Surprise: Julian Merryweather is the PTBNL in the Donaldson trade

We knew this, but the Blue Jays made it official: Julian Merryweather was the player to be named later in the Josh Donaldson trade. Jon Berti gets DFAed to make room on the 40-man roster.

Merryweather turns 27 this month. He doesn’t look like much of a prospect, but the Jays wanted to get something back for Josh, and they didn’t want to offer him a QO, feeling that the money could be better used somewhere else.

Merryweather is just off Tommy John. He seems to have had decent strikeout numbers (8.3/9 innings) and low walk numbers (2.2/9). But he’s been hit pretty hard. I’m willing to save judgement until I see him pitch. I’d imagine we’ll see him in spring training and that he’ll end up in Buffalo waiting for a chance with the major league team.

Before Tommy John, Julian had a mid-90s fastball, getting it up to 97. And throws a curve and changeup. It seems that it takes pitchers a little while to find their command when coming back from that surgery.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the Jays sign Berti to a minor league contact.