![\"Alejandro](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/GettyImages-2239235760-e1769358590850.jpg\")
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Samuel Orellana could be a pleasant surprise for the Blue Jays.<\/p>\n
The Toronto Blue Jays<\/a> seem to love their \u201cshort-king catchers.\u201d They have Alejandro Kirk<\/a> as their roster regular, but have added both Isay Veras and Samuel Orellana via international free agency.<\/p>\n While signing one of Alex Bregman<\/a>, Kyle Tucker<\/a>, Cody Bellinger<\/a>, or Bo Bichette<\/a> would have been the ideal way to cap off major roster moves, the Blue Jays have had a great winter. They upgraded their pitching with the additions of Dylan Cease<\/a>, Cody Ponce<\/a>, and Tyler Rogers<\/a>. Toronto nabbed one of the best Japanese free agents with the signing of Kazuma Okamoto<\/a>.<\/p>\n Unfortunately for Blue Jays fans, the team might be done making major moves this offseason. However, it\u2019s not for a lack of trying, as a new report reveals they had interest in bringing back one player who recently signed with the Chicago White Sox<\/a>.<\/p>\n Luckily, there might be more to Orellana than meets the eye.<\/p>\n Toronto Blue Jays Sign Samuel Orellana<\/p>\n Orellana joins a packed international free agency class for the Blue Jays.<\/p>\n The Blue Jays confirmed their minor league agreement with Orellana via their transaction log.<\/a> According to the log, they signed him on January 15, 2026<\/a>.<\/p>\n They scored the youngster for a modest $10,000 signing bonus, one of nine players<\/a> they added for that amount.<\/p>\n Orellana fits the short-kind archetype, as the 17-year-old catcher<\/a> stands 5-foot-8 and 170 lbs.<\/p>\n What Samuel Orellana Does Really Well<\/p>\n There is limited information available on the young Venezuela-born talent. However, Orellana played some games in the Amateur Scouting League.<\/p>\n In six games, he recorded 14 at-bats, three RBIs, four walks, and three doubles on five hits. Orellana also collected four stolen bases in addition to slashing .357\/.500\/.571.<\/p>\n Orellana played for Black-Centro, where he was one of their best sluggers. He ranked third in hits<\/a>, second in doubles, second in stolen bases<\/a>, fourth in slugging percentage, sixth in on-base percentage, and fourth in batting average<\/a>.<\/p>\n While this is a small sample size, it\u2019s intriguing to note that he isn\u2019t afraid to steal bases, and he can hit for extra bases easily.<\/p>\n Additionally, in 2023, Orellana participated in the Campeonatos Estatales del Estado Lara. In seven games, he recorded eight hits, two doubles, one home run, and 12 RBIs in 25 at-bats.<\/a> He slashed .320\/.370\/.520.<\/p>\n While this is another case of a small sample size, a pattern has formed here. Early returns indicate that Orellana has a talent for baserunning, contact hitting, and slugging.<\/p>\n Blue Jays Done With Offseason Moves?<\/p>\n As far as rumors go, there has been chatter surrounding Jose Berrios this offseason. Recently, an MLB<\/a> insider has dispelled the notion that trading Berrios, just for the sake of trading him, is the right move.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Blue Jays still have time on their side here, meaning time to see if Berr\u00edos\u2019 right arm bounces back,\u201d Keegan Matheson wrote on January 24, 2026<\/a>. \u201cThey are not at all eager to trade their own prospects to facilitate salary-dump trades, so any deal would need to make baseball sense. Right now, it makes baseball sense to see how Spring Training feels and go from there.\u201d<\/p>\n While it\u2019s very rare for a team to just utilize five starters over an entire season, the Blue Jays have more starters than they have spots on the rotation, and that\u2019s a good problem to have.<\/p>\n Blue Jays Likely Done Adding<\/p>\n Mitch Bannon of The Athletic has recently reported that Toronto is likely done taking big swings this winter.<\/p>\n