The Toronto Blue Jays opened Oregon’s 2026 MLB Draft watch by taking second baseman Ryan Cooney with the No. 103 overall pick in the third round, making him the first Duck off the board. Cooney is headed to join another former Oregon shortstop, Josh Kasevich, in Toronto’s farm system.
For Oregon, the pick is another reminder of how much talent has flowed out of Mark Wasikowski’s program. The Ducks already saw five players selected in the 2025 draft: outfielder Mason Neville, right-handed pitcher Jason Reitz, left-handed pitcher Grayson Grinsell, first baseman Jacob Walsh, and catcher Anson Aroz.
Cooney still has a decision to make. As a junior, he has college eligibility left and has until July 27 to decide whether he’ll return to Eugene. After Oregon reached the Super Regional for the third time in the last four seasons, Ducks fans are hoping he gives it one more run and helps push the program to its first College World Series since 1954.
That hope makes sense after the season Cooney just put together. In 60 games, he hit .331 with 82 hits, 52 runs, 43 RBIs, and eight home runs. He was one of the central pieces of Oregon’s lineup over his three seasons with the program, and this year he took a clear step forward.
Cooney also earned a spot on the Eugene Regional All-Tournament team. Oregon hosted a regional at PK Park for the second straight year, and this time the Ducks delivered a far stronger showing than they had in the 2025 Eugene Regional.
They rolled through Yale, Washington State, and Oregon State, outscoring those three opponents 22-3 before the season ended in two games against Texas in the Austin Super Regional. Oregon finished 43-18 overall and 20-10 in Big Ten play.
Cooney may not be the only Oregon name called in this draft. Right-handed pitcher Cal Scolari and shortstop Maddox Molony are also expected to be selected, and both have until July 27 to decide whether to return to Oregon or give up their remaining eligibility.
Scolari was one of Oregon’s top arms this season alongside Will Sanford and Miles Gosztola, posting 85 strikeouts, a 3.32 ERA, and a 5-1 record. Molony was one of the Ducks’ key bats as well, finishing the 2026 season with a .233 average, 51 hits, 44 runs, and 12 home runs.
If Cooney, Molony, and Scolari all come back to Eugene, Oregon’s lineup and pitching staff would get a major boost in its push to reach Omaha.
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Maddox Molony Just Put Oregon's Omaha Hopes In Limbo
Oregons infield picture got a lot more complicated when shortstop Maddox Molony came off the board in the 2026 MLB Draft, landing with the Detroit Tigers in the sixth round at No. 187 overall. Molony still has a year of college eligibility left, which keeps the Ducks in the conversation for one more run, but it also puts him in the middle of the familiar summer tug-of-war between a pro opportunity and a return to Eugene.
The timing matters because Oregon did not lose just one name on draft day. Second baseman Ryan Cooney went to the Blue Jays, commit Andruw Giles was taken by the Pirates, and pitcher Cal Scolari went to the White Sox, leaving the Ducks to sort through multiple draft decisions at once. Molonys choice will loom largest because of what he means to the lineup and because his path could help shape whether Oregons Omaha push stays intact or starts to thin before it even gets going. [Read more 🡒]
Why Koi Perich Could Change Oregon In More Ways Than One
Koi Perich arrives in Eugene with the kind of profile Oregon can use in more than one phase of the game. The former Minnesota safety is expected to matter on defense and on special teams, bringing a blend of vertical athleticism and ball disruption that should fit neatly into the Ducks plans. His ability to affect field position is part of the appeal, too, after showing real value as a returner.
Perichs college tape already points to a player who can change the feel of a game without needing a full workload to do it. He has been productive as a playmaker in the secondary and has also handled punt and kickoff returns, giving Oregon a versatile piece with a chance to influence games in ways that go beyond the usual safety responsibilities. The bigger question now is how quickly those traits translate once he gets fully plugged into the Ducks system. [Read more 🡒]