Former Blue Jays outfielder signs with Mexican League's Tecolotes de Los Dos Laredos

You may remember Harold Ramirez when he came over to the Blue Jays from the Pittsburgh Pirates, along with Reese McGuire and Francisco Liriano in the Drew Hutchison trade.

Ramirez once a top 100 prospect, was outrighted by the Blue Jays in 2018 after being plagued by knee injuries.

The 23 year old used to have speed and bat-to-ball skills on his side, however knee injuries have robbed him of the former.

The Miami Marlins agreed to terms with the 24-year-old in late November 2019 on a minor league deal with an invite to spring training. Ramirez received a modest $25,000 bonus.

Over the 2019 to 2021 seasons, he suited up for the Marlins and Guardians, getting 818 plate appearances in that time.

His .315 batting average on balls in play was actually a bit above league average, which is usually in the .290-.300 range.

But thanks to a walk rate of just 4% and only 18 home runs in that time, his .271/.308/.405 batting line led to a 92 wRC+, indicating he had been 8% below par overall.

His fortune turned with the Rays in the next two seasons. Over the 2022 and 2023 campaigns, he took 869 trips to the plate with Tampa.

His 4.7% walk rate was still quite low and he hit another 18 home runs but his BABIP spiked to .354 in that time. That helped him hit .306/.348/.432 for a 122 wRC+.

Regression came in 2024. His BABIP dropped to .320 and he only walked 2% of the time, with just two homers in 246 plate appearances.

That included a brief stint with the Nationals after the Rays released him. After the Nats also released him, he finished the year on a minor league deal with Atlanta, hitting .231/.278/.275 in 97 Triple-A plate appearances.

Ramirez has played first base and the outfield in his career but isn't considered a strong defender, so his offensive drop-off last year really put a dent in his value.

By taking a job in Mexico, he's surely hoping to carve out some regular playing time and show that he can still swing it. If he looks to be in good form, the no-cost buyout could lead some club to pick him up.