The Toronto Blue Jays signed one of the top shortstops in this year’s International Free Agent market.

This is Blue Jays Nation’s annual Pre-Season Prospect Countdown, this time looking at the top 40 prospects in the organization. We’ll look at the player’s stats, my observations, and other publication’s scouting reports if available.
Let’s take a look at our 15th-best Blue Jays prospect, Cristopher Polanco!
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&nbsp;
<h2>Getting to know Cristopher Polanco…</h2>
Position: Shortstop
Bats: Left
Born: January 3, 2008
Acquired: 2025 International Free Agency
Previous ranking: Not ranked
The 17-year-old has yet to make his professional debut and will likely do so with one of the two Dominican Summer League Blue Jays teams this summer. The shortstop signed for a reported bonus of $2.3 million, the highest bonus the Blue Jays gave in the 2025 class.
Polanco, from the Monte Plata province in the Dominican Republic, ranked as <a href="https://www.mlb.com/milb/prospects/international/cristopher-polanco-829057">MLB Pipeline’s </a><a href="https://www.mlb.com/milb/prospects/international/cristopher-polanco-829057">22nd-best prospect available in this year’s International Free Agency</a>. His report notes that he has a fluid left-handed swing with quick bat speed and often hits the ball hard. He’s a spray hitter, which gives him a 60-hit tool.
Standing at 5’10”, 174 lbs, there’s not much projection left in his frame so he may not hit for a ton of power when he begins his professional career.  As he rises in the Blue Jays’ minor league system, there’s a solid chance he’ll be pushed to second base, although he has a ton of athleticism.
Polanco is one of a handful of shortstops the Blue Jays signed in the 2025 IFA class. They’ve also signed Kennew Blanco (who ranked 39th on this list), Juan Sanchez (who just missed out), and Elaineiker Coronado, leading to them getting a second Dominican Summer League team.
Either way, it’ll be interesting to see how Polanco develops once he begins his professional career, as the Blue Jays really need an IFA signing to develop into a top prospect.
<hr />
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-top-40-countdown-no-40-randy-soto">No. 40: Randy Soto</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-top-40-prospect-countdown-no-39-kennew-blanco">No. 39: Kennew Blanco</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-top-40-prospect-countdown-no-38-kendry-chirinos">No. 38: Kendry Chirinos</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-top-40-prospect-countdown-no-37-victor-arias">No. 37: Victor Arias</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-top-40-prospect-countdown-no-36-yohendrick-pinango">No. 36: Yohendrick Piñango</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-top-40-prospect-countdown-no-35-damiano-palmegiani">No. 35: Damiano Palmegiani</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-top-40-prospect-countdown-no-34-lazaro-estrada">No. 34: Lazaro Estrada</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-top-40-prospect-countdown-no-33-mason-fluharty">No. 33: Mason Fluharty</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-top-40-prospect-countdown-no-32-dahian-santos">No. 32: Dahian Santos</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-top-40-prospect-countdown-no-31-juaron-watts-brown">No. 31: Juaron Watts-Brown</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-top-40-prospect-countdown-no-30-cutter-coffey">No. 30: Cutter Coffey</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-top-40-prospect-countdown-no-29-eddinson-paulino">No. 29: Eddinson Paulino</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-top-40-prospect-countdown-no-28-dasan-brown">No. 28: Dasan Brown</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-prospect-countdown-no-27-brandon-barriera">No. 27: Brandon Barriera</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-prospect-countdown-no-26-sean-keys">No. 26: Sean Keys</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-prospect-countdown-no-25-peyton-williams">No. 25: Peyton Williams</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-prospect-countdown-no-24-rainer-nunez">No. 24: Rainer Nuñez</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-prospect-countdown-no-23-enmanuel-bonilla">No. 23: Enmanuel Bonilla</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-prospect-countdown-no-22-adrian-pinto">No. 22: Adrian Pinto</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-prospect-countdown-no-21-ryan-jennings">No. 21: Ryan Jennings</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-prospect-countdown-no-20-johnny-king-iv">No. 20: Johnny King IV</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-prospect-countdown-no-19-rj-schreck">No. 19: RJ Schreck</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-prospect-countdown-no-18-riley-tirotta">No. 18: Riley Tirotta</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-prospect-countdown-no-17-jace-bohrofen">No. 17: Jace Bohrofen</a>
<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-prospect-countdown-no-16-landen-maroudis">No. 16: Landen Maroudis</a>
<hr />
As always, you can follow me on Bluesky @ryleydelaney.bsky.social.
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The Toronto Blue Jays signed one of the top shortstops in this year’s International Free Agent market.



This is Blue Jays Nation’s annual Pre-Season Prospect Countdown, this time looking at the top 40 prospects in the organization. We’ll look at the player’s stats, my observations, and other publication’s scouting reports if available.

Let’s take a look at our 15th-best Blue Jays prospect, Cristopher Polanco!
<div class="bam-inline-promotion" data-property-id="330" data-promotion-id="18983" data-context="“web-content-promocard&quot;"></div>
&nbsp;
<h2>Getting to know Cristopher Polanco…</h2>
Position: Shortstop

Bats: Left

Born: January 3, 2008

Acquired: 2025 International Free Agency

Previous ranking: Not ranked

The 17-year-old has yet to make his professional debut and will likely do so with one of the two Dominican Summer League Blue Jays teams this summer. The shortstop signed for a reported bonus of $2.3 million, the highest bonus the Blue Jays gave in the 2025 class.

Polanco, from the Monte Plata province in the Dominican Republic, ranked as <a href="https://www.mlb.com/milb/prospects/international/cristopher-polanco-829057">MLB Pipeline’s </a><a href="https://www.mlb.com/milb/prospects/international/cristopher-polanco-829057">22nd-best prospect available in this year’s International Free Agency</a>. His report notes that he has a fluid left-handed swing with quick bat speed and often hits the ball hard. He’s a spray hitter, which gives him a 60-hit tool.

Standing at 5’10”, 174 lbs, there’s not much projection left in his frame so he may not hit for a ton of power when he begins his professional career.  As he rises in the Blue Jays’ minor league system, there’s a solid chance he’ll be pushed to second base, although he has a ton of athleticism.

Polanco is one of a handful of shortstops the Blue Jays signed in the 2025 IFA class. They’ve also signed Kennew Blanco (who ranked 39th on this list), Juan Sanchez (who just missed out), and Elaineiker Coronado, leading to them getting a second Dominican Summer League team.

Either way, it’ll be interesting to see how Polanco develops once he begins his professional career, as the Blue Jays really need an IFA signing to develop into a top prospect.

<hr />

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-top-40-countdown-no-40-randy-soto">No. 40: Randy Soto</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-top-40-prospect-countdown-no-39-kennew-blanco">No. 39: Kennew Blanco</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-top-40-prospect-countdown-no-38-kendry-chirinos">No. 38: Kendry Chirinos</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-top-40-prospect-countdown-no-37-victor-arias">No. 37: Victor Arias</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-top-40-prospect-countdown-no-36-yohendrick-pinango">No. 36: Yohendrick Piñango</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-top-40-prospect-countdown-no-35-damiano-palmegiani">No. 35: Damiano Palmegiani</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-top-40-prospect-countdown-no-34-lazaro-estrada">No. 34: Lazaro Estrada</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-top-40-prospect-countdown-no-33-mason-fluharty">No. 33: Mason Fluharty</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-top-40-prospect-countdown-no-32-dahian-santos">No. 32: Dahian Santos</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-top-40-prospect-countdown-no-31-juaron-watts-brown">No. 31: Juaron Watts-Brown</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-top-40-prospect-countdown-no-30-cutter-coffey">No. 30: Cutter Coffey</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-top-40-prospect-countdown-no-29-eddinson-paulino">No. 29: Eddinson Paulino</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-top-40-prospect-countdown-no-28-dasan-brown">No. 28: Dasan Brown</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-prospect-countdown-no-27-brandon-barriera">No. 27: Brandon Barriera</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-prospect-countdown-no-26-sean-keys">No. 26: Sean Keys</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-prospect-countdown-no-25-peyton-williams">No. 25: Peyton Williams</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-prospect-countdown-no-24-rainer-nunez">No. 24: Rainer Nuñez</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-prospect-countdown-no-23-enmanuel-bonilla">No. 23: Enmanuel Bonilla</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-prospect-countdown-no-22-adrian-pinto">No. 22: Adrian Pinto</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-prospect-countdown-no-21-ryan-jennings">No. 21: Ryan Jennings</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-prospect-countdown-no-20-johnny-king-iv">No. 20: Johnny King IV</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-prospect-countdown-no-19-rj-schreck">No. 19: RJ Schreck</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-prospect-countdown-no-18-riley-tirotta">No. 18: Riley Tirotta</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-prospect-countdown-no-17-jace-bohrofen">No. 17: Jace Bohrofen</a>

<a href="https://bluejaysnation.com/news/blue-jays-nations-2025-pre-season-prospect-countdown-no-16-landen-maroudis">No. 16: Landen Maroudis</a>

<hr />

As always, you can follow me on Bluesky @ryleydelaney.bsky.social.

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<a href="https://betway.com/en/sports/grp/baseball/usa/mlb">All Toronto Blue Jays odds are brought to you by MLB betting site Betway!</a>
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