The Toronto Blue Jays selected Tennessee baseball transfer commit Jake McCoy with the 552nd overall pick (18th round) in the 2026 MLB Draft on Sunday afternoon.
A left-handed pitcher, McCoy committed to Tennessee out of the transfer portal last month after missing the entirety of his junior season after undergoing Tommy John surgery over the winter. The surgery cost McCoy, who was in line to be South Carolina’s ace, the entirety of his junior season.
The Fort Mills, South Carolina native started 14 games for the Gamecocks as a sophomore in 2025 posting a 4-5 record, 6.90 ERA and 1.70 WHIP in 60 innings pitched. Free passes were a major concern for McCoy as he walked 40 batters and hit 17 others. However, his stuff has flashed as he’s struck out 97 batters in 76 career innings pitched.
McCoy mostly came out of the South Carolina bullpen as a freshman, posting a 7.88 ERA in 16 innings pitched.
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While McCoy’s numbers have been lackluster in his college career to date, the lefty boasts an upper-90s fastball that gives him a high ceiling and made him a draft prospect.
If McCoy makes it to Tennessee, he will have a chance to compete for a weekend starting spot. The Vols return weekend starter Landon Mack while rising sophomore Cam Appenzeller is slated to slide into one of the starting spots. But the third weekend starting spot remains up for grabs.
Tennessee has landed five pitchers in the transfer portal this offseason including McCoy, UC Irvine left-handed pitcher Ricky Ojeda, Louisville right-handed pitcher Parker Detmers, Clemson right-handed pitcher Hayden Simmerson and Northwestern State LHP Brody Trosclair.
McCoy is the first incoming Tennessee transfer to be selected in the MLB Draft while Wright State outfielder Andrew Duncan and Ojeda are both draft risks as well.
