Of all the international free agents that the Toronto Blue Jays signed recently, Yoenis Morales is one that fans need to keep a keen eye on.
The Blue Jays have focused a lot on pitching this winter. Dylan Cease and Cody Ponce were added to replace Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt leaving in free agency. Tyler Rogers was signed in addition to acquiring Chase Lee and Spencer Miles to fortify the bullpen and add pitching depth, respectively.
Toronto has also signed several international free agents. Celwin Hurkmans and Elian Guzman are two players who could be interesting additions to an MLB roster down the line.
So while trade rumblings circulate through the league, what newly signed pitcher Morales can bring to a starting rotation or bullpen shouldn’t be ignored.
Toronto Blue Jays Sign Yoenis Morales For a Bargain
On January 21, 2026, the Blue Jays announced a plethora of signings, both on social media and on their transaction log. One of the more interesting cases is that of Morales.
Morales hails from Cuba. The 21-year-old right-handed pitcher stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 230 lbs. Perhaps the most interesting thing about this signing is the inexpensive $10,000 signing bonus.
While a signing bonus is typically $100,000 (or more), $10,000 is pennies for an organization like the Blue Jays. According to Francys Romero, nine of the free agents the Blue Jays signed were for $10,000. Another 15 were recently signed for $40,000 or more.
Yoenis Morales Scouting Report
While there aren’t any publicly available stats, there is a scouting report that provides more information about him.
MLB insider Romero has a report that should excite Blue Jays fans.
“Morales, 21 years old, sits at 92–95 mph with his fastball and has a chance to advance through the MLB system,” Romero wrote (subscription required). “He was born in Camagüey and is the nephew of Omar Luis Martínez, a great pitcher from Cuba in the 1990s, strikeout leader in the 1994–95 National Series, and an Olympic champion in Atlanta ’96, where he won three games.”
There are two important things to highlight from this report. For starters, having a fastball sitting around 92-95 MPH is great. This positions Morales to have an impact in the MLB sooner rather than later.
Secondly, he comes from a family of baseball players. This likely means that he has been exposed to the type of training and skill development required to be an excellent pitcher. Growing up in this environment can also help Morales become a better professional, which is another useful skill.
No Bellinger, Tucker, Bichette? No Problem.
At various points in the offseason, the Blue Jays were linked to all of Cody Bellinger, Kyle Tucker, and Bo Bichette. However, they came up short on all three position players. Bellinger returned to the New York Yankees, Tucker moved to the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Bichette signed with the New York Mets.
At this point in time, the most likely way that Toronto acquires a left-handed batter is via a trade. Some names that have been suggested as a fit are Lars Nootbaar, Brendan Donovan, and Steven Kwan.
Blue Jays Interested in Pitchers?
Quite some time ago, one report stated that the Blue Jays would consider trading an outfielder for a reliever. That trade hasn’t happened yet, but it could still happen before Spring Training begins in the middle of February.
While Morales has talent, it behooves Toronto to pursue other options for the bullpen.
Jojo Romero is one name that was linked to the Blue Jays. Carlos Estevez of the Kansas City Royals is another pitcher that Spotrac lists as a trade candidate.
Both Jose Berrios and Nathan Lukes have been identified as players who could be moved. Could we see a trade involving one of these two for a reliever? With Spring Training rapidly approaching, Blue Jays fans may get the answer to this question very soon.
Morales is closer to contributing at the MLB level than the vast majority of the other signings. His age and ability should serve him well. Don’t be surprised if you see him rise through the ranks in the Blue Jays system for the 2026 season.
