The Toronto Blue Jays are once again making headlines with their aggressive player acquisitions and roster updates, demonstrating their commitment to strengthening the team. But here’s where it gets controversial: their recent signing of KBO MVP Cody Ponce on a three-year deal is sparking a lot of debate among baseball fans and analysts alike. According to reports from sources close to MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand, the Blue Jays have agreed to a contract valued at approximately $30 million. However, official confirmation from the team has not yet been issued. This move follows their recent high-profile signing of Dylan Cease, who inked a seven-year, $210 million deal with Toronto, signaling their serious intent to build a competitive squad.
At 31 years old, Ponce has spent four years playing professionally in various countries before making his return to Major League Baseball. Interestingly, his transformation as a pitcher became noticeable only around 2025, despite his earlier stint in the league during 2020–21. To provide some context, Ponce's international experience includes time in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) playing for the Nippon Ham Fighters and Rakuten Golden Eagles from 2022 to 2024. Though his stats there were modest, the real breakthrough happened after he moved to Korea’s KBO League in 2025.
While with the Hanwha Eagles, Ponce’s performance skyrocketed. Over 29 starts, he finished with an astonishing 17-1 win-loss record. He led the entire KBO with a remarkable 1.89 ERA and racked up 252 strikeouts over 180 2/3 innings—setting a new league record for strikeouts in a single season. His dominant season also earned him the league’s MVP award and the prestigious Choi Dong-won Award, which recognizes the league’s best starting pitcher.
Experts like pitching analyst Lance Brozdowski highlight how Ponce’s stuff improved significantly during his time in Korea. His four-seamer now averages 95.5 mph and can reach into the upper 90s, up from 93.2 mph during his initial MLB appearances. Moreover, his changeup—specifically a “kick change”—proved highly effective in Korea, garnering a whiff rate of 46% and 39% in the strike zone, making it a primary weapon in his arsenal. He also throws a cutter, which is similar to a powerful slider, and occasionally mixes in a sinker.
This enhanced repertoire could prove crucial for Ponce’s future in the MLB. Earlier during his initial stint, his fastball velocity and secondary pitches weren’t enough to keep hitters off balance, especially left-handed batters who notoriously hit him hard—slugging .703 with nine home runs in just 101 at-bats. However, with his latest improvements, Ponce might finally overcome those challenges.
Physically, he’s built like a power pitcher—standing 6-foot-6 and weighing 255 pounds. Hailing from Pomona, California, Ponce attended Cal Poly Pomona before being drafted in the second round by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2015. He progressed to Double-A with Milwaukee before being traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2019 in exchange for Jordan Lyles.
Ponce’s MLB debut occurred early in the shortened 2020 season, and over the following two years, he appeared in 20 games for the Pirates, including five starts. Unfortunately, his MLB record was not stellar: a 1-7 record with a 5.86 ERA, allowing 13 home runs in 55 1/3 innings. Following the 2021 season, he was released by the Pirates and chose to pursue opportunities overseas.
Now, Ponce joins a growing list of pitchers successfully returning to MLB after excelling in the KBO. Notable recent examples include Erick Fedde, who thrived in Korea before returning to sign with the Chicago White Sox, posting a 3.30 ERA in 2024. Merrill Kelly is another example—spending four seasons in KBO and then re-establishing himself in MLB with the Arizona Diamondbacks in late 2018. These success stories fuel speculation about Ponce’s potential to similarly rebound and contribute at the highest level.
This signing by the Blue Jays underscores a broader trend of teams scouting international markets for undervalued talent, but it also raises questions about the risk involved in betting on a player who has yet to find consistent success in MLB. Do you believe Ponce’s recent improvements will translate into Major League success, or is this a gamble too risky for a team aiming for playoff contention? Share your thoughts and join the conversation about this intriguing development in professional baseball.
