The Blue Jays recently announced that they have signed Cuban right-hander Yariel Rodríguez to a five-year, $32 million contract, following their agreement in January.

Despite his huge upside from his time pitching in Japan and Cuba, Rodríguez was one of this market's top curiosities. However, since the 2023 World Baseball Classic in March, he has not pitched in competition. After that, Rodríguez left his professional team in Japan, the Chunichi Dragons, and was later announced a free agent in Major League Baseball, which allowed him to join at his best years of 27.

In his two outings for Cuba during the Classic, Rodríguez recorded a 2.45 ERA over 7 1/3 innings with 10 strikeouts and 6 walks. The right-hander's upcoming showcase increased interest in him even more. With a fastball that reaches 96 mph and a wide repertoire, his raw talent encourages hope, but his future in the Major Leagues is less guaranteed.

Initially pitching for Camaguey, Las Tunas, and Sancti Spiritus as a starter in Cuba, Rodríguez later moved to the bullpen in Japan. In 2022, Rodríguez pitched 54 2/3 innings as a full-time reliever and recorded a 1.15 ERA with 60 strikeouts. He makes sense as a dynamic swingman in Toronto, especially considering the Blue Jays' roster structure.

Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt, José Berríos, and Yusei Kikuchi make up Toronto's starting lineup, and Alek Manoah, who is trying to recover from a rough 2023 season, has a drive for the No. 5 spot. Though there isn't much depth behind that group, Rodríguez has space to increase his workload after a year away from competitive pitching. 

Though a lot remains to be discovered, a lot can still be developed when the camp in Dunedin, Florida, takes shape in February and March. Rodríguez is instantly one of the must-watch storylines starting in just a couple of weeks, especially for a club with so few roster competitions leading up to Spring Training.