TORONTO, ON – OCTOBER 9: Aaron Sanchez #41 of the Toronto Blue Jays walks off of the field in the fourth inning against the Texas Rangers during game three of the American League Division Series at Rogers Centre on October 9, 2016 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
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The Toronto Blue Jays have had plenty of notable players in recent years, including some top prospects who panned out into superstars and some who did not.
Most notably, the Blue Jays have seen first base slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. realize his promise as the face of the franchise after they signed him as a teenaged prospect in 2015. But the team has cut ties with some other former top youngsters who came up short of expectations, like pitcher Aaron Sanchez.
Toronto Blue Jays Cut Former Top Prospect Aaron Sanchez After All-Star Season
Sanchez was drafted by the Blue Jays in the first round in 2010 and the start of his career was quite promising. He made his big-league debut in 2014 and enjoyed a stellar season just two years later, winning 15 games with a 3.00 ERA and an All-Star nod.
But that ultimately marked the best season of his career and the Blue Jays traded him to the Houston Astros in 2019. He pitched for the San Francisco Giants, Washington Nationals and Minnesota Twins before running out of major league opportunities. He re-signed with the Blue Jays in 2024 on a minor-league deal and then was released before last season.
Toronto Blue Jays Veteran Wins Pitcher Of The Year Award, Draws Comeback Interest
Now, Sanchez has just enjoyed a strong showing in the Dominican Winter League and is attracting interest from several MLB teams as he targets a return.
“Aaron Sanchez, 33, has drawn interest and multiple MLB team offers this offseason,” MLB insider Francys Romero reported on X, formerly Twitter. “His agent, Chris Leible of Smooth Baseball, said, ‘We are considering our options.’”
And The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal confirmed that report by noting that the former Blue Jays’ All-Star is receiving interest for a comeback after his winter ball success culminated in the league’s Pitcher of the Year Award.
“After sitting out last season, Aaron Sanchez won the Dominican Winter League’s Pitcher of the Year award this winter and is attracting interest from clubs,” Rosenthal reported. “Sanchez, 33, has not pitched in the major leagues since 2022. Formerly a top prospect, Sanchez is best known for time with the Toronto Blue Jays. He was an All-Star in 2016, going 15-2 with a 3.00 ERA. From 2017-22, however, Sanchez experienced injuries and produced a 5.29 ERA.”
If Sanchez’s winter performance is any indication, MLB teams likely believe he has a chance to bounce back to his best form. And if that’s the case, plenty of teams should be interested in giving him a shot, particularly the Blue Jays, as effective pitching is always at a premium.