MIAMI -- In need of additional position-player depth, the Marlins acquired infielder Leo Jiménez from the Blue Jays in exchange for infielder Dub Gleed and $250K in international bonus pool money on Sunday night.
The 24-year-old Jiménez played in parts of two seasons with the Blue Jays from 2024-25, posting a .635 OPS with five home runs in 81 games. Previously a highly touted prospect in the Blue Jays' farm system, ranking as the club’s No. 5 prospect by MLB Pipeline before the 2024 season, Jiménez was out of Minor League options and was designated for assignment on Wednesday by Toronto.
TRADE DETAILS
Marlins get: INF Leo Jiménez
Blue Jays get: Minor League 3B Dub Gleed, international bonus pool money
Jiménez found out about the trade around 4:30 p.m. ET on Sunday and flew out of Toronto to Miami around 5:30 a.m. on Monday. He fielded grounders at third base with Graham Pauley and took batting practice with his new ballclub ahead of Monday's series opener against the White Sox at loanDepot park.
"I think it's a pretty good opportunity for me to grow as a player, learn as much as I can, especially we have a lot of young guys in here that they actually act like veterans on the baseball field," Jiménez said. "So try to learn as much as I can and just come here and every single day, just put everything out there and learn as much as I can."
With a recent influx of injuries to Marlins position players Kyle Stowers, Christopher Morel, Maximo Acosta and Esteury Ruiz, there was a need for Miami to add more depth, in particular another middle-infield option. Jiménez will serve as shortstop Otto Lopez's and second baseman Xavier Edwards' backup since Gold Glove-winning utility player Javier Sanoja is platooning with Pauley at third and serving as center fielder Jakob Marsee's backup in center.
"We'll see him quite a bit versus left-handed pitching whether that's starting out in the field or potentially DHing versus left, coming off the bench versus left," Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said. "He also spent a little time this Spring Training at third base. He hasn't played there really, if any, but I think it'll be something we'll explore with him, too, just to continue to try to open up the avenues. Good at-bats, bat-to-ball [skills], controls the zone. Hitting right-handed is going to give us another option versus left."
To clear space on the active roster for Jiménez, Miami optioned unranked prospect Deyvison De Los Santos to Triple-A Jacksonville. The Marlins preferred De Los Santos, who doubled in his first career Major League at-bat on Sunday, to receive consistent playing time in the Minors to develop rather than be used sparingly in the big leagues.
"There's still a number of things from an approach standpoint and from playing that he can get better at before another opportunity presents itself," McCullough said. "But [I] told him, 'The other day you helped us win a Major League game.' And he did yesterday. [He] had a couple of good at-bats. ... I think a lot of the work that he put in from when last season ended till the point through spring paid off for him and made a good impression."
Due to a full 40-man roster, the Marlins designated for assignment right-hander Garrett Acton as the corresponding move. Acton, who was claimed off waivers from the Rockies in February, began the season at Triple-A. Bullpen arms are an area of organizational depth, with the current eight on the Marlins' active roster, plus lefty Cade Gibson as well as righties Josh White and William Kempner in Jacksonville. Southpaw Dax Fulton and right-handers Bradley Blalock and Ryan Gusto are other 40-man swingman options.
Gleed is a 23-year-old infielder and was a ninth-round selection in the 2024 Draft out of UC Irvine. In his first MiLB season last year, Gleed had a .738 OPS and two home runs in 71 games across four levels.