Toronto Blue Jays 2026 Position Analysis: Third Base

[Sam Charles]

Jays Centre is taking a close look at every position on the Toronto Blue Jays heading into the 2026 season. Check out prior entries in the series here:

• Catcher
• First Base
• Second Base

Toronto Blue Jays Third Basemen at a Glance

• Starter: Kazuma Okamoto
• Backup: Addison Barger, Ernie Clement
• Depth: Josh Kasevich, Damiano Palmegiani
• Prospects: Charles McAdoo

 

• Blue Jays 3B fWAR in 2025: 10th out of 30
• Blue Jays 3B FGDC Projection for 2026: 10th out of 30

Third base will be one of the most interesting pressure points on the Blue Jays’ 2026 roster, not because the position is unsettled, but because it demonstrates the organization balancing certainty, versatility and long-term planning. The club signed Kazuma Okamoto out of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) to add a middle-of-the-order bat while also providing defensive flexibility across the corner positions and outfield. While he will occasionally back up Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at first base and see limited time in left field, most projections have Okamoto spending the majority of his innings at third.

Toronto’s third-base production has been solid but unspectacular in recent years. In 2025, the Blue Jays ranked 10th in MLB in fWAR at third base, firmly above league average but well behind elite units such as those in Cleveland, San Francisco, and Kansas City. Looking ahead to 2026, most projection systems see Toronto somewhere in the middle of the pack again, a reflection of positional uncertainty and the risk of transitioning a star hitter from NPB to MLB.

That mid-tier projection doesn’t necessarily indicate a weakness. It instead highlights just how compressed the league has become at third base. The gap between the 8th and 16th ranked teams at the position is often fewer than 1.0 WAR, meaning health, platoon efficiency and defensive deployment could easily swing Toronto’s ranking several spots in either direction.

Does it matter that Okamoto might not have been the team’s first choice at third base?

Throughout the offseason, there was widespread discussion about the potential re-signing of Bo Bichette, a move that would have kept the infield alignment largely intact from 2025. Instead, Toronto pivoted and replaced Bichette with a seasoned international veteran with an elite resume, albeit one built outside of MLB.

Okamoto arrives with credentials that few NPB hitters can match. Over his final five full seasons in Japan, he averaged over 30 home runs per year, routinely posting an OPS above .900 and maintaining an above-average walk rate. His career strikeout rate in NPB hovered in the mid-teens. All that to say, that he fits the mold of what the Jays' offense has been building over the past couple of seasons.

Defensively, Okamoto brings stability rather than flash. He won’t be Matt Chapman or Brett Lawrie. While he isn’t considered an elite reaction defender, his hands, arm strength and internal clock earned him multiple Mitsui Golden Glove Awards, including wins at both third base and first base. For Toronto, that versatility is critical, especially given Guerrero’s workload management and occasional need for rest at first.

If Okamoto shifts to first base or misses time, Addison Barger is the most likely candidate to absorb innings at third.

Barger’s 2025 campaign represented a meaningful step forward. He hit 21 home runs and posted a .755 OPS. Statcast indicators showed above-average exit velocities and strong pull-side power, especially against right-handed pitching.

Listed as a 3B/RF, Barger’s athleticism allows Toronto to maintain flexibility without sacrificing offense. His left-handed bat also adds balance to a lineup that can skew right-heavy depending on matchups. From a roster construction standpoint, moving Barger to third opens opportunities for players like Nathan Lukes, Myles Straw, Davis Schneider or Jesús Sánchez to rotate through the outfield.

While Barger’s defense at third remains a work in progress, his arm strength and reaction time suggest at least average capability.

The absence of Bichette will have a cascading effect on the infield, most notably pushing Ernie Clement into the role of everyday second baseman. Clement spent much of 2025 rotating between third, second and shortstop. He logged over 1,000 defensive innings across multiple positions.

Now, Clement will be a stabilizing force at second, where his range and reliability profile well. However, his defensive metrics, particularly Outs Above Average and Defensive Runs Saved, are consistently high regardless of the infield position he’s playing. In 2025, Clement finished as an American League Gold Glove finalist at both third base and the utility position, a rare dual recognition.

Offensively, Clement is league average, but context matters. His contact rate, low chase percentage and ability to hit left-handed pitching make him an ideal matchup-based contributor. Even though he is the primary second baseman, it would be surprising if John Schneider didn’t continue to deploy Clement at third base in specific situations, particularly against groundball-heavy left-handers.

One of the defining characteristics of the 2026 Blue Jays is that very few positions are locked into a rigid everyday role. Instead, the roster is built around matchups, platoons, and flexibility.

Clement’s presence allows Schneider to shift the defensive alignment based on opposing pitchers. Against left-handed starters, Clement might slide to third, leaving Barger in right, allowing another right-handed bat to enter the lineup. Against high-velocity right-handers, Barger’s bat speed becomes more valuable, even if it costs a fraction of defensive efficiency.

Surprisingly, CBS Sports’ depth chart lists Guerrero as a potential third base backup, though that scenario remains highly unlikely outside of emergency situations.

Okamoto’s contract runs through 2029, which significantly reduces urgency within the farm system. Toronto does not need to rush a prospect into the role or push development timelines.

That reality is reflected in spring training coverage out of Dunedin, where attention has focused more heavily on middle infielders, outfielders and catchers, rather than true third base regulars.

There is some depth in the minors. Josh Kasevich, primarily a shortstop, has logged reps at third and has enjoyed a solid spring. His value lies in contact skills and defensive reliability rather than power. Most projections place him starting the year in Triple A, but his versatility makes him a logical call-up if injuries mount.

Damiano Palmegiani offers some power. A right-handed bat with legitimate pop, he can play the infield corners and left. His primary challenge remains managing his strikeout rate, but the raw power is undeniable. In a small sample, Palmegiani could equal Barger’s power output from the right side.

So, what happens if Okamoto goes down?

If the injury is short- to medium-term, the solution is straightforward. Barger slides to third, Clement spells him depending on matchups, and the rest of the roster remains largely intact. This alignment minimizes disruption both offensively and defensively and maintains the lineup and roster as is.

A longer-term absence, like two months or more, might prompt Toronto to explore the trade market. That said, the presence of Barger and Clement significantly reduces the urgency to overpay. Historically, teams with internal third base depth are better positioned to wait for favorable deals than react out of necessity.

In either scenario, a call-up such as Palmegiani becomes more likely, particularly if the club wants to preserve Barger’s flexibility across multiple positions.

Of Okamoto, Barger, and Clement, only Clement is routinely described as an elite defender, but that label can be misleading. Clement’s Gold Glove finalist status speaks for itself. Okamoto’s track record includes Japanese Gold Gloves at both corner infield spots. Even Barger, while imperfect, brings athletic tools that project to league-average defense with consistent reps.

Collectively, this group offers competence, flexibility, and reliability. These traits often matter more over a full season than highlight-reel plays.

Third base may not be Toronto’s most glamorous position in 2026, but it could quietly be one of its most important. The combination of Okamoto’s proven bat, Barger’s upside and Clement’s versatility gives the Blue Jays a floor that is comfortably league average and a ceiling that could push them into the top quartile of MLB teams at the position.

In a division where marginal gains often decide playoff spots, that kind of stability, especially at a traditional offense-first position, could matter more than it appears on paper.

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