logo
Blue Jays 2026 Draft: History of the 253rd overall pick
alt
Photo credit: © Ray Seebeck - Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Jul 3, 2026, 16:30 EDTUpdated: Jul 3, 2026, 16:04 EDT
Comments
The Toronto Blue Jays haven’t had a ton of success with their eighth-round picks in franchise history.
You have to go back to 2013 for the last time the Blue Jays really hit with an eighth-round pick. Kendall Graveman only threw four and two-thirds innings with the Blue Jays in 2014. That off-season, he was traded in a package that landed Josh Donaldson. Pretty darn good trade, even if Graveman found success as a reliever elsewhere.
This time around, the Jays will select 253rd overall, the second such time they’ve selected in the spot. There have been just eight players selected 253rd overall who went on to play in the big leagues, one of them turned out to be an All-Star. Moreover, three great defenders have been selected from this spot.
Let’s take a history of the 253rd overall pick.

Ryan McCullem, 1999

The lone player the Blue Jays selected 253rd overall is left-handed pitcher Ryan McCullem in 1999. Selected out of high school, McCullem joined the Medicine Hat Blue Jays to end the 199 season, posting a 6.08 ERA over 23.2 innings of work.
His only other season in affiliate ball was in 2000, when he repeated the level with the Med Hat Blue Jays. McCullem had a better season, authoring a 3.95 ERA in 54.2 innings of work. The lefty didn’t pitch again until 2003, throwing seven and two-thirds innings with the Mid-Missouri Mavericks in independent ball.

Notable players selected 253rd overall

Three other players selected 253rd overall have links to the Blue Jays organization. Neil Allen appeared in 434 big league games, amassing a 6.9 bWAR thanks to a 3.88 ERA and 75 saves. The right-handed pitcher never pitched for the Jays, but he served as a pitching coach for an affiliate team, the St. Catharines Stompers in the mid 1990s.
Andy Dirks played three seasons in the big leagues, all with the Detroit Tigers from 2011 until 2013. The 2012 season was Dirks’ best, as the Tigers went on to win the American League pennant. Dirks was named a Gold Glove finalist at the conclusion of the 2013. 
That ended his tenure as a big leaguer, and following the 2014 season, the Jays claimed him off waivers. He never pitched for the organization, with his final game coming in 2014.
Andrew Good is another right-handed pitcher who was a part of the Blue Jays organization. Before joining their Triple-A team in 2007, Good appeared in 35 big league games, most of which came with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2003 and 2004. In 2007, Good appeared in three games with the Syracuse Chiefs, the Jays’ Triple-A affiliate at the time.
In 1992, the San Diego Padres selected right-handed pitcher Todd Erdos, who appeared in 63 big league games. Aside from Allen, his 63 games were the most among any pitcher selected 253rd overall. Rod Booker is the lone player selected 253rd overall to play in the big leagues, but did not sign after he was selected in the spot.
Allan Simpson, selected by the Seattle Mariners in 1997, appeared in 45 big league games. Simpson spent time with the Colorado Rockies, Cincinnati Reds, and Milwaukee Brewers, amassing a 6.06 ERA in 49 innings of work.
Simpson is one of three players selected 253rd overall who went on to play for the Brewers. David Hamilton currently plays for the Brewers after parts of three seasons with the Boston Red Sox. A part of the Caleb Durbin deal, Hamilton is slashing .235/.312/.327 with three home runs in 229 plate appearances this season. He’s also a terrific infield defender.
The most notable player selected 253rd overall is Fernando Viña. You may know him as the second baseman who was run over by Albert Belle attempting to turn a double play. Viña also holds the distinction of being the first player to hit an inside-the-park home run at both Oracle Park and American Family Field.
Viña was a terrific defender at the keystone position, winning Gold Gloves with the St. Louis Cardinals in both 2002 and 2003. In 1998, he made his only All-Star game, finishing the season with a .311/.386/.427 slash line.
While Viña is the lone player selected 253rd overall to be named to an All-Star Game, another player selected 253rd overall is the son of a Hall of Famer. Pat Leyland was drafted by the Tigers in 2010 and never played a game, in fact, neither did his father Jim.
However, J. Leyland was a long-time big league manager, winning the 1997 World Series with the Miami Marlins, and being named manager of the year on three occasions. Leyland also happened to be the manager of Dirks in his three big league seasons.

Other history of a pick…

Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.
Editorials
MORE NEWS. IN YOUR INBOX.
CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE TO OUR WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

Breaking News