is there a particular player they should target? Let us know in the comments below.