Toronto Blue Jays sign former Philadelphia Phillies shortstop

The report is making the rounds Sunday, that Lantigua has signed a minor league deal with the Blue Jays which includes a major league Spring Training invitation.

This is the Blue Jays second signing announced today as they agreed to a minor league deal with Eloy Jimenez as well.

If the name feels familiar, it should, Toronto already brought Rafael Lantigua into camp on a minors deal back in November 2023. The team and Bisons both framed him then as a true utility option with an invite.

Last season with Triple-A Lehigh Valley, Lantigua hit .230 with a .356 on-base percentage and a .686 OPS, plus seven homers and 17 steals. Both MiLB and FanGraphs line up on that slash line.

On the field, Lantigua's value is pretty simple, he gets on base and he covers spots. The Baseball Cube credits him with 77 walks in 2025, and that patience plays in March.

His best calling card in Toronto's system was 2023 in Buffalo, when he hit .305 with 12 homers, 85 RBIs, 28 steals, and 98 walks. Those counting stats match across the Bisons writeup and The Baseball Cube.

He is 27, listed at 5-foot-7 and 153 pounds, and he was originally a 2016 Toronto signing with a reported $100,000 bonus. That's not star billing, it's a classic organizational depth story.

This is a solid minor league signing by the Blue Jays with very little risk and a great upside if it ends up working out.