DUNEDIN, Fla. -- The Blue Jays have more big leaguers than roster spots, which is a fine place to start.
Toronto’s rotation is extremely crowded, especially following the addition of Max Scherzer, who looks like he belongs. The position player group leans heavily towards outfielders, too, so manager John Schneider and the Blue Jays’ coaching staff will have a different puzzle to put together every single night.
Here’s how the roster looks with two weeks remaining in camp.
Catcher (2): Alejandro Kirk, Tyler Heineman
This is one of the easier groups to project, and if Kirk can start another 110 games behind the plate, the Blue Jays will be thrilled. Keep an eye on Brandon Valenzuela, too. Toronto’s No. 24 prospect feels like the long-term backup and has already made a very strong impression in his first camp with the Blue Jays.
First basemen (1): Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Last season, Guerrero started 130 games at first, which is the sweet spot, and he’ll be spelled off by either Kazuma Okamoto or Ernie Clement. Eloy Jiménez is putting together an excellent camp and has helped his positioning as a potential next man up from Triple-A, but he’s still on the outside looking in.
Second base (1): Ernie Clement
The 2025 postseason hero Clement is a sneaky Gold Glove Award candidate this year, especially if he’s sticking at one position. Leo Jiménez still has a shot at winning a reserve infield job here -- and he’s out of options -- but the Blue Jays are plenty comfortable sliding Davis Schneider in as a reserve, too. Keep an eye on No. 13 prospect Josh Kasevich as an option early in the season, too.
Shortstop (1): Andrés Giménez
Speaking of Gold Glove Awards … a full season of Giménez at shortstop will be a treat. Yes, he needs to hit more after batting just .210 with a .598 OPS in his first season with Toronto, but injuries got in the way, and it felt like Giménez never found his groove. If he can drag that OPS up to .675 alongside his elite defense, that’s a very valuable player. The Blue Jays will feed Giménez all the playing time he can handle.
Third base (1): Kazuma Okamoto
With Addison Barger now expected to play more right field, Okamoto will focus heavily on third base, where he has a clear path to near-everyday reps. That’s a major challenge for Okamoto, who is adjusting to a new league, new pitchers and new life in North America after playing professionally in Japan, but the Blue Jays have high expectations for the former Yomiuri Giants star. Barger will still see time here, especially if Okamoto is used to spell Vladdy at first base.
Designated hitter (1): George Springer
Springer prefers “OP” for “offensive player,” but alas. The DH spot was the fountain of youth for Springer one season ago, keeping the veteran fresh for one of the most surprising seasons in recent Blue Jays memory. He’ll still see days in right field, where he’s perfectly capable and still has excellent ball skills on difficult catches, but Toronto's 2025 MVP is the OP.
Outfielders (6): Daulton Varsho, Nathan Lukes, Davis Schneider, Myles Straw, Addison Barger, Jesús Sánchez
Another year opens with the Blue Jays being extremely heavy on outfielders, but this can work if Schneider and Barger slide back and forth frequently. Sánchez, a trade addition early in camp in exchange for Joey Loperfido, will likely face most right-handed pitchers.
Starting pitchers (6): Dylan Cease, Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage, Max Scherzer, Cody Ponce, José Berríos
This group will take on a dozen different looks in 2026. The Blue Jays don’t want to lean into a true “six-man rotation,” given how much that would limit their bullpen, but there’s no harm in kicking this decision down the road a week or two. Yesavage’s workload will be limited to open the season, too, which could lend itself to the odd piggyback setup.
Relief pitchers (7): Jeff Hoffman, Louis Varland, Tyler Rogers, Braydon Fisher, Brendon Little, Mason Fluharty, Eric Lauer
This group could really feel the squeeze of the Blue Jays’ crowded rotation. Lauer already feels like the long man in this group, but carrying six true starters on top of that could squeeze the out-of-options Tommy Nance and makes it awfully difficult to carry Angel Bastardo, the Rule 5 righty who’s flashed exciting potential in camp. In this scenario, the final decision could come down to Fluharty (who has options remaining) as another lefty and Nance (who doesn’t).