Shortstop on Jays' Radar in International Draft
The International Free Agent signing period begins on January 25th, 2025 and the Blue Jays already have their sites set on who they may choose from the relatively wide pool. The IFA period is for big leagues to get a chance to acquire players who are outside the U.S. and otherwise not eligible for the MLB Draft.
In the past few seasons alone. some big name players - Elly De La Cruz, Juan Soto, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. - have made their way to the bigs via this method.
The player on the Blue Jays radar is Christopher Polanco, a 16 year old shortstop out of the Dominican Republic, who was named as one of 12 players to watch in the incoming IFA Class.
While fans would be right in thinking that the Jays currently do not need another shortstop, keep in mind that Polanco is a god six to eight years away from the big leagues. Plus, a player like him could easily be turned into a 2nd baseman or even centre fielder.
Polanco's profile is an interesting one. While he clocks in at an average base running speed, with an arm that is slightly below where it should be, his hitting metrics are one of the most advanced in his class.
Described as a high-contact lefty batter with good bat speed and control, Polanco has a low swing-and-miss rate, and is a doubles machine with occasional home run pop. His quality of at-bats is said to be strong for someone of his age.
While his aforementioned arm isn't the strongest, he is a solid defender whose range can be improved with age, training, and maturity, especially given his upper-body strength.
Like with any player, there is always risk involved, but the Blue Jays good do worse than bettering on Christopher Polanco. If Toronto does select his contract, he will be an interesting player to watch develop over the next half-decade or so.
The International Free Agent signing period runs from January 25-December 15, 2025.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 1 | 147 ANSWERS Shortstop on Jays' Radar in International Draft Should the Jays pursue Christopher Polanco? | ||
| Yes | 68 | 46.3 % |
| No | 79 | 53.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
