2026 Bluebird Banter Top 40 Prospects: 32-29

DUNEDIN—The Blue Jays’ next wave of minor-league talent comes into sharper focus as Bluebird Banter continues its countdown, unveiling prospects 32 through 29 in the 2026 Top 40 rankings. The quartet—right-handers Yeuni Rojas and Jacob Cooke, infielder/outfielder Ryley Shaw, and catcher Gabriel Duran—offers a blend of proximity to the majors, positional versatility, and upside that could soon impact the big-league club.

Rojas, 22, headlines the group at No. 32. Signed out of Venezuela in 2021, the 5-foot-10 reliever spent three seasons trying to crack the rotation before a full-time move to the bullpen unlocked his best traits. After a rocky 2024 at Single-A in which he fanned 29 percent of hitters but walked 13 percent and posted a 4.36 ERA, Rojas found his rhythm last summer. Promoted to High-A Vancouver, he whiffed 36 in 23⅔ innings while trimming his walk rate to 2.3 per nine, earning a late-season look at Double-A New Hampshire. Though his strikeouts dipped to 22 percent against Eastern League hitters, a 12.5 percent swinging-strike rate underscored the quality of his mid-90s heater that touches 98 mph. A potentially plus slider, usable cutter and changeup give him the repertoire depth of a middle-relief option, and having already succeeded two rungs from Toronto, Rojas could join the 40-man conversation in 2026.

British Columbia’s own Ryley Shaw checks in at No. 31. The Victoria native parlayed a ninth-round 2023 selection into a breakout 2025 campaign, slashing .253/.383/.418 at Single-A—29 percent above Florida State League average—before a late cameo with Vancouver. Shaw’s offensive game is built on elite bat-to-ball skills: an 83 percent contact rate and 16 percent walk rate reflect a discerning eye that occasionally borders on passivity. Exit velocities top out at 107 mph, limiting raw power, yet a pull-heavy fly-ball approach produced a 43 percent hard-hit rate and hints at 15-homer upside. Defensively, his below-average arm and speed restrict him to second base or left field, but the Jays believe his hit tool can carry him to a Davis Schneider-style utility role.

Right-hander Jacob Cooke, ranked 30th, is the wild card. The 2021 10th-rounder from Louisiana-Lafayette dominated three levels in 2023, striking out 80 in 44⅓ relief innings and reaching Buffalo before elbow trouble surfaced. A 30:28 K:BB in 31⅔ frames last year preceded January Tommy John surgery; he now slides down a deeper list only because evaluators lack fresh data. If the pre-injury stuff returns—an explosive, flat-plane fastball and a sweepy low-80s slider that both grade plus—Cooke profiles as a late-inning setup option with fringe-average command.

Finally, No. 29 Gabriel Duran gives Toronto a reliable catching safety net. Acquired in the 2022 Anthony Bass deal, the 24-year-old reached High-A in 2025 on the strength of plus receiving, blocking and arm strength that should neutralize running games once his accuracy improves. Offensively, well-below-average raw power and a 50 percent ground-ball rate cap his ceiling, yet above-average contact rates and plate discipline project to playable on-base marks. The profile lacks star power, but durable backup catchers with 10-year careers are built exactly this way.

With Rojas and Cooke knocking on the door of Triple-A and Shaw and Duran polishing their finishing touches, the Jays’ depth chart beyond the 26-man roster continues to solidify.