Oregon Flexes Development With Ryan Cooney MLB Draft Selection

Oregon Ducks second baseman Ryan Cooney, with college eligibility remaining, has been selected by the Toronto Blue Jays.

Oregon infielder Ryan Cooney celebrates a double as the Oregon Ducks host the USC Trojans on May 14, 2026, in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The first Oregon Duck has been taken off the board at the 2026 MLB Draft as the Toronto Blue Jays selected second baseman Ryan Cooney with the No. 103 overall pick in the third round. Cooney is set to join former Ducks shortstop Josh Kasevich, who is also in the Blue Jays farm system. 

Cooney is just the latest player from coach Mark Wasikowski's Oregon baseball program to be selected by an MLB team in the draft. In the 2025 draft, five Ducks were taken, including outfielder Mason Neville, right-handed pitcher Jason Reitz, left-handed pitcher Grayson Grinsell, first baseman Jacob Walsh, and catcher Anson Aroz.

Ryan Cooney’s Career With the Ducks

Oregon infielder Ryan Cooney hits a single as the Oregon Ducks host the Youngstown State Penguins on Feb. 20, 2026, at PK Park in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

As a junior, Cooney has college eligibility remaining and has until July 27 to decide whether he will return to the Ducks. After reaching the Super Regional for the third time in the last four seasons, Oregon fans hope that Cooney decides to give it one more go and help the Ducks reach the College World Series for the first time since 1954. 

In the three seasons that he’s been with the Ducks, Cooney has been a focal point of Oregon’s success, and this past year he took a major leap. During the 2026 college baseball season, Cooney played in 60 games, recording a .331 batting average, 82 hits, 52 runs, 43 RBIs, and eight home runs.

Oregon infielder Ryan Cooney rounds first en route to second as the Oregon Ducks host the Oregon State Beavers on April 25, 2025, at PK Park in Eugene. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

In addition to his success, Cooney also earned a spot on the Eugene Regional All-Tournament team. The Ducks hosted a regional at PK Park for the second consecutive year. This time around, Cooney and the Ducks put together a much better showing than the 2025 Eugene Regional squad.

The Ducks earned dominating wins in the Eugene Regional over the Yale Bulldogs, Washington State Cougars, and Oregon State Beavers, outscoring their three opponents 22-3. Cooney and the Ducks' season eventually came to an end in two games to the Texas Longhorns in the Austin Super Regional, as the Ducks finished with a 43-18 overall record and went 20-10 in Big Ten play. 

Other Oregon Players Projected to Be Drafted

Jun 6, 2026; Austin, TX, USA; Oregon Ducks pitcher Cal Scolari (37) pitches during the first inning of a Super Regional game against Texas Longhorns at UFCU Disch-Falk field in Austin, Texas. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With Cooney officially off the board, he likely won’t be the only Ducks star selected in the MLB Draft. Right-handed pitcher Cal Scolari and shortstop Maddox Molony are expected to be selected. Similar to Cooney, Scolari and Molony have until July 27 to decide whether to return to Oregon or forgo their remaining college eligibility.

Scolari was among the top pitchers for the Ducks this season alongside Will Sanford and Miles Gosztola, recording 85 strikeouts with a 3.32 ERA. Scolari also had a 5-1 record on the mound for the Ducks. 

Molony was one of the top leaders in the Ducks' batting order, finishing the 2026 season with a .233 batting average, 51 hits, 44 runs, and 12 home runs. The return of Cooney, Molony, and Scolari to Eugene next season would benefit the Ducks in their pursuit of reaching the CWS in Omaha. 

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