The Dunedin Blue Jays welcomed 11 players from the Toronto Blue Jays' 2026 draft class to TD Ballpark beginning Tuesday, July 28, and two of them wasted no time getting on the field.
Third-round pick Ryan Cooney and seventh-round pick Dean West made their professional debuts that evening against the St. Lucie Mets in a 6:30 p.m. first pitch, according to the Dunedin Blue Jays' official account on X.
The wave of assignments, announced Monday, July 27, marks the largest single influx of draft talent to Dunedin since the organization's 2026 class signed. As we reported July 18, top pick Cole Carlon signed for $2.4 million but was expected to develop at the club's complex rather than pitch in games. These 11 players are game-ready.
Among the confirmed names: right-handers Reese Bassinger (undrafted free agent, West Virginia), Nolan Higgins (fifth round, Michigan State), Isaac Williams (undrafted free agent, Oklahoma), Landon Waters (17th round, Mississippi), and Gavin Seebold (undrafted free agent).
Cooney and West: the headliners
Cooney, a shortstop out of Oregon selected 103rd overall, batted .331 with 82 hits, 52 runs, 43 RBIs, and eight home runs in 60 games during his junior season, according to MLB.com's draft analysis. He walked 76 times against 78 strikeouts across his NCAA career and stole 28 bases on 34 attempts.
Blue Jays amateur scouting director Marc Tramuta told MLB.com in a July 12 post-draft analysis that he viewed Cooney as a polished contact hitter. "I kind of compared it to an Ernie Clement clone," Tramuta said. "He's a higher contact bat at second base."
West, an outfielder drafted 222nd overall out of UCLA, served as the Bruins' leadoff hitter in 2026. He batted .277 with a .418 on-base percentage, drawing 37 walks against just 33 strikeouts.
Mets' Clay Holmes made rehab start at TD Ballpark
Tuesday's game also featured New York Mets right-hander Clay Holmes on the mound for St. Lucie in a rehab start. Holmes fractured his right fibula on a comebacker May 15 and was placed on the 60-day injured list May 16. He had posted a 2.39 ERA over nine starts and 52 2/3 innings before the injury.
The outing was Holmes' second rehab appearance after striking out two over 2 1/3 innings at Triple-A Syracuse on Thursday, July 23. The Mets moved the start to Single-A St. Lucie due to weather concerns in the Northeast, according to MLB.com's injury report. Holmes struck out three over four scoreless innings Tuesday, per MLB.com.
The Dunedin Blue Jays continue their home series against the St. Lucie Mets at TD Ballpark.
