Charles McAdoo closed his rookie season with a 446-foot statement. The Blue Jays infielder may have played his way into a bigger role for 2027.

The blast came on the final day of the regular season. In the eighth inning, he crushed a 1-0 sinker from Reds reliever Carson Spiers to cap a 5-1 Toronto win.

It was a fitting end to a season of ups and downs. He finished with a .258 average, three homers and 14 RBIs over 36 games.

His chance came in late May. When Lenyn Sosa landed on the IL with a wrist injury, the Jays selected McAdoo's contract on May 28.

He debuted the next day against the Orioles. After two hitless at-bats against Trevor Rogers, he drove a fastball 369 feet into the right-field seats for his first hit and first homer.

Then reality hit. He went 1-for-14 over five June games and was optioned back to Buffalo on June 20.

Charles McAdoo's August return showed real growth

He returned on Aug. 10 and made an immediate impact. In his first game back, he homered off Red Sox right-hander Sonny Gray in a 2-1 win.

He looked far more comfortable that month, hitting .271 over 15 games. Even as his playing time shrank in September, he went 8-for-24.

So where does he fit? That's the interesting part.

The 24-year-old's versatility helps. He picked up second base on the fly this season, and the Jays still haven't settled that position.

He'll face competition from Ernie Clement, Jay Harry and whatever free agent Toronto adds. Nothing will be handed to him.

He's earned a real look in spring training. A young bat with this kind of raw power is exactly what a lineup that finished last in homers should be developing, not burying.

His rookie year was like a new driver learning a stick shift. A few stalls early, then by the end he was cruising.

Toronto acquired him from the Pirates in July 2024 for exactly this kind of upside. If that final swing was a preview, the Jays may already have part of their power solution in-house.