Toronto Blue Jays Make History with Nonbinary Player Call-Up

The Toronto Blue Jays have made history by calling up minor-league catcher Brady Deeker, who recently identified as nonbinary, making them the first professional baseball player to do so. Deeker’s promotion comes after only seven games at Triple-A and two frustrating seasons at Double-A. During this time, the catcher struggled to hit, batting a collective.207. Blue Jays General Manager Ross Atkins said during a press conference that the organization is delighted to make baseball history and be at the forefront of LGBTQ2S+ progress. Atkins also pledged to put Deeker in the starting lineup immediately, batting fourth. This will displace the current starting catcher, Alejandro Kirk, who will now support Deeker. Blue Jays Manager John Schneider said that Alejandro is a key player, but he is committed to supporting the LGBT+ community by DHing now and then backing up Deeker, assuming Brady is okay with that. The move has been met with near-universal acclaim, with The Human Rights Campaign calling Deeker “the Jackie Robinson of the LGBTQ+ community.” However, a scout for a rival organization who asked for anonymity to protect his livelihood said of Deeker, “I don’t care what gender he is, he’s never been able to handle a fastball or identify a slider.” Deeker was drafted out of the University of Miami as a highly touted prospect who has struggled to live up to the initial billing. Some doubted that, at age 27, Decker would ever make the big leagues. However, everything changed this season with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, Toronto’s AA affiliate. Deeker began to doubt the gender binary after watching TikTok videos on long road trips back and forth to Eastern League cities. Before an away game against the Binghamton Rumble Ponies about two weeks ago, Deeker came out as nonbinary in a viral Instagram post. Deeker immediately scored an endorsement deal with Rawlings for a branded catcher’s mitt, and other offers have flooded in. Atkins said that Deeker’s locker in the Blue Jays locker room will be designated as gender-neutral, and one urinal and stall in the men’s room will be marked off as “all-gender.” The current Blue Jays backup catcher, Tyler Heineman, will be designated for assignment, and an ESPN 30 for 30 documentary tentatively titled “The Catcher Who Was Neither: The Brady Deeker Story” is scheduled for release in the fall.