Toronto’s next crop of infield talent may be about more than smooth defense and steady bats. Ryan Cooney and Josh Kasevich are drawing attention not just for what they might do on the field, but for the way they carry themselves around a clubhouse, according to their University of Oregon coach, Mark Wasikowski.
Wasikowski, who coached both players at Oregon, pointed to their work habits, leadership and aggressive approach as traits that separated them from the pack. When Eli Fishman of MLB.com recently spoke with him, Wasikowski said their intensity was “really comparable and almost identical”. He also believes those qualities could make an impression on the Blue Jays long before either player becomes a full-time fixture.
“The Blue Jays got great players, but they got two really good coaches (in Cooney and Kasevich). They’re going to have a positive impact on everyone in that locker room. They understand the game, they get it, they’re smart, they’re not going to be out-prepared,” said Wasikowski.
Kasevich is the more advanced of the two, and his 2026 season with Triple-A Buffalo gave the Blue Jays plenty to like. The 25-year-old, taken in the second round of the 2022 MLB Draft, hit .282 with a .727 OPS across 130 games.
He scored 77 runs and added 23 doubles, three triples, four home runs, 47 RBIs and eight stolen bases. He also posted a near even walk-to-strikeout ratio, production that helped him earn the Bisons’ 2026 MVP award.
Cooney’s path is earlier, but he’s already started his pro journey. The Blue Jays grabbed him in the third round of the 2026 MLB Draft, and the 21-year-old made his debut with Single-A Dunedin soon after.
In 23 games, he put up a .618 OPS with 11 runs, two home runs, 10 RBIs and three stolen bases. He’ll need time to adjust to pro pitching and the daily grind of the minors, but the kind of focused mindset Wasikowski described should help him settle in.
Kasevich could reach Toronto’s majors at some point in 2027, while Cooney is still viewed as a few years away. Even so, both infielders give Blue Jays fans something to track closely, because their value may end up stretching beyond the stat line.
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