After the Blue Jays’ first two picks last night, there’ll be more action today as we work through rounds four through twenty in what used to be two separate days of drafting. The Jays have all their picks today, starting at #112 overall, so we’ll have a lot guys to immediately decide we’re disappointed in/tell everyone we always believed would be stars. As a reminder, rounds 4-10 remain slotted picks (the former “day two picks”) whereas in rounds 11-20 any bonus up to $150,000 does not count against the bonus pool.
In the recent past, the Jays would usually go for a run of college hitters early on day 2, typically with a lone higher bonus upside play, before some senior signs to clear slot room later and a run of college pitching on Day 3 with a flew fliers added in.
The reviews of the Jojo Parker pick seem pretty positive, with Baseball America picking him as one of their best player/team fits. Though, really, 30 teams need an infielder who can hit and hit for power. There’s less on third rounder Jake Cook, but Keith Law describes him as “the type of guy the Dodgers take in the fourth round and a year from now he’s on the top 100 list”, which sounds just fine to me. It sounds like his swing will probably need to be reworked to get a little more power, but if he could go from not hitting at all for two years (he pitched his freshman and sophomore seasons) to a 6.7% strikeout rate in a decent college conference there’s clearly some raw ability there. He was also the fastest player at the combine and is described as a top tier athlete, so while it might be a slower burn than the typical 22 year old college draftee it seems like there’s a lot for the development team to work with.
This post will be updated as the next 17 picks come in.
4. Micah Bucknam, LHP, Dallas Baptist University
- Bucknam was previously selected by the Jays out of high school in the Fraser Valley in the 16th round having popped up draft bards late with a low-90s fastball shy of 18 years old. Initially committed to Washington, he ended up instead going to LSU where he didn’t pitch much in 2023-24 (just 16 innings, exceeding that on the Cape Cod league in the summer). In 2025 he transferred to Dallas Baptist and made 13 started to mixed results (80 strikeouts in 62 innings but a 5.78 ERA). Bucknam will be a development project for the Jays, with the stuff to start but command/control issues to iron out that could instead point to the bullpen.
As a sidenote, in 2009 the Jays also used their 4th rounder (130th overall) on a draftee out of Dallas Baptist, and Ryan Goins had a nice eight year career, the first five as a useful defensively oriented platoon infielder for the Jays.
5. Tim Piasentin, 3B, Okotoks Composite HS (Alberta)
- The Jays continue their local focus, taking the number one Canadian prospect on the board. Piasentin is a hulking 6’3” and 205lbs and already has above average raw power that might approach 70 on the 20-80 scale at maturity. There are questions about how much he’ll ultimately hit due to some swing and miss in his game, but he apparently impressed with his ability to catch up to high end velocity in showcase looks this spring and if he can make enough contact his uppercut stroke should lead to huge home run totals. His size might eventually force a move to right field or firs base, but he has decent actions at third and a plus arm, so there’s potential to stick there. The Jays will have to buy him out of a commitment to Miami.
6. Eric Snow, SS, Auburn
- Dipping into the college hitter ranks for the first time on day two for a more familiar demographic, if slightly off-the-board-play. Snow hit .343 at South Florida as a freshman before suffering the sophomore slump in 2024, though he did rebound last summer to hit .326 in 108 PA in the Cape Cod league. Transferring to Auburn this year, he hit .307 against stout SEC competition. On the smaller side at 5’8”, he’s only posted modest power output and is more of a utility infielder than a true shortstop. He fits with the Jays’ emphasis in recent years on contact ability from college hitters.
7. Dylan Watts, RHP, Auburn
- The Jays dip right back into the Tiger pool, but for a pure development project in Watts rather than a performer. In two years at Auburn he posted a 7+ ERA, clearly getting hiy quite hard given he struck out a batter an inning and kept the free passes in order. At 6’4” Watts fits the power pitcher profile and has the raw stuff to match, with upper 90s velocity and some ability to spin a breaking ball.
8. Danny Thompson, RHP, UNC Greensboro
- Fifth year senior with good strikeout numbers (138 in 99.2 innings) the last two years at UNCG, and even better summer league performance in the Coastal Plains league. Fastball up to 95 and average slider, profiling as a classic senior sign to create bonus pool room.
9. Karson Ligon, RHP, Mississippi State
- A highly rated recruit out of high school, Ligon started at Miami for two years before transferring to Mississippi State. Made 15 starts as a senior with a 6.19 ERA but 73 strikeouts in 56.2 innings and has been up to 100 with his fastball and some aptitude for offspeed (change and slider)
10. Austin Smith, OF, University of San Diego
- Two way player who improved each year at the plate, hitting .314 as a junior and then .353 as a senior in 2025. Fits the recent Jays’ profile as a smaller (5’11/185) college hitter with plate discipline and contact ability but modest power. Also pitched as a lefty touching the low-90s but presumably will focus on the hitting side.
11. Jared Spencer, LHP, Texas
- Spencer was drafted in the 14th round by the Phillies last year out of Indiana State, but opted instead to transfer to Texas for his senior season. It looked like the move was paying massive dividends, as he moved full time into the rotation and gained almost 3mph on his fastball. He was rocketing up draft boards (multiple public rankings mention him as having had a shot at the back of the first round) before blowing out his shoulder in late April. It was the second significant shoulder injury for Spencer, which knocked his draft stock back significantly. When healthy, he has two plus pitches in his fastball and slider and the makings of a solid average change up with fringe average command that might work in the rotation. If he recovers well, not at all a given with shoulders, this pick could look like a steal.
12. Blaine Bullard, Klein Cain HS (Texas(
- Bullard is a speedy centre fielder with good instincts in the field and on the base paths. He’s a switch hitter with some questions about his ultimate offensive ceiling. He hasn’t faced a lot of high end competition, and his swing from either side generates a lot of ground ball contact. His bat speed and 6’2” frame give hope that he can unlock average power with time if his swings hold up against better pitching. He was regarded as a third to fifth round talent, but likely slipped out of the top 10 rounds because of concerns about the cost of buying him out of his commitment to Texas A&M.
13. Trace Baker, RHP, UNC Wilmington
- Baker went undrafted out of high school, spent a year in junior college, and then transferred to UNC Wilmington. There, he’s worked primarily as a multi-inning reliever. He had a strong season, posting a 2.25 ERA across 52.1 innings with a 54:16 strikeout to walk ratio. Baker lacks a standout pitch, but he has a deep arsenal with two fastballs, a slider on which he can manipulate the shape and a change up and has made strides in his strike throwing. He looks like a swing man or #6 starter type as a pro. He has an offer to transfer to North Carolina if he doesn’t sign.
14. Noah Palmese, RHP, Webber International (NAIA)
- A well travelled pitcher who’s moved from Daytona State Junior College (2022-23) to D2 Erskine Colelge (2024) to Webber International in 2025, the 6’3”/220 Palmese was the NAIA Reliever of the Year after posting a 2.78 ERA and striking out 65 in 45.1 innings in the course of recording 13 saves.
15. Jake Casey, OF, Kent State
- A (golden) flash in the pan? Casey exhibited some solid #MACtion power in his first three seasons at Kent State (12 HR as a sophomore) but topped out hit-wise at .249. Until 2025, when he went off to the tune of .356/.500/.736 and 17 home runs (41 extra base hits). He’s always struck out at elevated levels and was still around 20% this year, but there’s some pedigree as the son of career .302 hitter Sean Casey. He had Tommy John surgery which may account for the dip in his 2024 junior season
16. Jaxson West, C, Florida State
- Hit just .236 as a junior in 2025 but walked twice as much as he struck out for a .370 OBP. Was solid as a sophomore (.274/.398/.404) and hit .281 on the Cape in 2024. Frankly, the Jays are just really thin in the lower minors at catcher and Dunedin in particular needs a true catcher whose competent behind that plate, so this pick is likely filling that organizational need.
17. Jordan Rich, OF, American heritage HS (Florida)
- Was committed to UConn as a dual football/baseball player, but turned focus solely to baseball a year ago.
18. Will Cresswell, C, Washington State
- Hit .329/.404/.523 as a senior in 2023 after three unremarkable offensive years at Wazzou. Again, the Jays are likely more interested in his competence behind the plate.
19. Luke Kovach, LHP, Cal Poly
- Struck out 111 with 3.87 ERA in 74.1 innings across the 2022-23 seasons at Allan Hancock Community College before transferring to Cal Poly but missing most of the last two years after Tommy John surgery in December 2023. The 6’2” lefty did make it back to record 17 strikeouts in 8.2 innings, and should be set to get his professional career going right away.
20. Ty Peeples, OF, Franklin County HS (Georgia)
- Georgia commit who certainly looks the part at 6’2”/185, with a smooth lefthanded swing geared for power output. Question marks about his ability to hit and get to the power mean he is likely ticketed for the college ranks and this would be a courtesy pick and/or insurance policy against the unforeseen with other draftees.