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BJN Draft Profiles: Selecting prep hitter Archer Horn would give the Blue Jays four strong shortstop options

Photo credit: © Brett Davis-Imagn Images

By Ryley Delaney

Jun 29, 2026, 12:30 EDTUpdated: Jun 29, 2026, 12:13 EDT

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The Toronto Blue Jays have had some success drafting prep shortstops in the first round in the last drafts.

Their 2023 draft saw them select Arjun Nimmala 20th overall. Two drafts later, the Jays drafted JoJo Parker eighth overall. Both players are top prospects in the Jays’ system, with Nimmala slashing .270/.371/.434 in 178 plate appearances this season, hitting four home runs but missing a month with an injury.

Parker didn’t stand out to begin the season, but he’s been one of the best hitters in the organization since the start of June. Since June 3rd, Parker is slashing .313/.440/.701 with six home runs in 84 plate appearances, striking out as much as he has walked.

There are four types of draftees. On top of prep position players, there are prep pitchers, as well as college position players and pitchers. Of the four, this front office has had the most success with prep position players, while also having some success with college pitchers (namely Alek Manoah and Trey Yesavage).

This time around, the Jays’ first pick is the 39th overall selection, thanks to winning the American League pennant and finishing over the second Competitive Balance Tax threshold. One player who could be available then is prep shortstop Archer Horn.

Scouting report

Horn is a left-handed batting shortstop that stands at 6’2”, 205 lbs. A February birthday, the 18-year-old is committed to Stanford if his drafting team is unable to sign him. Playing for St. Ignatius High School in San Francisco, California, Horn ranks as MLB Pipeline’s 67th-best prospect.

According to his profile on MLB Pipeline, Horn is a solid hitter across the board. As is often the case for prep players, Horn spent his high school days as a two-way player, but is likely to stick to hitting at the next level.

With the twig, Horn has some pop in his bat thanks to solid swing speed. As he fills out his frame, he’ll generate more power. That said, some scouts don’t love the hit tool, which is given a 50-grade by Pipeline, the same grade given to his power. Baseball America notes similar things about growing into his power.

Additionally, he reaches 95 mph with his fastball on the mound, paired with a changeup and curveball according to Baseball America. Assuming he becomes a full-time position player, he has a plus arm for shortstop and is athletic, though he is an average runner.

What Horn can offer the Blue Jays

If the Blue Jays were to draft Horn, that’d give them four good shortstop prospects. On top of Nimmala and Parker, the Jays also have Juan Sanchez, who has started to really turn it on over the last month and a half.

While that sounds like too many players for one spot, there are ways to deal with it. For starters, not all prospects pan out, which hopefully isn’t the case with the three current Blue Jays. Moreover, if a player can play shortstop, they can probably play third base and second base as well.

Sanchez is a perfect example of that, as he’s actually played more innings (486.2) at the hot corner than shortstop (259) since turning professional. Even Parker has had a look at third, playing seven games there. However, Nimmala has solely played shortstop in his professional career, and is the most-likely prospect of the three to stick there.

Adding a prep shortstop like Horn into the mix isn’t a bad idea, especially if he’s viewed as the best player available when the Blue Jays step up to the podium with the 39th overall pick.