Rafael Lantigua has found a winter home with the Toros del Este. The former Blue Jays infielder is trying to keep his MLB dream alive.

The assignment came Oct. 16, per MLB.com. It gives the 28-year-old a stage in the Dominican Professional Baseball League after a rough summer.

Toronto's Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo released him on July 9. He was hitting .190 with three homers in 64 games at the time.

It was a frustrating end to a long run. Lantigua has spent eight seasons in the Blue Jays' minor league system, with a brief stop in the Phillies organization in 2025.

He came back to Toronto in January on a minor league deal with a spring training invite, according to Mike Rodriguez. He still hasn't made his MLB debut.

Can winter ball change that? It's his best shot.

Winter ball gives Rafael Lantigua one more audition

A strong showing with the Toros could catch the eye of another organization before 2027 spring training.

The Jays have moved on. Their middle infield already includes Andrés Giménez at shortstop, Ernie Clement at second and free-agent targets like Gleyber Torres and Brandon Lowe.

Releasing him was the right call. A .190 bat at Triple-A wasn't going to crack a roster trying to fix the worst offence in baseball.

For a player in his spot, winter ball is open mic night. Most of the room won't remember the set, but the right scout only needs one good song.

The bigger Toronto picture still stings. USA Today's Bob Nightengale noted the Jays were eliminated on Sept. 23, one year after coming “within 90 feet” of a World Series title.

They finished 79-83, last in the AL East and five games out of the final playoff spot.

That's the backdrop for every roster decision this winter, from the stars down to depth pieces like Lantigua.

He'll get his chance in the Dominican. If the bat wakes up, someone will call, and if not, eight seasons in the Jays system may end up being the peak of his pro story.