The 2023 draft was a good one for the Toronto Blue Jays.
With their first-round pick, they selected Arjun Nimmala 20th overall. The shortstop is currently their third-best prospect, only behind Trey Yesavage and JoJo Parker. Landen Maroudis, Jace Bohrofen, Sam Shaw, and Grant Rogers all could be ranked in their top 30, while their 20th-round pick, Kai Peterson, looks like the real deal.
There were a handful of prospects that didn’t sign after being drafted, more than normal. College reliever Joe Vogatsky didn’t sign, but was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates the following season and later traded to the Boston Red Sox. Sam Kulasingam, another college player, was drafted 17th overall and also didn’t sign, instead being selected in the 13th round in 2024 by the Kansas City Royals.
The last player who didn’t sign was a hedge pick, Chase Brunson. He instead chose to attend Texas Christian University and has put up solid numbers, more on that in a second. Those numbers were so good that MLB Pipeline ranked him as the 44th-best 2026 draft prospect.
Brunson immediately made an impact in his freshman season, slashing .291/.390/.426 with four home runs in 177 plate appearances. The 20-year-old’s numbers improved last season, as the outfielder slashed .317/.395/.554 with 12 home runs in 258 plate appearances. If he has another strong season in 2026, it’s not hard to see the outfielder being selected in the first round.
His MLB Pipeline bio notes that he doesn’t have any plus tools (60-grade or higher), but he’s average or above-average across the board. Brunson was given a 50-grade hit and power tool, while his running, arm, and fielding were all graded 55, good enough for an overall grade of 50.
It also appears that’s around where the Jays will pick. Since the Jays went over the second tax threshold last season (absolutely worth it), their first-round pick drops down 10 spots, as they’re slated to pick 40th overall. They’ve also lost their second and fifth round pick so far, with potentially more picks being taken away if they sign a player with a qualifying offer.
The 2026 draft is slated for July 12-13 in Philadelphia.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.