The speedy outfielder was certainly a bright spot down the stretch for the Jays.
The Toronto Blue Jays finished the 2026 season with a win over the Cincinnati Reds at Rogers Centre on Sunday afternoon to end the campaign at 79-83.
Though the Blue Jays ended the year on a high, it was still an incredibly disappointing season.
After getting to the World Series in 2025, the Blue Jays spent big money last offseason on the likes of Dylan Cease ($210 million), Kazuma Okamoto ($60 million), Tyler Rogers ($37 million) and Cody Ponce ($30 million) with the hopes of winning the Fall Classic this time around.
Unfortunately, the team missed the playoffs and didn't even finish over .500. But even in really trying seasons, there can be nice moments and nice stories. And such was the case for speedy outfielder Brett Bateman, who was a spark plug at the top of the lineup after being acquired from the Chicago Cubs in the trade deadline deal for Kevin Gausman.
The Bateman file
The 24-year-old was drafted in the eighth round of the 2023 MLB Draft by the Cubs out of Minnesota. He never hit a home run in the minor leagues, but ended up hitting two with Toronto.
In total, he hit .329 with a .402 on-base percentage while posting an .826 OPS. A speedster, he also stole three bases.
As noted by StatsCentre, Bateman reached base 72 times in his 41-game cameo with the Blue Jays. That's the fifth-most all-time for a player within his first 41 games, behind only Dave Martinez (79), Paul Molitor (76), Frank Menechino (73) and Otis Nixon (73).
Toronto Blue Jays center fielder Brett Bateman (21) reacts after hitting a single against the Cincinnati Reds during the eighth inning at Rogers Centre. John E. Sokolowski-Imagn ImagesHow does Bateman fits into the 2027 plans?
Bateman seems to be headed for a big role next season for a few different reasons.
1) George Springer is now a free agent, and Myles Straw is likely to have his team option declined, which would make him a free agent. Jesus Sanchez was recently designated for assignment, so he's not there to compete for time either.
That alone gives Bateman a could chance to carve out a role.
2) Addison Barger and Nathan Lukes will return and will factor into the plans, but since they are all left-handed, the team will clearly need a right-handed hitting option as well.
We've speculated on a free agent fit like Randy Arozarena, but there's also a chance that the team could go after Seiya Suzuki, who is headed for free agency after a solid season with the Cubs.
