Blue Jays Hope Patience is Rewarded After Latest MLB Mock Draft for 2026

The Toronto Blue Jays are going to have to wait a while before they make their first-round pick in the 2026 MLB draft.

The Toronto Blue Jays logo. | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

There’s a good reason why the Toronto Blue Jays must wait until No. 39 overall to make their first pick of the 2026 MLB draft.

Based on their finish last season, the Blue Jays would normally draft No. 29 overall. But, because the Blue Jays exceeded the second competitive balance tax threshold in salary last year, their first pick was pushed back to No. 39. They'll have the second-longest wait to make a pick, in front of only the Los Angeles Dodgers, who make their first pick at No. 40.

Toronto probably won’t land on another Trey Yesavage. The 2024 first-round pick rocketed through the organization in his first pro season in 2025, culminating with a September call-up to the Majors and helping Toronto reach the World Series.

Who Toronto Could Take No. 39 Overall

A Toronto Blue Jays hat. | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Baseball America (subscription required) recently published its second mock draft of the 2026 MLB draft cycle. Naturally, it’s hard to pin down what that selection could be. The site projected Toronto could end up with prep outfielder Trevor Condon, who plays for Etowah High School in Woodstock, Ga. If that’s the pick, it would be Toronto’s second straight prep first-rounder from the southern United States.

The site compared Condon to Slater De Brun, Slade Caldwell and Kendall George. All were selected No. 29 overall or later. Condon also compares to the trio for another reason.

“Every draft seems to have its undersized but speedy and contact-oriented high school center fielder,” the scouts wrote.

The expectation is that Condon would need several years to develop before he would be helpful to the Blue Jays.

The Blue Jays have used their first-round picks in various ways since 2020. That selection, shortstop Austin Martin out of Vanderbilt, was traded in 2021 to Minnesota to acquire pitcher José Berríos. Martin made his MLB debut in 2024. In 2021, Toronto selected Ole Miss pitcher Gunnar Hoglund in the first round. He was dealt to the Athletics in 2022 to acquire Matt Chapman. Hoglund later made his MLB debut with the Athletics.

In 2022 Toronto selected left-hander Brandon Barriera out of Plantation, Fla. He required Tommy John surgery in 2024 and is working his way through the organization. Toronto selected another Florida prep star, shortstop Arjun Nimmala, in the first round in 2023 and started this season at High-A Vancouver.

No one is expecting last year’s first-round pick, shortstop JoJo Parker, to emulate what Yesavage did. The Mississippi prep star began his pro career this month with Class-A Dunedin.