The Toronto Blue Jays sign catcher for $1.95 million

On Thursday, word broke that Toronto has an agreement with international prospect catcher Juan Caricote out of Venezuela, with a reported $1.95 million bonus attached. The timing fits perfectly, because the 2026 international signing period officially opens Thursday.

One wrinkle is the number itself. Earlier reporting around Caricote had the bonus projected closer to $1.8 million, with other estimates floating in a broader $1.5 to $2 million window, so the final figure may not be fully settled publicly yet.

Either way, this is clearly not a lottery-ticket add. A near two-million dollar outlay is Toronto putting a spotlight on a premium position and daring its development group to make it real.

I love seeing real resources go to catching, because it's the hardest spot to fake. Caricote is described as a left-handed hitting catcher with a big frame, and the early scouting chatter keeps circling back to defense and polish.

The profile reads like a modern backstop project. Reports have highlighted his receiving as a strength, plus the athleticism to block and handle high-end velocity, which is usually where teenage catchers get exposed first.

From the team-building angle, the math matters. MLB Pipeline's signing-period explainer notes teams work within a set bonus pool, and Toronto's pool for 2026 sits at $5.94 million, so one player can take a serious bite out of the year's plan.

If you commit this chunk to one catcher, you're saying you believe the bat and the glove will both play, even if the payoff is years away.

While this is not a big and bold signing, these type of moves make a difference down the line as Vladimir Guerrero Jr was once one of these young players.

Caricote won't change the 2026 lineup, and nobody should pretend he will. But this is the kind of signing that quietly decides what your farm system looks like in three summers, and whether you have a real long-term answer behind the plate.

The Blue Jays have also struggled with catcher depth in their farm system over the past few years which Caricote directly impacts.