The Toronto Blue Jays have officially signed right-hander Cody Ponce, the team announced on Thursday.
The Blue Jays reached a three-year, $30 million deal with the 31-year-old on Dec. 2.
The agreement brings the former second-round draft pick back to the major leagues after stints in Japan and Korea. Most recently, Ponce posted a 1.89 ERA with 252 strikeouts in 180.2 innings for the KBO’s Hanwha Eagles, alongside former Blue Jays starter Hyun Jin Ryu.
The Blue Jays tracked Ponce’s progress diligently, noticing his impressive results and added velocity (he sat 94-97 m.p.h. in October, according to FanGraphs). With a 36.2 per cent strikeout rate and 5.9 per cent walk rate, the right-hander dominated the opposition in Korea. Thanks to their understanding of the Pacific Rim market and increased investment there, the Blue Jays were ready to move swiftly on a pitcher who had intrigued them for months.
Though he pitched exclusively as a starter in 2025, Ponce also has extensive experience out of the bullpen. So far this off-season, the Blue Jays have already added three starting pitchers as Shane Bieber exercised his player option and Dylan Cease signed a Blue Jays free-agent record seven-year, $210 million deal.
The Blue Jays remain in the mix for superstar outfielder Kyle Tucker, who recently visited Toronto’s Dunedin, Fla., facility, as later confirmed by manager John Schneider. There’s also a chance Toronto brings back long-time shortstop Bo Bichette.
Toronto’s front office is also reportedly determined to sign a high-leverage reliever, a market that has moved more quickly of late, with Edwin Diaz, Emilio Pagan, Ryan Helsley and Devin Williams all off the board. The Blue Jays have been linked to Robert Suarez, Pete Fairbanks, Brad Keller, and Tyler Rogers, according to recent reports.
