Potential Blue Jays targets with No. 8 pick in 2025 MLB Draft

With their farm system trending upward in 2025, the Toronto Blue Jays have a chance to add another cornerstone piece with the eighth-overall pick in Sunday’s MLB Draft.

Toronto’s last two first-rounders — Arjun Nimmala and Trey Yesavage — have firmly secured their place among baseball’s most exciting prospects, a group the Blue Jays will hope to bolster as they look to select in the top 10 for the first time since 2020.

It’s a position the organization has rarely found itself in this century, having drafted fifth in 2020, ninth in 2014, 10th in 2013 and sixth in 2005.

In the lead-up to this year’s draft, Toronto has been frequently linked to high school shortstops and college pitchers, two of the class’s strongest demographics. But with no clear consensus beyond the first few picks, the draft board could break in several directions before the Blue Jays are on the clock.

Given the uncertainty ahead of them, here are some players who could be available when the Blue Jays select eighth.

Jamie Arnold
Position: LHP
Height: Six-foot-one | Weight: 188 lbs
2025 Stats: 15 GS | 84.2 IP | 8 W | 2.98 ERA | 119 SO | 27 BB | 1.06 WHIP | .208 BAA

After entering the college season as a potential 1.1 draft candidate, Jamie Arnold backed up his breakout sophomore campaign with a second straight solid year at Florida State. He got hit a little more often in 2025, contributing to a slide down some boards.

Using a deceptive low-three-quarters arm slot that drew comparisons to Cy Young winner Chris Sale, the 21-year-old southpaw mainly relied on a fastball-slider combo in 2025, while also mixing in a changeup more often as a potential third offering to keep hitters off his heater.

Arnold sat 92 to 95 m.p.h. with his fastball for the Seminoles, occasionally touching 98 with heavy armside run that helped generate ground balls at a 52.2 per cent rate during his college career. It’s his slider, however, that grades out as his best pitch. It earned a 65 from MLB Pipeline on the 20-80 scale, thanks to Arnold’s command of the offering and the slider’s ability to generate swing-and-miss.

Kyson Witherspoon
Position: RHP
Height: Six-foot-two | Weight: 206 lbs
2025 Stats: 16 GS | 95.0 IP | 10 W | 2.65 ERA | 124 SO | 23 BB | 1.01 WHIP | .208 BAA

Ranked as the top college right-hander in this year’s class, Kyson Witherspoon transferred to Oklahoma out of a Florida Junior College in 2024 and broke out as a full-time starter with the Sooners in 2025.

Like Arnold, Witherspoon features a unique delivery — an unorthodox windup and short arm action — but operates with a deeper pitch mix. He pairs a mid-to-high 90s fastball with a slider, cutter, changeup and curveball, helping him finish sixth in Division I for strikeouts.

Perhaps most instrumental to Witherspoon’s success for Oklahoma in 2025 was an improved ability to pound the zone. The 20-year-old cut his walk rate nearly in half, dropping it from 11.2 per cent to 5.9 per cent year-over-year.

Witherspoon, who has been regularly mocked to land with the Blue Jays, and his twin brother, Malachi, hope to become just the 11th set of twins to play in MLB. Malachi also pitched at Oklahoma and is expected to be taken between the third and fifth rounds.

The Blue Jays have also been heavily tied to the trio of prep shortstops at the top of the class — Eli Willits, JoJo Parker and Billy Carlson. Each offers a unique blend of tools that have made them candidates to go in the top 10.

Willits, a switch-hitter who reclassified to become draft-eligible, is one of the youngest players in the class and ranked highest of the three. He profiles to be an impact talent on all sides of the ball and comes from a baseball background. His father, Reggie, played seven seasons for the Angels and is now an associate head coach at Oklahoma.

Carlson, meanwhile, is expected to go in the top 10 in large part because of his glove. A standout at powerhouse Corona High School in California, the six-foot-one Carlson showcased Gold Glove potential and a rocket arm. It’s not just the mitt that impressed evaluators, though, as Carlson flashed a solid hit tool, batting .365 with a .517 on-base percentage in 2025.

Mocked to be the Blue Jays’ pick at No. 8 by Baseball America on Wednesday, Parker’s carrying tool is his bat. The lefty swinger hit .489 with 13 home runs on his way to earning Gatorade Mississippi Baseball Player of the Year honours in 2025. While there are some questions about whether he can stick at shortstop, Parker’s ability to hit for power and average would give him a future at second or third base.

Ike Irish
Position: C/OF
Height: Six-foot-two | Weight: 201 lbs
2025 Stats: 55 G | .364 AVG | 19 HR | 58 RBI | 65 Runs | .469 OBP | .710 SLG

If the Blue Jays decide to target a college bat with their first-round pick, Auburn catcher/outfielder Ike Irish could be one of the top options at No. 8.

The left-handed hitting Irish spent most of his 2025 season playing right field for the Tigers, only catching in 12 games. There are some questions about whether his future is behind the plate or in the outfield; however, a strong arm will serve him well at either spot.

Regardless of his long-term position, Irish’s calling card is his bat. The 21-year-old posted an OPS north of .975 in each of his three seasons at Auburn, peaking at 1.179 in his junior year, as he showcased an ability to get on base at an elite level while hitting for power.

Tyler Bremner
Position: RHP
Height: Six-foot-two | Weight: 190 lbs
2025 Stats: 14 GS | 77.1 IP | 5 W | 3.49 ERA | 111 SO | 19 BB | 1.03 WHIP | .219 BAA

With no second-round pick due to the signing of Anthony Santander, the Blue Jays could look to go underslot at No. 8 to stretch their bonus pool later in the draft.

Tyler Bremner could be an option in this case, following his excellent season at UC Santa Barbara. Bremner ranked fourth among qualified Division I pitchers with a 29.7 K-BB percentage, using an arsenal headlined by his changeup — ranked as one of the best offerings in the class. He backed it with a mid-90s fastball and a developing slider.

Born to Canadian parents in San Diego, the six-foot-two righty told Canadian Baseball Network that he would like to pitch for Canada at the World Baseball Classic to honour his late mother.