How Jonatan Clase Can Influence Blue Jays’ Final Outfield Bench Spot

The Toronto Blue Jays have a potential competition percolating when it comes to the final outfielder on their opening day roster.

Anthony Santander is already out for most of the season after he had surgery on the labrum in his shoulder that limited him for most of the 2025 season. To augment the outfield, Toronto traded for Jesús Sánchez, who expects to be the starting right fielder. Daulton Varsho is expected to start in center field while left field could be Davis Schneider, Nathan Lukes or Myles Straw. One will likely be a rotational backup.

If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.

But what about Jonatan Clase? The young outfielder is a potential option who is off to a fine start this spring training. He went 3-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored as he batted leadoff for Toronto in its 4-4 tie with the Detroit Tigers on Sunday. He’s now batting .300 in spring training.

So, can he swing things his way for an opening day roster spot? What does he have to do?

Jonatan Clase’s Roster Case

Jonatan Clase sends one deep for a two-run double 💪 pic.twitter.com/uNhbhKyDRu
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) March 1, 2026

Clase is on the 40-man roster, so the issue isn’t getting him on the 40-man, which can be an issue for non-roster invitees. His issue is opportunity. He hasn’t had many at the MLB level and for the next few weeks, with so many players out for the WBC, Clase has the chance to make a case with extra at-bats that he’s the right guy for the final bench spot.

Clase had an up-and-down season with the Blue Jays in 2025. He only played in 34 games, usually when players like Varsho were dealing with injuries. He was promoted from Triple-A Buffalo twice and then optioned back to the minors twice. In the Majors he slashed .210/.288/.300 with two home runs and nine RBI. In the minors he pumped out better numbers, as he slashed .255/.335/.403 with seven home runs and 21 RBI.

In 2024 he started the season with the Seattle Mariners comma the team that signed him out of the Dominican Republic in 2018. He only played 19 games for the Mariners before he was shipped off to the Blue Jays in a 2024 trade in which Toronto dealt pitcher Yimi Garcia — who is back with the franchise — for Clase and catcher Jacob Sharp.

Versatility is key to making his case. With the Blue Jays and the Mariners, he played left field or center field. In the minor leagues he played all three outfield positions, giving him maximum ability to help Toronto out in several places. That versatility, along with a perkier bat, could help him make a case to break camp with the Blue Jays and not a ticket to Buffalo.