Blue Jays outfield prospect Harold Ramirez elects free agency

toronto-blue-jays-gm-ross-atkins-with-ceo-mark-shapiro

Toronto Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins, left, and team president Mark Shapiro, right. (Nathan Denette/CP)

Harold Ramirez, a corner outfielder initially acquired by the Blue Jays at the 2016 trade deadline, has elected free agency.

Ramirez spent the 2018 season with Toronto’s New Hampshire affiliate, hitting .320/.365/.471 with 11 home runs and 37 doubles in his third season at double-A. A right-handed hitter, Ramirez stolen 16 bases in 18 attempts.

The Blue Jays initially acquired the 24-year-old with Francisco Liriano and Reese McGuire for Drew Hutchison two trade deadlines ago. Ramirez has been playing in the Venezuelan Winter League since the end of the minor-league season, and he’s batting .371/.413/.514 with Caracas.

Ramirez would have been Rule 5-eligible this off-season, and the Blue Jays were not expected to have room for him on their 40-man roster.

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