Toronto Blue Jays sign right handed pitcher with 95 MPH fastball

On Wednesday, Toronto's transaction log confirmed the club signed free agent right-hander Yoenis Morales to a minor league contract. He was part of a larger batch of minor-league moves that flew under the radar for most fans.

Morales is a 21-year-old pitcher from Cuba, listed as a righty-righty at 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds.

He is not on the 40-man picture today, but the body and age are exactly what development staffs like to start with.

The eyebrow-raiser is the price tag, because the signing has been framed as a true bargain.

Spotrac lists him under a $10,000 contract term, and that kind of number is basically a scratch ticket for a big-league organization.

The early buzz is about the fastball, with reporting that Morales sits 92-95 mph and could climb higher with pro strength and reps. T

hat same reporting ties him to a baseball family, which often matters once the grind of the complex league hits.

There are no public pro stats to hang your hat on yet, so this has to be evaluated like a pure projection play. Toronto can slow-play his innings, clean up his delivery, then decide starter track or relief track later.

What I do like is the organizational fit, because the Blue Jays have clearly leaned into pitching volume this winter.

Toronto is clearly prioritizing arms across the roster and the depth chart, and Morales lands in that same lane.

My opinion is this is smart process, not a headline, and it is the kind of signing you make when you trust your development people.