SAN DIEGO — Toronto Blue Jays players and coaches sat in the Petco Park road clubhouse on Saturday, watching the opening picks of the 2026 MLB Draft.They had to wait a while for Toronto’s top selection at No. 39, but the wait was worth it. As a video of the Jays’ top selection, 6-foot-5 college lefty Cole Carlon, played, the big leaguers were impressed.“All the guys in there were like, ‘Oh yeah, that’ll do,’” manager John Schneider said.Toronto’s rotation is about to undergo some serious change after a half-decade of stability. Chris Bassitt already left in free agency, José Berríos will be injured for a while and Kevin Gausman and Shane Bieber are set for the open market this winter. The Jays need a new stable of starting options to join Dylan Cease, Trey Yesavage and potentially Spencer Miles. Carlon and mid-minors prospects Nolan Perry and Johnny King represent the organization’s best shot at backfilling.Not everyone is Yesavage, skyrocketing up a system to join a big-league rotation in a matter of months. That’s not how the MLB Draft works. But with Carlon and his “now stuff,” as amateur scouting director Marc Tramuta called it, the Jays hope they have another young rotation piece to build around.The Jays didn’t think Carlon would fall to them, Tramuta said. He was The Athletic’s Keith Law’s 15th-ranked player ahead of the draft, flashing a high-whiff slider and mid-90s fastball. The Jays, Tramuta said, like his change-up too. If that third pitch clicks, Carlon has a clear path to an MLB rotation and could become the jewel of Toronto’s 2026 draft.“That was the guy on the board for us,” Tramuta said. “We’re very excited; I had him rated as a solid first-rounder. I did not think he was going to get out of the top 20, 25 players. Sometimes those things happen.”There are questions about whether Carlon remains a starter long-term, as he spent his first two seasons at Arizona State University in the bullpen and didn’t utilize his secondary pitches much. After transitioning to the rotation in 2026, though, the righty made 16 starts and struck out 133 batters in 83 2/3 innings. Worst case, Carlon could be a late-inning lefty with a 100 mph fastball and diving slider. The Jays, obviously, see him sticking in a starting role.“I know there will be some talk about starter versus reliever with him,” Tramuta said, “but I think he posted and answered a lot of those questions.”The Jays had just three picks in the first four rounds, losing a second-rounder due to the signing of Cease over the offseason. Their first-round pick was pushed back from 29 to 39 due to the height of their 2025 payroll and competitive balance tax restrictions.Their second selection, 103rd overall, was college infielder Ryan Cooney. Tramuta likened him to an “Ernie Clement clone,” with high contact and defensive versatility. While Cooney was announced as a shortstop, it sounds like he’s more likely to stick at second base.The Jays then selected Tennessee high school catcher Will Brick with the 131st overall pick. The top prep backstop, Brick was Law’s 32nd-ranked player pre-draft. The Jays, Tramuta said, believe Brick’s defence is “already in place” and think he’s a long-term catcher with more power than he’s flashed in games thus far.Toronto has had plenty of development success with the catching position in recent years, getting Alejandro Kirk, Brandon Valenzuela and Gabriel Moreno to MLB. Catcher, however, is actually a weak spot of the farm system right now, and Brick joins Aaron Parker and the recently acquired Ryan Sprock as backstops to dream on. While the 18-year-old is committed to Mississippi State for college, it sounds like the Jays are confident in signing him and converting him to professional baseball.Jul 12, 2026Connections: Sports EditionSpot the pattern. Connect the termsFind the hidden link between sports terms