Blue Jays sign former Niagara University OF Wynton Bernard

BUFFALO, NY - Today the Toronto Blue Jays announced this signing of former Niagara University OF WYNTON BERNARD to a minor league contract, with an invitation to Major League Spring Training.

The San Diego native played three seasons at Niagara (2009, 2011-2012), including his senior year when he was one of three players on the team with a batting average above .300. Bernard hit .314 in 46 games that season while adding a team-best 32 stolen bases.

He appeared in 140 games for the Purple Eagles in his three years, racking up 138 hits, with 75 runs scored, 68 RBIs and 72 stolen bases. He was selected by the San Diego Padres in the 35^th round of the 2012 MLB Draft.

Bernard joins the Blue Jays organization after his best professional season that culminated in his first MLB call-up by the Colorado Rockies in August. The former Purple Eagle had a base hit and a stolen base in his Big League debut on August 12 against Arizona and hit .286 (12-42) with three RBI over 12 games for the Rockies last season.

He also played in 108 games for the Albuquerque Isotopes, racking up several awards throughout the 2022 Pacific Coast League season. Bernard was named the league’s Player of the Week in May and was named the PCL Player of the Month for July. He batted .385, 37-96, in 22 games this past July with five home runs, 25 runs batted in, and 10 stolen bases.

Bernard finished last season with a .333 batting average with 21 homers, 92 RBIs, 30 stolen bases, and slashed .387/.590/.977. For his efforts, the outfielder was named a PCL post-season all-star.

Bernard spent the previous two seasons with Albuquerque, part of his 10-year professional career that include time in Triple-A each of the past five years. He has appeared in 438 games between the International League and PCL. He first debuted in the IL with the Toledo Mud Hens in 2016, before spending parts of each of the next two seasons with the Iowa Cubs before the Isotopes.