A pair of former Toronto Blue Jays will meet again in the Nippon Professional Baseball league.
Infielder Breyvic Valera and pitcher Jacob Waguespack have both agreed to deals with the Japanese league's Orix Buffaloes, the team announced. Valera was released from Toronto's 40-man roster earlier this offseason.
In 39 games (97 PA) for the Blue Jays in 2021, Valera posted a .669 OPS playing multiple infield positions. He homered once, the second long-ball of his four-year MLB career, and picked up 15 RBI during Toronto's push to the postseason. In 93 games playing for five different teams in the big leagues, Valera owns a .236 batting average and .624 OPS.
"Regardless of the pitcher I try to be the same," Valera said through interpreter Hector Lebron after a late-September game. "I trust my hands and try to be a good contact hitter."
Pitching for Triple A Buffalo in 2021, Waguespack appeared for the Blue Jays in 27 appearances across 2019 and 2020. Starting 13 games for the Jays in 2019, Waguespack posted a 4.38 ERA, 1.333 WHIP, and struck out 63 batters. In 24 outings (10 starts) for Buffalo in 2021, the 6'6" righty posted a 2.86 ERA and 9.6 K/9.
Speaking to Yahoo Japan, Orix external director Shosaku Yokota lauded Waguespack for his control and suggested Valera would add to an already strong defensive team.
The Buffaloes fell in the Japanese league final this year, looking to win the franchise's first Japan Series since 1996. The 2021 team was led, in part, by long-time Baltimore Orioles outfielder Adam Jones. In 74 games for Orix, Jones posted a .337 OBP and hit four homers in the NPB.
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