Three catching prospects the Blue Jays can target in the 2025 draft
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Jul 4, 2025, 16:00 EDTUpdated: Jul 4, 2025, 06:47 EDT
Once a catching factory, it’s been a long time since the Toronto Blue Jays had a catcher to be excited about.
In 2021, the Blue Jays had five catchers on the 40-man roster: Danny Jansen, Alejandro Kirk, Gabriel Moreno, Riley Adams, and Reese McGuire. Over time, the Jays traded four of them: Adams for Brad Hand, McGuire for Zack Collins, Moreno for Varsho, and Jansen for three prospects.
Kirk, Jansen, and Moreno in particular were touted as the Blue Jays’ next starter, but four years later, only Kirk remains with the team. It’s not a position that has been properly addressed in recent drafts either. In 2021, they drafted Juan Gonzalez, who was traded for cash. The 2022 draft saw them select Sammy Hernandez, who was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for Genesis Cabrera.
One catcher was selected in 2023, Jackson Hornung. While he’s been putting up good results this season, he’s moved full-time to the outfield. In the 2024 draft, the Jays selected two catchers, Aaron Parker and Brock Tibbitts.
There isn’t a lot of help on the international free agent market either. Luis Meza was the top prospect they signed in the 2022 period, but his career hasn’t started great, and he’s on the full-season injured list. Randy Soto, a 2024 international free agent signing, had good results in 2024 in the Dominican Summer League but has struggled in 2025.
That leaves Edward Duran as their best backstop prospect. The 21-year-old is a good catcher, slashing .283/.373/.438 with five home runs in 271 plate appearances for a 131 wRC+, but he’s still in Single-A.
Usually, a team shouldn’t draft for need, but the Blue Jays desperately need a catching prospect or two in the upcoming 2025 draft. Let’s take a look at three who could be available with their first two picks.
Ike Irish
One catcher who could be available around the eighth overall pick is collegiate backstop Ike Irish. The catcher/outfielder is ranked as MLB Pipeline’s 11th-best prospect, featuring a plus hit tool and above-average power.
Irish, 21, has a strong arm, but his fielding behind the plate is a little below average. There’s a chance Irish will move into the outfield full-time to maximize his offence. In fact, he had to do it last season for Auburn, as he broke his shoulder blade in March, ouch.
Last season with Auburn University, Irish slashed .364/.469/.710 with 19 home runs in 258 plate appearances for a 152 wRC+. While the bat alone is good enough to be selected in the top 10, the potential move to the outfield wouldn’t solve the Blue Jays’ need for an impact catching prospect.
Brayden Jaksa
There are a couple of catching prospects ranked towards the end of the first round, Caden Bodine and Luke Stevenson. Both are collegiate catchers, but the Blue Jays don’t have their second-round pick as they lost it as compensation for signing Anthony Santander.
That leaves the Blue Jays with the 81st overall pick to find an impact catcher. One catcher who could be available around that pick is prep catcher Brayden Jaksa. The 6’5”, 18-year-old catcher is ranked as MLB Pipeline’s 88th-best prospect.
Committed to the University of Oregon, Jaksa has above-average power and an average hit tool, as he shoots the ball up the middle. Like Irish, there’s a chance he moves off the plate because of his less-than-average receiving,
Moreover, Jaksa is a prep player, meaning his impact for the Jays is further away than a guy like Irish or even Duran.
Easton Carmichael
Another catcher who could be available 81st overall is Easton Carmichael, a catcher who attends the University of Oklahoma. He’s ranked as MLB Pipeline’s 93rd-best draft-eligible prospect.
The 21-year-old may not have an impact bat like Irish or Jaksa, but there’s little chance he’ll move away from the backstop in the future. He’s a good contact hitter who pulls the ball and has below-average power.
Defensively, Carmichael is a good receiver and has improved his arm, but throwing out runners is still an issue. With that said, it was for Kirk as well, and now he’s one of the best catchers at doing that, but I digress.
With the Sooners, the 21-year-old slashed .329/.398/.613 with a career-high 17 home runs in 274 plate appearances, with a 9.1 BB% and 15.7 K% for a 118 wRC+.
All of this is to say that this is a less-than-ideal draft to draft for need.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.