In a potentially impactful move, the Toronto Blue Jays added left-handed pitcher Ricky Tiedemann to the 40-man roster on Tuesday. They did this in order to protect him from the Rule-5 Draft, signaling they want to keep him in the organization.
A former Top-100 prospect in the sport, Tiedemann has spent much of the last two years injured. Still just 23, he made only eight appearances in 2024 before needing Tommy John Surgery. He missed all of 2025 as a result.
Advertisement
The lefty has electric stuff, as evidenced by his 82 strikeouts in 44.0 innings in 2023, mostly at Double-A New Hampshire. Of course, he also has some control issues, as he walked 23 batters in that time.
He was a third-round pick of the Jays in 2021 MLB Draft.
The following came from Keegan Matheson of MLB.com on social media:
A healthy Ricky Tiedemann could quicky become one of the biggest stories in #BlueJays camp. He’s wildy talented and still just 23. If the coming months are “normal” for Tiedemann, he could have long-term potential in the rotation again or immediate star potential in the bullpen.
Advertisement
Tiedemann has never thrown more than 78.2 professional innings in a season, and he hasn’t done that since 2022, so he clearly won’t be ready to take on a full workload in 2026, but how the Jays use him will be fascinating.
Heading into the season, they have a clear need in the rotation: Trey Yesavage, Kevin Gausman, Jose Berrios and Shane Bieber all figure to have spots, but the fifth spot is up for grabs. Could the Jays slow play Tiedemann at the minor league level all season and then potentially have access to him as a starter down the stretch if injuries strike?
Advertisement
Or, to Matheson’s point, could they look to deploy him as a reliever right away? Toronto’s bullpen is a point of emphasis this offseason, especially as Seranthony Dominguez hits free agency. A hard-throwing lefty will never not be welcome in a bullpen. If they use him out there, he could be a major factor as Toronto looks to win its second consecutive pennant.
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Ricky Tiedemann (70) walks to the dugout before the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at LECOM Park. Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
The Blue Jays will continue to work on the free agent market as they look to improve their club. Bo Bichette and Kyle Tucker are the two biggest names they’ve been repeatedly linked to, though Alex Bregman remains an option.
Advertisement
SANTANDER IS FASCINATING: Returning from injury, the slugger is the most fascinating player already on the roster. CLICK HERE:
JOE CARTER STOPS BY MLB NETWORK: The hero of the 1993 World Series sat down on Tuesday to reflect on the current crop of Jays players. CLICK HERE:
TUCKER THE BEST MOVE? Jeff Passan of ESPN thinks that signing Tucker is the best move that the Blue Jays can make this offseason. Here’s why. CLICK HERE:
Advertisement
Remember to join our BLUE JAYS on ROUNDTABLE community, which is FREE! You can post your own thoughts, in text or video form, and you can engage with our Roundtable staff, as well as other Blue Jays fans. If prompted to download the Roundtable APP, that’s free too!
