Toronto Blue Jays next backup catcher nearly ready for the show
Photo credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
The Toronto Blue Jays already have their next backup catcher waiting in the wings, and his development is coming at an ideal time for the organization.
Acquired from the San Diego Padres at the 2025 trade deadline in exchange for Will Wagner, Brandon Valenzuela has quickly emerged as the type of catching depth the Toronto Blue Jays were looking to add.
Valenzuela is regarded as a strong all-around defender behind the plate, making him a natural complement to the current catching tandem of Alejandro Kirk and Tyler Heineman.
With the league-wide shortage of reliable backup catchers, his defensive reliability gives Toronto valuable insurance if needed.
While his offensive upside may be somewhat limited, Valenzuela's switch-hitting ability and steady defense make him an intriguing depth option.
Brandon Valenzuela continues to breath down Tyler Heineman's back this spring. Yet another batted ball with authority to the deepest part of the park. Nearly a HR, settles for a wall ball double.100.6 MPH/392 FT
Valenzuela is poised to be the next man up for Toronto, expected to start season at Triple-A Buffalo
He is expected to open the season as the everyday catcher for the Buffalo Bisons, where the Blue Jays will continue to evaluate his development.
Before the trade, Valenzuela posted a .229/.313/.387 slash line with 12 home runs across 374 plate appearances for the San Antonio Missions, good for a 105 wRC+.
After joining the organization, he finished the season with Buffalo, where he slashed .207/.295/.370 with three home runs in 105 plate appearances.
His strikeout rate did climb to 30.5 percent during that stretch, though the Blue Jays still saw enough potential to add him to their 40-man roster in November to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft.
Valenzuela does offer some power potential. His 15 home runs in 2025 marked a career high, showing there may still be some offensive growth in his profile.
So far this spring, he has shown encouraging signs at the plate, hitting .286 with a home run, a double, and five RBIs.
Brandon Valenzuela just eviscerated a baseball. One of the loudest cracks of the bat I've heard all spring from anybody. His raw power continues to be on display as he puts up an extremely *LOUD* camp. 104.2 MPH/406 FT 🔊up for this one
He has also demonstrated solid plate discipline, though swing-and-miss remains part of his game.
Offensively, Valenzuela is still something of a question mark, and it remains to be seen how well his bat will translate to the major league level.
Defensively, however, there is little doubt about his ability.
Last season he threw out more than a third of attempted base stealers while also showing strong blocking and receiving skills behind the plate.
If injuries were to sideline either Kirk or Heineman this season, Valenzuela is poised to be the next man up for Toronto.
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| POLL | ||
MARS 14|68 ANSWERS Toronto Blue Jays next backup catcher nearly ready for the show Do you think Brandon Valenzuela will make his MLB debut with the Toronto Blue Jays this season? | ||
| Yes | 42 | 61.8 % |
| No | 7 | 10.3 % |
| Too early to tell | 19 | 27.9 % |
| List of polls | ||