Blue Jays sign former Tigers top prospect who finally made Triple-A impact

Signing international free agents is never a sure thing, as most of the time teams are banking on the projection of how a teenage prospect will grow into a legitimate prospect. Still, the signings are notable, considering that there often is a diamond in the rough during each signing period. That likely was the goal for the Tigers when they signed Carlos Mendoza in 2019.

Mendoza was never at the very top of the Tigers' farm system, but his ability to play every position on the field made him a name that prospect evaluators kept an eye on. The issue is that while he had the versatility to project as a potential utility man at the Major League level, his bat often led to him being stuck at the lower levels of the Tigers' organization for most of his tenure with the team.

Over the last two seasons, Mendoza finally reached the Triple-A level, and this season he flashed some encouraging signs. It was brief, but in 57 plate appearances with Triple-A Toledo, the 25-year-old slashed .327/.351/.558 with two home runs.

Weeks after leaving the Tigers' organization, Carlos Mendoza has a new team

Considering the small sample size, it's nothing that is going to dramatically alter Mendoza's development or projection, but it was strong enough to get the attention of the Toronto Blue Jays. Mendoza was a minor-league free agent this offseason, and instead of returning to the Tigers' organization he inked a minor-league deal in Toronto.

If Mendoza is going to overcome the odds and reach the Major Leagues, assuming his brief flash of offensive life this season was legitimate, the Blue Jays would be a good place to do it. During the Blue Jays' run to the World Series, it was versatile players on their bench who were the unsung heroes. Maybe Mendoza is the next in line for that recognition, or, more likely, it's minor-league depth for the defending American League Champions.

The Tigers won't be losing sleep over the loss of Mendoza, considering he wasn't going to be a piece to help return to the playoffs in 2026. Not to mention, the top of their farm system includes several infield prospects with a much higher ceiling than the prospect they just lost.