3 Blue Jays Prospects Who Can Contribute in 2023

How prospects Addison Barger, Spencer Horwitz, and Yosver Zulueta can help the Blue Jays in 2023.

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Blue Jays' 26-man roster is nearly set.

The big moves are behind us and the core is complete. However, Toronto will need more than 26 players to get through next season successfully. There will be waiver claims, relievers optioned down and called up, and veterans brought in to fill holes. But, the Jays also have a handful of prospects on the brink of the big leagues who could contribute as more than just temporary depth.

Here are three prospects currently on Toronto's 40-man roster who could make an MLB impact in 2023:

INF Addison Barger

Few Blue Jay hitting prospects helped their stock more than Addison Barger in 2022. After a strong Spring Training, the 23-year-old hit .308 with a .933 OPS across three minor-league levels. Barger led all qualified Toronto prospects in OPS and wRC+, earning a brief cameo at Triple A (three homers in eight games) and racking up a few more games in the fall league to end the season.

Long-term, Barger's power potential could earn him a shot at third base. But for 2023, he'll probably compete alongside Otto Lopez as first-men up across the infield, with experience at 3B, SS, and 2B. With a lefty swing and some pull pop, Barger brings a different look compared to Toronto's current MLB infielders and would naturally slide in as a platoon or part-time complement to the INF mix.

Berm ball!

The @BlueJays' Addison Barger, who hit 26 homers in the Minors this year, slugs his first @MLBazFallLeague jack for Salt River. pic.twitter.com/5VmDi0xYDJ

— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) October 5, 2022

1B/LF Spencer Horwitz

The path to Horwitz contributing at the big league level this year is less clear than most, but he can certainly hit his way to The Show.

One member of the Blue Jays organization described Horwitz as a 'mature and analytic hitter,' and it bears out in his results. Across Double and Triple A last year, the 25-year-old posted a .391 on-base percentage, had the highest walk rate of any Blue Jays prospect above Rookie League, and mashed against right-handed pitching.

Horwitz could be a natural late-season September call-up as a lefty bench-bat or he could make his debut earlier if the Jays are in need of an offensive injection for any reason.

P Yosver Zulueta

The Jays have a few pitchers in the upper minors, like Hayden Juenger and Ricky Tiedemann, who could undoubtedly push the MLB team with strong springs and early campaigns. But no hurler has a clearer path than Zulueta.

With zero organized innings pitched in 2020 and 2021, the 24-year-old Zulueta faced a crucial developmental year last season, and he delivered. With a 100 MPH fastball and plus slider, the Cuban righty scaled Toronto's system in '22 and even pushed the big leagues late in the season. While the righty's walk rate jumped in the upper minors, he may have earned a September shot in Toronto's bullpen if not for late-season shoulder and knee injuries.

Zulueta transitioned to the bullpen as he reached Double A last season, but the Jays will probably stretch him back out as a starter to begin 2023. But the elite relief potential is clearly there and the Jays will be hard-pressed to hold him down if there's a need in the 'pen. He'll start behind optionable relievers like Nate Pearson and Zach Pop for a call-up, but a few weeks of swing-and-miss dominance could push Zulueta up the depth chart.