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Blue Jays release Jack Cushing, Connor Cooke, and others
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Photo credit: © Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Mar 26, 2026, 11:00 EDTUpdated: Mar 26, 2026, 10:47 EDT
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The Toronto Blue Jays have made another wave of releases.
According to their transaction tracker, they released Julio Ortiz, Robert Brooks, Pedro Tucent, and Maykel Miñoso, Jack Chushing, and Connor Seabold on the 21st. On Wednesday, they also released Hunter Gregory, Braden Barry, and Connor Cooke.
Seabold was granted his release and signed a major league deal with the Detroit Tigers recently. Like Seabold, Cushing signed a minor league deal before the start of Spring Training and appeared in two and one-third innings with the Jays.
Brooks, a catcher, spent parts of three seasons with the Blue Jays’ organization, slashing .135/.218/.222 in 142 plate appearances last season. He also appeared in five games with the Jays during Spring Training, where he slashed .286/.375/.286. Miñoso is also a catcher, and he slashed just .144/.275/.178 in 142 plate appearances split between the Florida Complex League and Single-A.
Barry was drafted in the eighth round of the 2023 draft and has been hampered by injury since turning professional. Over the course of parts of three seasons, the outfielder was limited to just 367 plate appearances. The 2025 season was his best year, slashing .290/.402/.376 in 127 plate appearances.
Cooke is probably the biggest surprise of the bunch. The right-handed pitcher had some helium in 2023, as he posted a 4.06 ERA and 2.71 FIP in 44.1 innings pitched, with a 40.6 K% and 9.6 BB%. Cooke had a tough 2024 season, authoring a 4.55 ERA and 5.56 FIP in 31.2 innings pitched, before requiring Tommy John surgery in January 2025. The stuff was there, he just couldn’t stay healthy.
Gregory was selected in the same draft class as Cooke, and he posted a 5.17 ERA and 5.56 FIP in 55.2 innings pitched last season. He had a good showing in Double-A with a sub-3.00 ERA, but struggled mightily in his 11.1 innings with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons.
Ortiz also had a rough 2025, spending it entirety with the High-A Vancouver Canadians. Over 39.2 innings pitched, the 6’3”, 225 lbs righty posted a 7.71 ERA and 4.73 FIP. While he had a strong K% of 33.8%, Ortiz struggled with free passes, finishing the season with a 23 BB%.
Lastly, Tucent pitched two seasons in the Jays’ organization, posting a 5.36 ERA and 4.79 FIP in 42 innings pitched with the Dominican Summer League Jays in 2024. Last season, he had a 4.05 ERA and 5.02 FIP in 20 innings pitched with the FCL Blue Jays.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. She can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

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