DUNEDIN, Fla. – Dayan Viciedo and the Toronto Blue Jays reached agreement on a minor-league deal that will pay the Cuban slugger $2.5 million if he makes the team, industry sources told Sportsnet.
The move, first reported by Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, adds outfield depth after the team suffered a scare with left-fielder Michael Saunders, who tore the meniscus in his left knee this week and was initially slated to miss four months, but is now expected back by mid-April.
The sides began discussing a deal after the injury, but things cooled when Saunders’ timeline was shortened. Ultimately, Viciedo decided the Blue Jays still presented a good opportunity for him.
Viciedo, a 25-year-old, right-handed hitting Cuban, will be looked at in left field, third base and first base during spring training.
Last year with the Chicago White Sox, he hit 21 home runs with 22 doubles and 58 RBIs but also struck out 122 times in 523 at-bats. In 487 career plate appearances against left-handed pitchers, he has an OPS of .837.
