The Toronto Blue Jays may have moved on from Leo Jiménez, but the trade that sent him to Miami has only looked better for Toronto as the season has gone along.
Jiménez was designated for assignment by the Marlins on Thursday and then released by the organization on Saturday, closing another rough stop in a season that never really got going at the plate. The 25-year-old infielder spent most of his time as a bench option in Miami, but the production simply wasn’t there: a .199 batting average, .565 OPS, 18 runs scored, two home runs and 14 RBIs in 66 games.
Toronto had dealt Jiménez to Miami earlier this year for infielder Dub Gleed and international bonus money. At the time, Jiménez was out of minor league options and had failed to crack the Blue Jays’ Opening Day roster. After the club designated him for assignment before the start of the 2026 season, the Marlins stepped in and gave Toronto a return on a player who had once ranked among the organization’s top prospects.
That’s what makes this one stand out. Jiménez came up with real promise in Toronto’s system, especially during a breakout 2023 minor league season when he hit .270 with a .766 OPS, 62 runs, 18 doubles, two triples, eight homers, 47 RBIs and eight steals in 94 games.
But that production never carried over to the majors. In 81 total games across two seasons with the Blue Jays after his MLB debut in 2024, he managed just a .207 average, .635 OPS, five home runs and 20 RBIs.
A quiet 2026 spring training only pushed him further toward the exit.
Meanwhile, Gleed has given Toronto something tangible in return. The prospect has put together a strong 2026 season, hitting .278 with an .845 OPS, 60 runs scored, 23 doubles, 19 home runs and 60 RBIs in 108 games split between Vancouver and New Hampshire. So far, the Blue Jays are getting the better end of the deal, and Gleed has flashed tools that didn’t show up in Miami.
Now Jiménez is back on the market, looking for another opportunity before the season ends and hoping for one more chance to stick in the big leagues.
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