Josh Kasevich just won Buffalo's MVP award, and he's still waiting on a real shot with the Blue Jays.

He was named the Bisons' 2026 Stan Barron Most Valuable Player, leading Buffalo in games played, batting average, hits, runs scored, and total bases.

He also won the Jimmy Griffin Hometown Hero Award for his offensive impact at Sahlen Field this year.

What he never got was the major-league opportunity that once looked like a real possibility.

In 20 spring training games, he slashed .306 with a .376 on-base percentage, a 7.5% walk rate, and a tiny 5% strikeout rate, real evidence he belonged on Toronto's radar.

Instead, the Blue Jays kept looking elsewhere for infield help. They traded for Lenyn Sosa in April, acquired Luis Urias from Arizona for cash later in the year, and sent Adam Macko to Texas at the deadline in a deal that brought back Josh Smith.

Why the Bateman comparison makes his wait sting more

There's a real caveat here. Andres Gimenez, Kazuma Okamoto, and Ernie Clement stayed largely healthy at Kasevich's natural positions, leaving no obvious everyday path for him in Toronto.

Sitting on a bench a few times a week wouldn't have helped a player whose 2025 development had already been interrupted by injuries.

By that measure, the plan arguably worked. Kasevich played nearly every day, stayed healthy, and rebuilt his value, slashing .285 with four home runs, 76 runs scored, a 9.6% walk rate, and a 101 wRC+.

The comparison that stings comes from Brett Bateman, acquired for Kevin Gausman at the deadline. Bateman has hit .333 with 46 hits through his first 34 games, an elite .419 BABIP, and elite sprint speed.

Kasevich posted remarkably similar batting value in Triple-A this season, minus the power, raising a real question about whether Toronto's lineup could have benefited from a second player who controls the zone that well.

There's no way to know for certain, given the level jump he never got to test.

Toronto spent much of the season cycling through external depth options while one of its own former top picks quietly became the best position player on its Triple-A affiliate.

Heading into 2027, the real question is how much longer Kasevich has to wait for his chance.