"The Blue Jays may appear to have their catching tandem set already for 2026 with starter Alejandro Kirk and backup Tyler Heineman, after the latter agreed to a one-year, $1.2375 million deal earlier this year to stay with the team. However, going beyond the duo, the organizational depth at the catcher's position is rather thin, as one would be looking at the likes of Brandon Valenzuela and C.J. Stubbs if either Kirk or Heineman were to go down to any ailments."
"As a result, adding a proven elite catcher in the league such as Jonah Heim could potentially pay huge dividends for the Blue Jays. After all, Heim is just a couple of years removed from his All-Star 2023 campaign in which he posted 18 home runs and 95 RBIs over 131 games played. Not to mention that the 30-year-old catcher is a former Gold Glove winner as well, showing that he could make a difference both with his bat and with his glove."
"In addition, as an added bonus, Heim can even hit from both sides of the plate as a switch-hitter. With the relatively weak market for his services, the Blue Jays could ink Heim on a value MLB or MiLB deal and reap the benefits of potentially signing a 1B/catcher to make the position a strength once again for Toronto. Danny Coulombe It is quite surprising that Danny Coulombe is actually still available in the free agent market as of this moment."
The Toronto Blue Jays added Dylan Cease, Tyler Rogers, Cody Ponce, and Kazuma Okamoto and sit in a strong position to contend in 2026. Spring Training approaches and incremental roster improvements remain possible. Catcher depth beyond Alejandro Kirk and Tyler Heineman is thin, leaving Brandon Valenzuela and C.J. Stubbs as lesser options if injuries occur. Jonah Heim offers All-Star production (18 home runs, 95 RBIs in 2023), Gold Glove defense, and switch-hitting ability, and could be signed to a value MLB or MiLB deal as a 1B/catcher. Danny Coulombe remains available despite consistent relief performance.
Read at Jays Journal
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