Way-Too-Early 2027 Blue Jays Roster and Lineup Prediction

Although this season didn’t pan out how everyone expected after a 2025 World Series trip, the Blue Jays have positives to build on as they head into the offseason. Sixteen players made their MLB debuts this season, one of the league's highest numbers. 

Among them, Kazuma Okamoto, Spencer Miles, Brandon Valenzuela, and Brett Bateman showed promising signs that they could handle the major league level. Some players also showed flashes of success that could help the team next season. Looking at players currently in the Blue Jays organization, here is a way-too-early prediction of what the 26-man roster could look like.

Batting Order

Here's what the batting order could look like, depending on the handedness of the opposing starting pitcher:

For the most part, the batting order stays the same, unless George Springer is re-signed. However, he’s 37, so I doubt he'll return, despite having the second-most home runs for the Blue Jays this past season. That says little for a team that finished last in homers among MLB teams. Anthony Santander and Addison Barger should be healthy going into spring training, but can the team rely on them to perform and stay healthy? 

Santander has been a massive bust since joining the Blue Jays after a 2024 season in which he hit 41 home runs with the Baltimore Orioles. He played at least 152 games in each of his last three seasons (2022-2024) with the Orioles. However, he only played in 54 games in his first season as a Blue Jay and hit six home runs. Santander then missed the entire 2026 season after undergoing shoulder surgery right before it began.

Barger had a solid 2025 season, slashing .254/.301/.454 with 61 runs, 74 RBIs, and 21 home runs. He was expected to be a major contributor this season, but he played only nine games before needing right elbow surgery. The surgery came with a six-month recovery timeline, which ended his season. 

However, while Barger was in the lineup, he was awful, hitting .045/.214/.095, with two runs and two RBIs in a handful of games. The Blue Jays will hope he returns to his power production, but it’s hard to say how he'll respond after major surgery. With this uncertainty and Santander’s struggles to stay on the field, the team needs to add an outfielder during the offseason, preferably one with power. 

Seiya Suzuki of the Chicago Cubs and Teruaki Sato of Nippon Professional Baseball are already being linked to Toronto. Both would give the team what it lacked this season: power swings. Suzuki has hit 113 homers over five seasons with the Cubs, and Sato has hit 162 in six seasons with the Hanshin Tigers. 

Adding a big bat in free agency should be a priority, as the Blue Jays' farm system has few answers to the power drought. Sean Keys showed promise, hitting 28 long balls over 435 plate appearances between Double and Triple A this season, but that didn’t translate to his 66 plate appearances in the majors. He hit only two homers in that span, while slashing .197/.242/.328.

Power outfield options may be thin this offseason, with Suzuki, Sato, Randy Arozarena, and Ian Happ as the top targets. So the Blue Jays have to be aggressive. They can’t risk finishing last in home runs and runs again if they want to contend in the competitive AL East. However, the threat of a lockout could keep Toronto and other MLB teams from making a big move until a new collective bargaining agreement can be agreed upon.

Bench

• Brandon Valenzuela
• Charles McAdoo/Addison Barger (*depending on who starts)
• Josh Smith
• Jonatan Clase/Nathan Lukes (*depending on who starts)

Everyone except for Clase is an obvious bench selection. Someone like Keys would give the Blue Jays another power hitter, but there simply isn't room for another left-handed bat. If a left-handed pitcher starts, they would already have three lefties on the bench. The issue with that setup is that it makes Valenzuela, a switch-hitter, their only right-handed bench bat. If they use him to pinch-hit, the team would lose its backup catcher in the event that Kirk gets hurt. 

Myles Straw is another right-handed option, but his availability depends on whether the organization exercises his $8 million club option or opts for a $1.75 million buyout. Other options for a bench spot are Davis Schneider, Yohendrick Piñango (another left-handed bat), or someone not currently on the 40-man roster. 

Josh Kasevich, Jay Harry, and RJ Schreck are notable prospects not on the 40-man roster who are all eligible for the upcoming Rule 5 draft. If the Blue Jays want to keep any of these players out of the draft, they’d need to add them to the 40-man, which would make them viable candidates to make the Opening Day roster. However, some top pitching prospects are also eligible for the Rule 5 draft, making it tough to decide who to protect. 

Starting Rotation

• Dylan Cease
• José Soriano
• Trey Yesavage
• Cody Ponce
• Ricky Tiedemann

The first four players were obvious choices, with Cease returning as the ace of the rotation. José Berríos and Bowden Francis aren’t expected to return from their recovery from the Tommy John surgeries they both underwent earlier this year until mid-2027. Their absences set up Tiedemann or Spencer Arrighetti to take the last spot in the rotation. Tiedemann dealt with injuries over the last two seasons, missing 2025 after Tommy John surgery and being shut down twice this past season with elbow and neck discomfort. 

The lefty finally made his long-awaited MLB debut on August 15, but he came out of the bullpen in all five of his appearances. The Blue Jays likely eased their young prospect back into things because he didn’t reach two full innings in any of his 11 minor league outings. If the team sees him as a starter, then stretching out his outings will be his focus this offseason. He struck out eight of the 29 MLB hitters he faced, so he could give Toronto a strong strikeout-heavy rotation. Plus, he’d be the only lefty in the starting five. 

Arrighetti has thrown 291 innings over the last three seasons, but he hasn’t fared well. He’s posted a 4.79 ERA, a 4.82 FIP, and 4.61 walks per nine innings. He was even worse when he joined the Blue Jays in the trade that sent Daulton Varsho to the Houston Astros. Fans likely wouldn’t be thrilled to see Arrighetti on the mound every fifth game.

Toronto may add a starter in free agency to build depth, which was a massive issue this season given the team's injuries. The team also has prospects Gage Stanifer and Daniel Guerra, who are eligible for the Rule 5 draft. If either is added to the 40-man roster, a strong spring training could help them earn the fifth spot in the rotation. 

Bullpen

• Louis Varland
• Tyler Rogers
• Spencer Miles
• Brendon Little
• Mason Fluharty
• Braydon Fisher
• Brendan Cellucci
• Josh Winckowski

The Blue Jays will return the top six relievers that gave the team one of the strongest bullpens during the second half of the season. In addition to those six, Cellucci was outstanding in 8 2/3 scoreless September innings for Toronto. He struck out 11 of 30 batters he faced while walking only three.

The last spot in the ‘pen could also go to Chase Lee, CJ Van Eyk, or Chad Dallas. However, if healthy, Winckowski is my top choice, though he would need to be added to the 40-man roster. He was originally drafted by the Blue Jays in 2016. He was then included in the trade package that brought Steven Matz to Toronto in 2021 from the New York Mets. The 28-year-old was designated for assignment by the Boston Red Sox in late 2025 and then signed a two-year minor league contract with Toronto.

Winckowski missed a majority of the 2026 season after undergoing an internal brace procedure during the offseason. He returned in late August, pitching in 13 2/3 innings for Triple-A Buffalo, where he posted a 0.66 ERA and struck out 17 of 55 batters he faced. The righty brings four years of MLB experience to the staff and has also worked as a starter for 21 games.

Adding a free agent reliever would probably be the lowest priority. However, with the number of injuries the Blue Jays faced this season, it wouldn’t hurt to add more depth in the form of MLB-ready arms. Toronto looks strong on paper for next season, but everyone had that feeling this past year, and it didn’t play out the way fans and the team expected.

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