Blue Jays 24-Year-Old's Roster Fate Hinges on WBC Performance

Leo Jiménez's strong showing for Team Panama could determine if he makes Toronto's 26-man roster.

Published on Feb. 27, 2026

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Toronto Blue Jays infielder Leo Jiménez is heading to the World Baseball Classic to compete for Team Panama, and his performance in the tournament could be a key factor in whether he makes the Blue Jays' 26-man roster out of spring training. Jiménez is out of minor-league options, so he'll need to make the team to avoid being exposed to the waiver wire. Blue Jays manager John Schneider said the team will be watching Jiménez's WBC performance closely, as it may matter more than his spring training stats.

Why it matters

Jiménez's roster spot is in jeopardy after a tough 2025 season, and the Blue Jays are looking to see if he can regain his form from 2024 when he had a near-average 95 OPS+. His performance in the WBC could be the deciding factor in whether he makes the team's opening day roster.

The details

Jiménez, 24, appeared in just 18 regular-season games for the Blue Jays last year and was left off the playoff roster. With Kazuma Okamoto, Andrés Giménez, and Ernie Clement locked into starting roles, Jiménez is competing against Davis Schneider for the final spot on the bench. Schneider has options available but has been a reliable contributor for the Blue Jays in recent seasons.

  • Jiménez will compete for Team Panama in the World Baseball Classic pool play in Puerto Rico.
  • Jiménez went 2-for-29 in the majors last season, good for a .067 batting average.
  • Jiménez was solid in 63 games in 2024, with a near-average 95 OPS+.

The players

Leo Jiménez

A 24-year-old infielder for the Toronto Blue Jays who is out of minor-league options and needs to make the 26-man roster out of spring training to avoid being exposed to the waiver wire.

John Schneider

The manager of the Toronto Blue Jays, who said the team will be watching Jiménez's WBC performance closely as it may matter more than his spring training stats.

Davis Schneider

A Blue Jays player who is competing with Jiménez for the final spot on the team's bench, and has options available but has been a reliable contributor in recent seasons.

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What they’re saying

“We're going to be watching closely. I think there's upside to having it be pretty much game speed as opposed to two at-bats in Lakeland or whatever.”

— John Schneider, Blue Jays manager (Toronto Star)

“2025 didn't go the way that I was expecting, that I had planned. But we just leave that stuff in the past and focus on this year, which is a big year for me.”

— Leo Jiménez (Toronto Star)

What’s next

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The takeaway

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