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How the Blue Jays’ 2026 MLB Draft picks fared in their professional debuts

Photo credit: © Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

By Michael Coyle

Oct 2, 2026, 07:00 EDTUpdated: Oct 1, 2026, 14:35 EDT

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Often lost throughout the course of a baseball season is the MLB Draft as it falls in mid-July through the dog days of summer.

The selections of high school and college athletes to an organization most times quietly join an organization towards the end of summer as they begin their journey towards reaching the game’s highest level.

In the case of the Toronto Blue Jays, they selected 19 players during the 2026 MLB Draft and saw eight of them, including Ryan Cooney, Nolan Higgins, Gable Mitchell, Dean West, Jake Bennett, Bryce Chance, Brayden Martin, and Landon Waters all make their debuts at the professional level.

Here’s a look at how all eight of these players fared in their first campaigns within the Blue Jays organization.

Ryan Cooney

Selected by the Blue Jays in the third round, 103rd overall, Cooney appeared in 23 games with Dunedin and batted .200 with two home runs and 10 RBIs. Splitting his time between second base and shortstop, Cooney made two errors in his first stint with Dunedin.

A .312 career hitter during his time at the University of Oregon to go along with a .415 on-base percentage, Cooney picked up three steals in three attempts and reached base at a .311 clip in his first test in Single-A.

Nolan Higgins

The Blue Jays selected Higgins in the fifth round, 164th overall after four seasons at Michigan State University, where the right-hander worked mostly as a reliever.

Upon joining the Blue Jays organization, Higgins joined Single-A Dunedin where he appeared in seven games and went 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA and a 1.59 WHIP. The 22-year-old struck out 10 batters across 10.2 innings, picked up one hold and allowed opponents to hit .302 against him.

Gable Mitchell

Upon being selected by the Blue Jays in the sixth round, 193rd overall, Mitchell was sent to High-A to join the Vancouver Canadians. Across 25 games with the Canadians, Mitchell batted .236 with two home runs and 11 RBIs.

Mitchell showcased a keen eye at the plate, having walked 12 times to help give him a .367 OBP during his first stint in High-A. The 22-year-old showcased some speed, stealing three bases in four attempts. Mitchell appeared at second base, shortstop and third base across his 25 games and committed six errors in the field.

Dean West

The Blue Jays selected West in the seventh round, 222nd overall out of UCLA. The outfielder got into 19 games with Dunedin and batted .244 with six RBIs, but was able to reach base at a .492 clip.

West drew 17 walks compared to only five strikeouts and stole three bases on five attempts in Single-A. West saw time at all three outfield positions with most of his starts coming in left field.

Jake Bennett

Selected in the eighth round, 252nd overall, Bennett became one of the more intriguing stories to close out Dunedin’s season. Bennett appeared in 23 games and hit .278 with seven home runs and 22 RBIs.

The 22-year-old was a catcher in college but upon joining Dunedin, Bennett spent the majority of his time at the designated hitter position. With an organization that is so desperate for power, Bennett quickly displayed his calling card over his first 72 professional at-bats.

Bryce Chance

Chance, along with Mitchell, was one of two players who joined High-A Vancouver to begin their professional careers. Over 24 games, Chance batted .236 with 11 RBIs and reached base at a .324 clip. The 23-year-old also flashed some speed, stealing four bases in five attempts.

Selected by the Blue Jays in the 10th round, 312th overall, the outfielder appeared in both centre field and left field with the Canadians and turned in a perfect fielding percentage.

Brayden Martin

The Blue Jays drafted Martin in the 11th round, 342nd overall and assigned the 20-year-old to Single-A Dunedin to begin his professional career. Through 21 games, Martin batted .222 with six RBIs and a .453 OBP. Martin stole four bases in five attempts.

A utility player during his time at the University of Maryland, Martin saw time at both second base and left field with Dunedin and committed three errors at second, while turning in a perfect fielding percentage in left.

Landon Waters

Selected in the 17th round, 522nd overall, Waters got into nine games with Single-A Dunedin after two collegiate seasons with Ole Miss. Through his nine outings, Waters went 2-0 with a 5.40 ERA and a 1.35 WHIP.

The 22-year-old struck out 17 batters across 13.1 innings and limited opponents to a .240 average.

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