Talented prospects are saved as Blue Jays avoid losing any players in Rule 5 draft

The Toronto Blue Jays didn't lose a single player in the MLB Rule 5 Draft, which is good news considering the prospects that were at risk of being selected.

Toronto left three of its top 12 prospects unprotected for the draft, but all three players slipped by unselected. Josh Kasevich, Victor Arias and Yohendrick Pinango — the Blue Jays' number 12, number 9, and number 7 ranked prospects according to MLB Pipeline — will be staying in the organization for now.

Blue Jays prospects Pinango and Kasevich weren't selected in Rule 5 Draft

Fans may be breathing a sigh of relief, especially when it comes to Pinango and Kasevich. As far as MLB Pipeline is concerned, Pinango is the Blue Jays' highest ranked outfield prospect and Kasevich is the highest infield prospect behind only JoJo Parker and Arjun Nimmala. Kasevich is a shortstop too, which could be important if Bo Bichette leaves via free agency.

Kasevich dealt with injuries for most of 2025, playing in just 42 games, 29 of which were in Triple A. He did play in the Arizona Fall League, where he hit .255/.419/.255 in 17 games. Highly touted for his defense, MLB Pipeline calls Kasevich an "extremely intelligent young prospect." He doesn't hit with much power, but the Blue Jays believe he can be an efficient contact hitter.

Kasevich played in the AFL with catcher Edward Duran, who is the Blue Jays' 13th-ranked prospect and another player who was left unprotected for the Rule 5 Draft. Duran split 2025 between Low-A and High-A, hitting .275/.362/.405 and posting a .767 OPS in 100 games. He's shown improvement both behind the plate and at it, according to Baseball Savant.

There has been a lot of talk about Pinango as well. Many insiders saw Pinango being selected in the Rule 5 Draft, given his ability to produce at the plate. He made it to AAA in 2025, joining the Buffalo Bisons in June, less than a year after being acquired by the Blue Jays. Altogether, Pinango hit .258/.361/.430 with 15 home runs in 131 games between Double-A New Hampshire and Buffalo.

The Blue Jays currently have a surplus of outfielders at the major-league level, which gives Pinango time to develop more in Buffalo. He's seen as a corner outfielder who is a below average defender and runner, but if Pinango hits, he'll find a spot on a MLB roster. Especially if he continues to hit with power.

Arias also split his season between two minor league levels. Starting with High-A Vancouver, Arias hit .294/.381/.437 and posted an .818 OPS. His performance earned him team MVP honors. Arias jumped to Double A with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, where he struggled, hitting just .226 in 36 games. MLB Pipeline is high on Arias, calling him one of the better defensive outfielders and sporting an impressive walk rate. But his bat needs to succeed against tougher pitching.

The Blue Jays did add players to the organization during the draft. Toronto selected right-handed pitcher Spencer Miles from the San Francisco Giants. The team also took two players from the AAA phase of the draft, OF Hedbert Perez (from the Milwaukee Brewers) and RHP Travis Kuhn from the Detroit Tigers.

For any organization to have long-term success, it is essential to have young talent flowing through the farm system. It is the most efficient way to replenish a baseball roster, so it is important to keep as much talent in house as possible.