Toronto Blue Jays Reunite With Pitcher Adam Kloffenstein on Minor League Contract

Adam Kloffenstein, who was initially selected by the Toronto Blue Jays in the third round of the 2018 MLB Draft, made his big league debut with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2024.
Feb 15, 2024; Jupiter, FL, USA;  St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Kloffenstein (66) warms-up during workouts at Spring Training.
Feb 15, 2024; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Adam Kloffenstein (66) warms-up during workouts at Spring Training. / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
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The Toronto Blue Jays have agreed to a minor league contract with right-handed pitcher Adam Kloffenstein, KPRC 2 Houston's Ari Alexander reported Tuesday afternoon.

As part of the deal, Kloffenstein has earned a non-roster invite to Toronto's big league Spring Training camp down in Dunedin, Florida.

The agreement serves as a reunion for Kloffenstein and the Blue Jays, who initially selected the righty in the third round of the 2018 MLB Draft. Toronto eventually traded Kloffenstein and Sem Robberse to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for relief pitcher Jordan Hicks at the 2023 deadline.

Kloffenstein made his big league debut with St. Louis in June 2024, retiring all three batters he faced, but that wound up being his only appearance for the club. The Cardinals non-tendered Kloffenstein in November, making him a free agent.

Kloffenstein went 7-6 with a 3.16 ERA, 1.273 WHIP and 9.8 strikeouts per nine innings in 2023, splitting that season between the Blue Jays' Double-A affiliate and the Cardinals' Triple-A affiliate.

Across 17 starts with Triple-A Memphis in 2024, however, Kloffenstein went 4-5 with a 4.74 ERA, 1.332 WHIP and 7.4 strikeouts per nine innings.

The 6-foot-5, 245-pound righty – who is still just 24 years old – will report to Spring Training along with the rest of Toronto's pitchers and catchers on Feb. 13. While he has served as a starter in 104 of his 106 career minor league appearances, Kloffenstein will likely need to prove himself capable as a reliever if he wants to see any action with the Blue Jays in 2025.

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Sam Connon
SAM CONNON

Sam Connon is a Staff Writer for Fastball on the Sports Illustrated/FanNation networks. He previously covered UCLA Athletics for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's All Bruins, 247Sports' Bruin Report Online, Rivals' Bruin Blitz, the Bleav Podcast Network and the Daily Bruin, with his work as a sports columnist receiving awards from the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon also wrote for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's New England Patriots site, Patriots Country, and he was on the Patriots and Boston Red Sox beats at Prime Time Sports Talk.