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An early look at which players the Blue Jays can select with their eighth overall pick

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In July, the Toronto Blue Jays will have their highest draft pick since they selected Austin Martin fifth overall in the 2020 draft.

While the player drafted by the Blue Jays with this pick will improve their farm system drastically, they’ll have to make it count as they forfeited their second-round pick with the signing of Anthony Santander.

 

With that being said, let’s take a look at a handful of draft-eligible prospects the Jays could pick with the eighth overall pick.

Tyler Bremner

Last draft, the Blue Jays selected Trey Yesavage with the 20th overall pick, a right-handed pitcher who spent three seasons at East Carolina University. If they decide to go back to the well of collegiate starters, Tyler Bremner may be the best available player.

As it stands, the 20-year-old ranks as MLB Pipeline’s fourth-best eligible draft prospect. The right-handed pitcher features a 65-grade fastball that sits in the mid-90s but touches 98 mph with ride. His changeup is just as good, if not better, as it generates a ton of whiffs with late fade. Bremner’s slider is also considered above average, as his control. All in all, his overall grade sits at 60.

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Bremner has made two starts this season, giving up three earned runs in six innings pitched for a 4.50 ERA, striking out eight batters for a 33.3 K%. In 2024, he had a 2.54 ERA in 88.2 innings pitched.

Kayson Cunningham

Taking a shortstop with your first overall pick is never a bad idea, look at how the Blue Jays selected Arjun Nimmala with the 20th overall pick in the 2023 draft. The best prep shortstop (aside from Ethan Holliday) in the 2025 draft is Kayson Cunningham.

His MLB Pipeline profile has everything the Blue Jays love. Standing at 5’9”, 170 lbs, the shortstop barrels the ball well and may hit double-digit home runs. However, his best tool is his hit tool, lauded for a strong approach at the plate and the ability to hit balls all over the zone. Cunningham is also a strong runner and will stick at shortstop.

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He is committed to Texas and will be 19 years old on draft day.

Aiva Arquette

If the Blue Jays decide to draft a college bat, something they haven’t done since 2020, Aiva Arquette may be the player to select. A second baseman, he’s put together a couple of strong seasons with Oregon State.

Ranking as MLB Pipeline’s seventh-best draft prospect, he’s a well-balanced player with average tools or higher across the board. Standing at 6’5”, 220 lbs, the 21-year-old is athletic with “easy raw power” with projection remaining. There’s also the potential to be an above-average hitter with some experience playing shortstop.

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So far with Oregon State, his first season with the school, he’s slashing .476/.621/.857 with two home runs in 29 plate appearances with more walks than strikeouts. If you want a larger sample size, Arquette played with the University of Washington in 2023 where he slashed .325/.384/.574 with 12 home runs in 229 plate appearances.

Xavier Neyens

Of any player the Blue Jays could select with the eighth overall pick, Xavier Neyes has the most pop. An 18-year-old, Neyens may be the best third baseman available in the draft.

Neyens ranks as MLB Pipeline’s eighth-best prospect in the upcoming draft and is one of just three prospects with a 65 power tool – Holliday and Jace LaViolette (ranked first and second) are the other two. A lefty swinger, Neyens has plus raw power to all fields with a good approach at the plate, although there is some swing and miss. Standing at 6’4”, 200 lbs, Neyens has a strong arm that fits perfectly at third base.

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Ironically, he’s committed to Arquette’s college, Oregon State. However, he’ll likely be picked within the first 10 picks.

Kruz Schoolcraft

Kruz Schoolcraft is a two-way high schooler who may be successful at either first base or as a left-handed pitcher.

Ranking as MLB Pipeline’s ninth-best draft prospect, the 6’8”, 229 lb Schoolcraft may end up going down the pitching pathway. His fastball reaches as high as 97 mph and with his size, it could reach even higher. The fastball doesn’t have a lot of movement, but his slider is a plus secondary while he has a good feel for his changeup. In the field, he’s a first baseman who could be an above-average hitter and has some pop, with solid defence at the position.

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Scouts like Schoolcraft on the mound more and he’s committed to the University of Tennessee.

Brendan Summerhill

Ending with an outfielder, the last time the Blue Jays drafted a pure outfielder with their first-round pick was all the way back in 2012, when they selected prep outfielder D.J. Davis 17th overall. The last time they picked a collegiate outfielder with their first-round pick was in 2001, with only one other time (1992) they picked a collegiate outfielder with their first-round pick. Perhaps Brendan Summerhill could be the next outfielder they pick with their first-round pick.

Summerhill ranks as MLB Pipeline’s 10th-best draft prospect, with mainly above-average grades for all his tools, except for power. The left-handed batting outfielder has a good approach and eye at the plate and could do a better job of tapping into his power (graded as 50). Defensively, he’s played all three outfield spots with a strong arm and good speed.

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So far this season with the University of Arizona, Summerhill is slashing .292/.393/.500 with one home run in 28 plate appearances. A large sample size came last season, where he slashed .324/.399/.550 with eight home runs (and six triples) in 279 plate appearances.

As always, you can follow me on Bluesky @ryleydelaney.bsky.social. 

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