Toronto Blue Jays 2025 MLB Draft Day 1 Recap: A Prep Shortstop & Slap-Hitting Outfielder

[Brian Labude]

The 2025 MLB Draft kicked off on Sunday night, and the curveballs were being slung around often. All of the mock drafts and speculation were over; it was finally time to etch names into stone and for the players of the future to find out what fate awaited them. 

The Toronto Blue Jays began the night with only two picks on Sunday (Rounds 1-3), 8 and 81. They lost their second-round pick because of their offseason signing of Anthony Santander. The Athletic had a great piece that spoke about new Blue Jays Director of Amateur Scouting Marc Tramuta's draft philosophy and tendencies in relation to the 2025 draft. The overarching theme was up the middle, athletic position players and big, imposing pitchers that fill up the strike zone. 

Let's break down the picks and see who the Blue Jays selected and what they have to offer their farm system and, hopefully, one day, the major league team. 

JoJo Parker, 8th Overall Pick, SS, 18, Purvis HS (MS), 6’2”, 200 lbs, L/R
JoJo Parker comes to the draft out of Purvis High School in Mississippi. He had a dominant season with the bat and on the mound. He provided plenty of power (13 home runs) and speed on the basepaths (30 stolen bases), showing his potential dual-threat abilities. His ability to hit is also very good, with a batting average of .489 on the year. On the mound, he pitched 55.2 innings and struck out 89 hitters, but his future is in the batter's box and not toeing the rubber. 

MLB Pipeline has given Parker a hit grade of 60, a power grade of 55, a run grade of 50, a 55 grade on his arm, and a 50 fielding grade. The power should continue to improve as he continues to fill out and add more muscle. He has a real chance to develop into a 20-30 home run hitter, while hitting for a solid average. It sounds like he might have a move to third base in his future, but the Toronto Blue Jays will give him every opportunity to stick at shortstop. 

Parker will enter the Blue Jays organization with massive upside and expectations for him. He will need to maintain his plate discipline from high school if he is going to be able to reach those lofty heights. Some scouts think he will end up as a two-hole hitter with above-average to potentially plus power. 

Jake Cook, 81st Overall Pick, OF, 22, Southern Mississippi, 6’3”, 185 lbs, L/L
Jake Cook is the second draft pick of the night for the Toronto Blue Jays. He comes to the Blue Jays organization out of college at the University of Southern Mississippi. His calling card is his speed, double-plus by some reports and possibly the fastest player in the draft. Despite his speed, however, he did not utilize that talent on the basepaths at Southern Mississippi, with only six stolen bases in 64 career games. What he did well was his plate discipline and, more specifically, making contact. He had a 6.7% strikeout rate in his final season, adding to it a 10.9% walk rate. He slashed .350/.436/.905, while adding three home runs, three triples, and 13 doubles. 

MLB Pipeline gives Cook only a 30 grade for power, a 55 grade for hit tool, and an 80 grade for speed. He has a slap-hitter's approach and puts the ball on the ground a lot. He stands 6-foot-3, but only 185 pounds, giving him a lot of room to add muscle and fill out. At 22 years old, it remains to be seen how much he will be able to add. His speed should give him a great opportunity to stick at center field.

Cook will need to work a lot on his base-stealing acumen. It's his best tool and the one that will ultimately decide how far he will be able to get in his career. His speed and defense will give him a solid floor as a fourth outfielder, while his hit tool will be the deciding factor as to what his ceiling will be. An MLB regular center fielder, stealing 50 or more bags, and hitting .250 would be great, but there is a ton of development needed to reach those lofty aspirations. 

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How do you think the Blue Jays fared on Day One of the draft? Let us know in the comments!

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