Why The Blue Jays Should Sign Miguel Andujar

[Austin Wardman]

Many of you might remember Miguel Andujar from his Yankees days. The Yankees’ No. 5 and the overall 59th-ranked prospect (per Baseball America) burst onto the scene for the Bronx Bombers with a breakout rookie campaign in 2018 that saw him go yard 27 times, drive in 92 runs, and put up a wRC+ of 129. He finished second in AL Rookie of the Year voting behind only future Hall of Famer Shohei Ohtani.

As high as those highs were, oh boy, were the lows to follow ever low. Over the next six years of his career, from 2019-2024, Andujar hit a total of 16 home runs, 11 fewer than he hit in just his rookie year. The other numbers were just as bad over that span. His OPS+ and wRC+ were both a measly 81.

Now, you might be asking me, on what planet is this player a good fit for the Toronto Blue Jays? Well, the answer would be… this one! Allow me to explain.

Miguel Andujar saw a bit of a career resurgence this past season, in which he split time between the Athletics and Cincinnati. While the home run power from his rookie season did not return, his ability to hit for extra bases saw him put up a healthy .822 OPS, along with a 125 wRC+.

We can also dive a little deeper. I think it’s safe to say the Blue Jays have developed a soft spot for a certain type of player, specifically those who put the bat on the ball, have pesky at-bats, and don’t strike out! The Jays as a team last year struck out the second least per game in MLB, with just 6.82 K/9, only slightly behind the Royals at 6.77 K/9. This is an area where Andujar excels. In 2025, he had a whiff rate in the 86th percentile and a K% in the 87th percentile.

Something important to keep in mind is that Andujar is not a good defender, posting an OAA of -7 in 2025. Like I said, not good. But he does come with some versatility — having made starts at third base, first base, and both outfield corners in 2025 — which the Jays also value.

The goal of signing a Miguel Andujar isn’t to take at-bats away from a Davis Schneider. Instead, it's to maybe add a bit more of an offensive threat to a lineup where a Myles Straw or IKF type might otherwise slot in. The hypothetical Andujar signing also comes with the assumption that most of his work would come against lefties, against whom he posted an impressive .986 OPS,  compared to his .759 OPS against righties. And none of this is to undermine the value of Straw, who would almost certainly replace Andujar late in a game whenever the Jays had a lead.

All in all, I think Andujar would make a great addition to the 2026 Blue Jays. He’s a good low-risk, under-the-radar signing that likely comes cheap on a one-year deal, offering some solid upside. 

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[Spanky__99]

lulz... no thanks.