Blue Jays Re-sign Eloy Jiménez, Add Mendoza, Lantigua With Spring-Training Invites

The Toronto Blue Jays bolstered organizational depth on January 15 by re-signing slugger Eloy Jiménez to a minor-league contract with a spring-training invite and bringing in infielders Carlos Mendoza and Rafael Lantigua under similar arrangements. The additions, framed by the club as veteran and organizational depth, give the big-league club short-term insurance while strengthening the Triple-A Buffalo roster.

Jiménez, 29, is the headline piece: a corner outfielder and designated hitter who carries Triple-A experience with both Durham and Buffalo and has been rehabbing while playing winter ball. That mix of power potential and recent game action makes him a candidate to push for an MLB spot out of camp or to serve as an immediate Triple-A option capable of producing homers and floor-level production if injuries hit the big club. For fans, Jiménez represents a tangible swing-for-power profile that could shift the Blue Jays’ right-side depth chart during the season.

Mendoza and Lantigua were presented as speed-and-defense profiles who logged time at Double-A and Triple-A in 2025. Both are organizational depth pieces who can provide versatility on the infield and track down balls in the outfield gaps. Their footspeed and defensive chops fit a familiar contours strategy - keep athletic, affordable players in the system who can be called on for late-season pushes or roster emergencies while also offering competition in spring.

Left-handed starter Michael Plassmeyer and veteran reliever Jorge Alcalá were also part of the package of minor-league deals with non-roster invites. Plassmeyer adds potential swing-start depth, while Alcalá brings big-league bullpen experience that could be valuable for late-inning depth in both spring and during the season.

From a business standpoint, these signings reflect a low-risk, high-reward approach. Minor-league pacts with spring invites cost the club little upfront while preserving roster flexibility and option years. For the player pipeline, they create competition in Grapefruit League camp and ensure Triple-A Buffalo will be stocked with options who can move vertically as the season dictates.

Culturally and socially, re-signing a player like Jiménez who has been active in winter leagues highlights the transnational ties between Major League organizations and winter-ball circuits. Veteran presences in Triple-A also have a mentoring value for prospects navigating the jump to higher levels.

Next up is spring training, where these non-roster invites will try to convert opportunity into roster spots or at least secure prominent roles in Buffalo. For fans tracking roster construction, these moves are a reminder that the off-season architecture matters as much as marquee signings when it comes to depth and day-to-day competitiveness.