As the defending American League champions, the Toronto Blue Jays have spent big to stay on top, committing roughly $337 million in free‑agent contracts this winter. Even after that spending spree, their long‑term outfield picture still raises questions that money alone may not solve.
While the Blue Jays’ outfield configuration for 2026 remains murky, one MLB analyst expects the organization to address center field in the upcoming 2026 MLB draft. In a new 2026 mock draft, Toronto is projected to use its only first‑round selection on an impact prep outfielder rather than pitching or infield help.
Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter has the Blue Jays selecting Trevor Condon, the top‑ranked high school player in Georgia and one of the best center field prospects in the class, with the 39th overall pick. That choice comes in Competitive Balance Round A after Toronto’s first pick was pushed back 10 spots for exceeding the luxury‑tax threshold.
Condon, a Tennessee commit and younger brother of 2024 No. 3 overall pick and Colorado Rockies prospect Charlie Condon, is described by Baseball America as “an athletic center fielder with a hair‑on‑fire playstyle and a unique swing that looks like it’s from another era.” MLB Pipeline gives him plus grades for his speed and defense, projecting that he can stay in center as he climbs the ladder.
Condon Committed to Tennessee
The 39th pick is considered a first-rounder, even though it falls in the Competitive Balance Round A. The two Competitive Balance rounds are designed to give extra draft picks to the bottom 10 revenue teams. But they are also where teams who spent more on payroll than the top luxury tax threshold are generally consigned.
The Blue Jays, along with the New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, and Los Angeles Dodgers were all penalized for exceeding the threshold by having their first-round picks pushed back 10 places. For the Blue Jays, that means the 29th pick that they would normally have obtained became the 39th pick.
Condon, a center fielder, is ranked as the 32nd overall draft prospect by MLB Pipeline.
A senior at Etowah High School in Woodstock, Georgia, Condon in November signed a commitment letter to play college baseball at Tennessee, which may explain why he is projected to fall to the Competitive Balance Round of the draft on Day 1.
Prospect Grade of 9/10 From Top Evaluation Site
In addition to receiving the No. 1 ranking in his state among high school baseball players in the class of 2026, Condon receives a grade of 9 out of 10 from the site Perfect Game — meaning he is projected as a top Division I college prospect, or an MLB draft pick in the top 10 rounds. The draft currently has 20 rounds in total.
In its scouting report on Condon, MLB Pipeline echoes the Baseball America description of Condon’s “hair on fire” playing style, saying that the Georgia teenager plays “with constant intensity as he tries to make things happen on the bases and runs down balls in the gaps.”
Pipeline projects that Condon has the tools to remain a center fielder as he moves up in levels, to Division I college ball or the professional ranks. In addition to his speed and flaming-haired intensity, Condon comes “with the added bonus of solid arm strength,” according to the MLB Pipeline evaluation.
Condon has already been named to the 2026 preseason All-State Georgia team — along with Etowah teammates Matthew Sharman, a first baseman, and outfielder Deion Cole, according to the high school sports site MaxPreps.
Blue Jays Mock Has Team Drafting ‘Hair on Fire’ CF to Anchor Future Outfield