Blue Jays Claim Rising SEC Pitching Star in Recent MLB Mock Draft

The Toronto Blue Jays might seek to add to their arsenal in the minor leagues with a college pitcher taught by one of the game’s best.

May 21, 2025; Hoover, AL, USA; Oklahoma pitcher Kyson Witherspoon (26) pitches against Georgia in the second round of the SEC Baseball Tournament at the Hoover Met. | Gary Cosby Jr. / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Toronto Blue Jays are trying to build a pitching pipeline, but it’s taking some time.

Some of their best arms are either in the lower reaches of the minor leagues, like Trey Yesavage at High-A Vancouver, or working back from injury, like Ricky Tiedemann. He has Tommy John surgery last year.

One way to accelerated that pipeline is to select a polished college pitcher who may need less time in the minors to acclimate to pro baseball.

The SEC is, perhaps, the best baseball conference in the country, and in a recent MLB mock draft, that’s where the Blue Jays went for pitching help.

Why the Blue Jays Could Select Kyson Witherspoon

With the No. 8 overall pick, ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel has the Blue Jays taking Oklahoma right-hander Kyson Witherspoon.

Right now, the Sooners are getting ready for the NCAA Tournament. He’s been brilliant for the Sooners, as he enters the tournament with a 10-3 record and a 2.47 ERA. He has 120 strikeouts and 20 walks in 91 innings. He’s allowed just six home runs and batters are hitting just .191 against him.

McDaniel has Witherspoon has his No. 10 overall prospect and indicated that Toronto could go several different directions with the selection. The young right-hander also has an ace in the hole when it comes to projection — his coaching at OU.

Oklahoma is coached by Skip Johnson, who is considered one of the best pitching coaches in the country. While he’s the head coach for the Sooners, before that he was the pitching coach at the University of Texas.

One of his most recent proteges, Cade Horton, just made his Major League debut with the Chicago Cubs after he was a first-round pick in 2022.  

The Blue Jays selected Yesavage with their first-round pick in 2025. The right-hander has blown away hitters all season, after starting his professional career at Class-A Dunedin.

Toronto’s 2023 first-round pick, shortstop Arjun Nimmala, is already in Vancouver. The prep star from Strawberry Crest in Dover, Fla., is not yet 20 years old but he is considered the Blue Jays’ top overall prospect.

The Blue Jays went with pitching in back-to-back years before that. In 2022 Toronto selected left-hander Brandon Barriera out of American Heritage School in Plantation, Fla. In 2021, the Blue Jays selected right-hander Gunnar Hoglund out of Ole Miss.

In 2020 Toronto had the No. 5 overall pick, its first Top 10 pick since 2014, and selected shortstop Austin Martin out of Vanderbilt. He is now with the Minnesota Twins.

The 2025 MLB draft will be held Sunday and Monday, July 13-14, during All-Star Weekend in Atlanta.