The MLB Draft begins today. It will be a while before the Toronto Blue Jays make their first pick. They will not be picking until 39th as the Blue Jays received a 10-pick penalty on their first pick (No. 29) for exceeding the second surcharge threshold of the Competitive Balance Tax. The Jays have a draft bonus pool of $5,543,100 to work with and do not have a second-round pick after signing Dylan Cease as a free agent.
The first four rounds of the draft go today and rounds 5-20 will be held on Sunday. MLB.com, MLB Network and Peacock will have coverage of the MLB Draft beginning at 1:00 pm Eastern Time today. Picks 11-40 will be held from 2:30 to 4:30 pm Eastern according to MLB.com so you can probably tune in before 4:30 pm if you only care about the Jays. You can follow the draft right here.
Baseball America has the Jays taking second baseman Jarren Advincula from Georgia Tech with its first-round pick in its latest mock draft. Jonathan Mayo of MLB Pipeline thinks the Jays will go with outfielder Ty Head from North Carolina State while Jim Callis is predicting that righthander Taylor Rabe from Mississippi will be selected. Kiley McDaniel from ESPN is tabbing catcher Will Brick from Christian Brothers High School in Tennessee will layer in as Toronto's selection.
Image from @cole_carlon
Round 1, 39th overall. LHP Cole Carlon, Arizona State. Bats Left, Throws Left. 6-foot-5, 230 pounds. Born May 20, 2005 Slot Value $2,571,700.
MLB.com - Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 70 | Curveball: 50 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 55
A product of Arizona high school powerhouse Corona Del Sol, Carlon stayed home to go to college, jumping right into the Arizona State bullpen as a freshman. He took a big step forward results-wise as a sophomore, also as a reliever, before pitching well in brief stops in the Cape Cod League and USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team Training Camp. A move into the Sun Devils' rotation this spring has helped cement him as top-two-round arm talent, even if the jury is still out about his long-term role. Considered to be the top college arm in the area, Carlon could have the chance to start thanks to a potential four-pitch mix coming from his strong 6-foot-5 frame. The lefty can run his fastball up to 98 mph, sitting around 94 mph, though it can get flat with scattered command. He's able to get back in line with his breaking stuff, starting with an 87-88 mph cutter-like short slider he throws as often as his heater that misses a ton of bats. He can manipulate it and make it a bit longer at times, and he also has an average 12-to-6 curve that offers a different look. His changeup is his fourth pitch, but it does have some fade to it. A solid athlete who hit .349 playing both ways in the Alaska Summer League in 2024, Carlon has struggled at times with finding the zone consistently, though he cut his walk rate down as a starter this year. There's some reliever risk, and he could move quickly in that role, but a team taking him in the top two rounds should give him every chance to stick in a rotation. Video
Baseball America - BA Grade/Risk: 55/High Adjusted Grade: 40 Carlon spent his first two seasons at Arizona State as a reliever, and as a sophomore in 2025 his 38.7% strikeout rate was the fourth-best mark in the country among qualified pitchers. He pitched as a starter in 2026 and vaulted up draft boards by succeeding in that role, with a 3.87 ERA in 83.2 innings, a 38% strikeout rate and a career-best 8.9% walk rate. Carlon is an imposing lefthander with a 6-foot-5, 230-pound frame and a pair of impact pitches. After averaging 94 mph as a reliever in 2025, Carlon added even more power to his fastball in 2026. He now sits around 96 mph and touches 100-101. His fastball is a clear plus offering on power alone, but Carlon doesn’t use it as his primary offering. Instead, he pitches off a power slider in the upper 80s that is one of the best breaking balls in the class. He threw the pitch more than half the time this spring and still managed to generate a 56% miss rate. Carlon’s slider is a devastating breaking ball with excellent power and sharp biting action that is equally effective against both lefties and righties. While his fastball/slider combination is lethal, Carlon faces further questions. He has toyed with both an upper-70s curveball and mid-80s changeup, but he lacks conviction in both and will need to develop a legitimate third offering to profile as a starter. He’s made strides with his control but needs to continue in that department to help himself work deeper into games. Carlon looks to become ASU’s first first-round pitcher since Mike Leake in 2009. Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 70 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 45
Twitter Reaction
@MitchBannon With the 39th pick in the MLB Draft, the #BlueJays select LHP Cole Carlon from ASU. Started college career as a RP, but broke out as SP this season. Another extreme release point college pitcher. Great slider.
@MitchBannon There's probably some reliever downside here, and the fastball/slider could be elite in that role. #BlueJays will certainly give him a shot to stick in the rotation though
@EthanIgnatovsky Cole Carlon flashed great stuff at ASU, including a fastball that touched 100.7 MPH. He also struck out 133 batters and walked just 31 this past season. Still, there are questions surrounding Carlon's ability to start long-term, but he lands with an organization that's done a great job developing pitching. The Blue Jays took Trey Yesavage from ECU with the 20th overall pick in 2024 and got him to the Big Leagues in just over a year, where he's already made a tremendous impact.
@theprospectprof Cole Carlon lands with Toronto at 1.39. Has one of the higher ceilings among the college arms this year, but also some of the most pronounced reliever risk. His FB can touch triple digits, and his slider (which he threw more than half the time this season) is a double-plus weapon
Round 3, 103rd overall. 2B Ryan Cooney, Oregon. Bats Right-Throws Right. 6-foot-0, 195 pounds. Born October 7, 2004. Slot Value $762,900.
MLB Pipeline - Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 40 | Run: 55 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45 Hailing from a Jesuit High School program in Oregon that produced first-round arms Mick Abel and Noble Meyer, Cooney headed south from his Portland area school to attend the University of Oregon for college ball. He was the only true freshman to start on opening day for the Ducks in what turned out to be an up-and-down first collegiate season for the infielder. Things clicked as a sophomore for Cooney, who earned All Big Ten first-team honors while leading Oregon in hitting and stolen bases. It’s been more of the same as the Ducks’ top bat during his junior campaign.
If you get just one look at Cooney, he might not jump off the page because he doesn’t possess overly loud individual tools. Watch him for a while, though, and you can’t help but leave liking what he can do. There is some definite bat talent from the right side of the plate, with a good feel for the barrel and an advanced approach that has led to him walking as much as he’s striking out. He has a definite hit-over-power profile, but he has been getting to more damage this year and has been really locked in during conference play.
Cooney has above-average speed and knows how to steal a base. He plays with an edge in a Dustin Pedroia kind of way, an aggressiveness scouts like. He initially lost his starting job at short to teammate Maddox Molony, then worked his way back into the starting lineup at second base. He’s a solid defender there, with some evaluators thinking he could still handle the left side of the infield at the next level.
Baseball America.- Cooney is a contact-oriented middle infielder who earned a starting job as a Day One freshman for Oregon in 2024. Injuries have limited him throughout his career, but he has been productive when healthy and started showing more extra-base pop as a junior in 2026. A 6-foot, 195-pound righthanded hitter, Cooney stands out for his exceptional contact skills. He never misses a fastball and rarely strikes out, with an impressive ability to shoot the ball the other way. He will occasionally pull the ball for home run power with a metal bat, but his power is modest and he’s never hit for much power with a wood bat during summer leagues.
Twitter Reaction
@Damon98_ Ryan Cooney is the Blue Jays type. Twitchy infielder who can play up the middle on the dirt. Firmly hit over power profile. + runner. 91% Z-Con/12.5% K rate in his Collegiate career. Ranked 175 on BA's top 100 so could be an underslot deal here.
@ShiDavidi With their second pick, No. 103 overall, the Blue Jays select Oregon infielder Ryan Cooney. Mostly played 2B this year, and Baseball America's scouting report says he has "exceptional contact skills, he never misses a fastball and rarely strikes out" but "his power is modest."
@MarcWestyNolan Jays select Ryan Cooney at 103. Unassuming build but plays really hard. Solid barrel rate guy and a versatile glove. I like that they drafted him as a SS not a 2B, its a minor detail but i think it says a lot about how they view him. Advanced approach a lot like Josh Kasevich
@JacobRudner The Blue Jays took Oregon second baseman Ryan Cooney with the 103rd overall pick (third round) as a shortstop. Singled out Cooney as a sleeper in early April and his profile grew steadily as the season went on. From earlier in the year:
Round 4, 131st overall. C Will Brick, Christian Brothers (TN). Bats Right/Throws.Right 6-foot-2, pounds. Born June 6, 2008. Slot Value $581,100.
MLB Pipeline - Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 50 | Run: 40 | Arm: 65 | Field: 60 | Overall: 50
Christian Brothers HS (Memphis, Tenn.) has sent 11 players to the Majors, most notably All-Star catcher Tim McCarver. The Purple Wave now have the best prep catching prospect in the 2026 Draft after Brick reclassified from the 2027 class. He made that decision in October after starring for Team USA at the 18-and-under World Cup in Japan, batting .333 while providing quality defense behind the plate as the second-youngest player on the squad.
Brick's best tool is his well-above-average arm strength, as he regularly records sub-1.9-second pop times and can throw out basestealers from his knees. Gatorade's Tennessee high school player of the year, he moves well behind the plate and shows the potential to become a plus receiver and blocker once he improves his one-knee technique. He didn't have any issues handling the premium stuff he saw with the U.S. 18-and-under team and scouts rave about his makeup.
Brick's bat hasn't been as good as anticipated this spring. The Mississippi State recruit has a quick right-handed stroke but gets too passive at times and his long levers result in some in-zone swing-and-miss worries. He displays plus raw power in batting practice but focuses more on hitting line drives during game action. Video
Baseball America - BA Grade/Risk: 55/High Adjusted Grade: 40 Brick was the top-ranked catcher in the 2027 draft class before he reclassified for 2026 in October. He remains one of the top overall catchers in the prep class, with solid tools and skills on both sides of the ball. He caught for Team USA’s 18U National Team in 2025, when he handled some of the best arms in the class and also led the team with a .667 slugging percentage in seven games. At 6-foot-2, 195 pounds, Brick has a lean, well-proportioned frame that still has room to add strength. He has a workable swing with solid bat-to-ball skills and a sound approach. Brick is still learning to elevate the ball consistently in games, but he shows solid raw power in batting practice. He has a chance to develop above-average raw power, though his current approach is more contact-oriented and gap-to-gap. Brick shines defensively. He’s a solid athlete who has played a decent number of innings at shortstop this spring, but his future is behind the plate. He has a no-doubt plus arm and regularly posts pop times of 1.9 seconds on throws to second base in games. His exchange is rapid and his footwork is rock solid as well. He’s praised for his game management skills and has all the tools to develop into a plus defender. Brick is committed to Mississippi State. Scouting Grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Speed: 40 | Field: 60 | Arm: 65
The first four rounds of the draft go today and rounds 5-20 will be held on Sunday. MLB.com, MLB Network and Peacock will have coverage of the MLB Draft beginning at 1:00 pm Eastern Time today. Picks 11-40 will be held from 2:30 to 4:30 pm Eastern according to MLB.com so you can probably tune in before 4:30 pm if you only care about the Jays. You can follow the draft right here.
Baseball America has the Jays taking second baseman Jarren Advincula from Georgia Tech with its first-round pick in its latest mock draft. Jonathan Mayo of MLB Pipeline thinks the Jays will go with outfielder Ty Head from North Carolina State while Jim Callis is predicting that righthander Taylor Rabe from Mississippi will be selected. Kiley McDaniel from ESPN is tabbing catcher Will Brick from Christian Brothers High School in Tennessee will layer in as Toronto's selection.
Image from @cole_carlon
Round 1, 39th overall. LHP Cole Carlon, Arizona State. Bats Left, Throws Left. 6-foot-5, 230 pounds. Born May 20, 2005 Slot Value $2,571,700.
MLB.com - Scouting grades: Fastball: 55 | Slider: 70 | Curveball: 50 | Changeup: 45 | Control: 45 | Overall: 55
A product of Arizona high school powerhouse Corona Del Sol, Carlon stayed home to go to college, jumping right into the Arizona State bullpen as a freshman. He took a big step forward results-wise as a sophomore, also as a reliever, before pitching well in brief stops in the Cape Cod League and USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team Training Camp. A move into the Sun Devils' rotation this spring has helped cement him as top-two-round arm talent, even if the jury is still out about his long-term role. Considered to be the top college arm in the area, Carlon could have the chance to start thanks to a potential four-pitch mix coming from his strong 6-foot-5 frame. The lefty can run his fastball up to 98 mph, sitting around 94 mph, though it can get flat with scattered command. He's able to get back in line with his breaking stuff, starting with an 87-88 mph cutter-like short slider he throws as often as his heater that misses a ton of bats. He can manipulate it and make it a bit longer at times, and he also has an average 12-to-6 curve that offers a different look. His changeup is his fourth pitch, but it does have some fade to it. A solid athlete who hit .349 playing both ways in the Alaska Summer League in 2024, Carlon has struggled at times with finding the zone consistently, though he cut his walk rate down as a starter this year. There's some reliever risk, and he could move quickly in that role, but a team taking him in the top two rounds should give him every chance to stick in a rotation. Video
Baseball America - BA Grade/Risk: 55/High Adjusted Grade: 40 Carlon spent his first two seasons at Arizona State as a reliever, and as a sophomore in 2025 his 38.7% strikeout rate was the fourth-best mark in the country among qualified pitchers. He pitched as a starter in 2026 and vaulted up draft boards by succeeding in that role, with a 3.87 ERA in 83.2 innings, a 38% strikeout rate and a career-best 8.9% walk rate. Carlon is an imposing lefthander with a 6-foot-5, 230-pound frame and a pair of impact pitches. After averaging 94 mph as a reliever in 2025, Carlon added even more power to his fastball in 2026. He now sits around 96 mph and touches 100-101. His fastball is a clear plus offering on power alone, but Carlon doesn’t use it as his primary offering. Instead, he pitches off a power slider in the upper 80s that is one of the best breaking balls in the class. He threw the pitch more than half the time this spring and still managed to generate a 56% miss rate. Carlon’s slider is a devastating breaking ball with excellent power and sharp biting action that is equally effective against both lefties and righties. While his fastball/slider combination is lethal, Carlon faces further questions. He has toyed with both an upper-70s curveball and mid-80s changeup, but he lacks conviction in both and will need to develop a legitimate third offering to profile as a starter. He’s made strides with his control but needs to continue in that department to help himself work deeper into games. Carlon looks to become ASU’s first first-round pitcher since Mike Leake in 2009. Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 45 | Slider: 70 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 45
Twitter Reaction
@MitchBannon With the 39th pick in the MLB Draft, the #BlueJays select LHP Cole Carlon from ASU. Started college career as a RP, but broke out as SP this season. Another extreme release point college pitcher. Great slider.
@MitchBannon There's probably some reliever downside here, and the fastball/slider could be elite in that role. #BlueJays will certainly give him a shot to stick in the rotation though
@EthanIgnatovsky Cole Carlon flashed great stuff at ASU, including a fastball that touched 100.7 MPH. He also struck out 133 batters and walked just 31 this past season. Still, there are questions surrounding Carlon's ability to start long-term, but he lands with an organization that's done a great job developing pitching. The Blue Jays took Trey Yesavage from ECU with the 20th overall pick in 2024 and got him to the Big Leagues in just over a year, where he's already made a tremendous impact.
@theprospectprof Cole Carlon lands with Toronto at 1.39. Has one of the higher ceilings among the college arms this year, but also some of the most pronounced reliever risk. His FB can touch triple digits, and his slider (which he threw more than half the time this season) is a double-plus weapon
Round 3, 103rd overall. 2B Ryan Cooney, Oregon. Bats Right-Throws Right. 6-foot-0, 195 pounds. Born October 7, 2004. Slot Value $762,900.
MLB Pipeline - Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 40 | Run: 55 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45 Hailing from a Jesuit High School program in Oregon that produced first-round arms Mick Abel and Noble Meyer, Cooney headed south from his Portland area school to attend the University of Oregon for college ball. He was the only true freshman to start on opening day for the Ducks in what turned out to be an up-and-down first collegiate season for the infielder. Things clicked as a sophomore for Cooney, who earned All Big Ten first-team honors while leading Oregon in hitting and stolen bases. It’s been more of the same as the Ducks’ top bat during his junior campaign.
If you get just one look at Cooney, he might not jump off the page because he doesn’t possess overly loud individual tools. Watch him for a while, though, and you can’t help but leave liking what he can do. There is some definite bat talent from the right side of the plate, with a good feel for the barrel and an advanced approach that has led to him walking as much as he’s striking out. He has a definite hit-over-power profile, but he has been getting to more damage this year and has been really locked in during conference play.
Cooney has above-average speed and knows how to steal a base. He plays with an edge in a Dustin Pedroia kind of way, an aggressiveness scouts like. He initially lost his starting job at short to teammate Maddox Molony, then worked his way back into the starting lineup at second base. He’s a solid defender there, with some evaluators thinking he could still handle the left side of the infield at the next level.
Baseball America.- Cooney is a contact-oriented middle infielder who earned a starting job as a Day One freshman for Oregon in 2024. Injuries have limited him throughout his career, but he has been productive when healthy and started showing more extra-base pop as a junior in 2026. A 6-foot, 195-pound righthanded hitter, Cooney stands out for his exceptional contact skills. He never misses a fastball and rarely strikes out, with an impressive ability to shoot the ball the other way. He will occasionally pull the ball for home run power with a metal bat, but his power is modest and he’s never hit for much power with a wood bat during summer leagues.
Twitter Reaction
@Damon98_ Ryan Cooney is the Blue Jays type. Twitchy infielder who can play up the middle on the dirt. Firmly hit over power profile. + runner. 91% Z-Con/12.5% K rate in his Collegiate career. Ranked 175 on BA's top 100 so could be an underslot deal here.
@ShiDavidi With their second pick, No. 103 overall, the Blue Jays select Oregon infielder Ryan Cooney. Mostly played 2B this year, and Baseball America's scouting report says he has "exceptional contact skills, he never misses a fastball and rarely strikes out" but "his power is modest."
@MarcWestyNolan Jays select Ryan Cooney at 103. Unassuming build but plays really hard. Solid barrel rate guy and a versatile glove. I like that they drafted him as a SS not a 2B, its a minor detail but i think it says a lot about how they view him. Advanced approach a lot like Josh Kasevich
@JacobRudner The Blue Jays took Oregon second baseman Ryan Cooney with the 103rd overall pick (third round) as a shortstop. Singled out Cooney as a sleeper in early April and his profile grew steadily as the season went on. From earlier in the year:
Round 4, 131st overall. C Will Brick, Christian Brothers (TN). Bats Right/Throws.Right 6-foot-2, pounds. Born June 6, 2008. Slot Value $581,100.
MLB Pipeline - Scouting grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 50 | Run: 40 | Arm: 65 | Field: 60 | Overall: 50
Christian Brothers HS (Memphis, Tenn.) has sent 11 players to the Majors, most notably All-Star catcher Tim McCarver. The Purple Wave now have the best prep catching prospect in the 2026 Draft after Brick reclassified from the 2027 class. He made that decision in October after starring for Team USA at the 18-and-under World Cup in Japan, batting .333 while providing quality defense behind the plate as the second-youngest player on the squad.
Brick's best tool is his well-above-average arm strength, as he regularly records sub-1.9-second pop times and can throw out basestealers from his knees. Gatorade's Tennessee high school player of the year, he moves well behind the plate and shows the potential to become a plus receiver and blocker once he improves his one-knee technique. He didn't have any issues handling the premium stuff he saw with the U.S. 18-and-under team and scouts rave about his makeup.
Brick's bat hasn't been as good as anticipated this spring. The Mississippi State recruit has a quick right-handed stroke but gets too passive at times and his long levers result in some in-zone swing-and-miss worries. He displays plus raw power in batting practice but focuses more on hitting line drives during game action. Video
Baseball America - BA Grade/Risk: 55/High Adjusted Grade: 40 Brick was the top-ranked catcher in the 2027 draft class before he reclassified for 2026 in October. He remains one of the top overall catchers in the prep class, with solid tools and skills on both sides of the ball. He caught for Team USA’s 18U National Team in 2025, when he handled some of the best arms in the class and also led the team with a .667 slugging percentage in seven games. At 6-foot-2, 195 pounds, Brick has a lean, well-proportioned frame that still has room to add strength. He has a workable swing with solid bat-to-ball skills and a sound approach. Brick is still learning to elevate the ball consistently in games, but he shows solid raw power in batting practice. He has a chance to develop above-average raw power, though his current approach is more contact-oriented and gap-to-gap. Brick shines defensively. He’s a solid athlete who has played a decent number of innings at shortstop this spring, but his future is behind the plate. He has a no-doubt plus arm and regularly posts pop times of 1.9 seconds on throws to second base in games. His exchange is rapid and his footwork is rock solid as well. He’s praised for his game management skills and has all the tools to develop into a plus defender. Brick is committed to Mississippi State. Scouting Grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 50 | Speed: 40 | Field: 60 | Arm: 65
