Anaheim’s Tyler Bremner, selected second overall in last year’s draft despite lacking the overpowering velocity of some contemporaries, may be helping reshape how clubs value polish and elite secondary offerings.
The Blue Jays, along with the Dodgers, Yankees, Phillies, and Mets, were forced to enforce a 10-pick penalty in the upcoming MLB draft taking place July 11th-13th. This is due to their payroll exceeding the Competitive Balance Tax (CBT) threshold of 244 million. Given their initial placement at the back end of the draft order, right in front of the World Series Champion Dodgers, this pushes the Jays to pick number 39, in effect, the beginning of round two.
That just might be around the time when an overlooked gem and an ace in the hole could be available. The ace being DeCaro, who has repeatedly shown he can deliver in big moments. If the draft plays out as projected, the North Carolina stud just might still be on the board.
At just 20 years of age, he is a full year younger than most of his junior classmates, but UNC coach Scott Forbes sees DeCaro as ready, and polished beyond his years:
“He’s a special kid, ultra competitive,” Forbes said of DeCaro. “Here’s a kid that gave up his senior year in high school and trusted us. We thought doing that would give us a better chance to get him here, and little did we know that he would get even more draft attention because he pitched so well.”
All eyes will be on DeCaro as North Carolina heads to Omaha. Another dominant outing on college baseball’s biggest stage could send his draft stock soaring and potentially push him out of Toronto’s range altogether.
Yet if the industry continues to prioritize velocity over polish, command, and performance, the Blue Jays could find themselves staring at one of the biggest steals of the 2026 MLB Draft when they step to the podium at No. 39.
