{"id":521434,"date":"2026-01-15T09:30:25","date_gmt":"2026-01-15T09:30:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/521434\/"},"modified":"2026-01-15T09:30:25","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T09:30:25","slug":"toronto-blue-jays-announce-five-minor-league-signings-with-invites-to-spring-training","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/521434\/","title":{"rendered":"Toronto Blue Jays announce five minor-league signings with invites to Spring Training"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Toronto Blue Jays<\/a> announced five players were signed to minor-league deals with invites to Spring Training on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

OFFICIAL: We\u2019ve signed the following free agents to Minor League deals with invites to #SpringTraining<\/a>. <\/p>\n

\ud83d\udd39 DH Eloy Jim\u00e9nez
\ud83d\udd39 INF Carlos Mendoza
\ud83d\udd39 LHP Michael Plassmeyer
\ud83d\udd39 RHP Jorge Alcala
\ud83d\udd39 INF Rafael Lantigua pic.twitter.com\/Pfx0cZmaCT<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) January 14, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

The list includes outfielder Eloy Jimenez<\/a>, infielder Carlos Mendoza, left-handed pitcher Michael Plassmeyer, right-handed pitcher Jorge Alcala<\/a> and infielder Rafael Lantigua<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Jimenez, 29, is a former Silver Slugger winner with the Chicago White Sox<\/a> in 2020, and spent some time with the Buffalo Bisons in Triple-A in the Blue Jays system in 2025. He played in six games.<\/p>\n

The six-year player finished fourth in American League Rookie of the Year voting in 2019 after hitting .267 with 31 home runs in his debut campaign, but hit just .238 with six home runs in 98 games split between the White Sox and Baltimore Orioles<\/a> last season. In 534 career MLB games, Jimenez has hit .269 with 95 home runs.<\/p>\n

Mendoza, 25, produced a .287 average alongside seven home runs and 41 RBIs over 97 games split between Double-A (82 games) and Single-A (14 games) in the Detroit Tigers<\/a>\u2019 minor league system in 2025.<\/p>\n

Plassmeyer, 29, last pitched in the majors in 2023 with the Philadelphia Phillies<\/a>, where he held a 22.09 earned-run average over 3.2 innings.<\/p>\n

The 30-year-old Alcala pitched for three teams in 2025 split between the Minnesota Twins<\/a>, Boston Red Sox<\/a> and St. Louis Cardinals<\/a>. He has a 4.29 ERA in 200 games as a relief pitcher in his seven-year career.<\/p>\n

Lantigua, 27, has spent seven seasons in the Blue Jays\u2019 system since he was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2017. He played last year in the Phillies system, where he hit .230 over 125 games with the Triple-A Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs.<\/p>\n

The Blue Jays open camp in less than a month, with pitchers and catchers due in Dunedin, Fla. on Wednesday, Feb. 11. The first full squad workout will take place on Monday, Feb. 16.<\/p>\n

Toronto then begins its spring training game schedule on Saturday, Feb. 21 against the Phillies<\/a>.<\/p>\n