The Blue Jays used the fourth round of the 2026 MLB draft to add one of the most polished prep catchers in the class, taking Will Brick at No. 131 overall out of Christian Brothers High School in Tennessee.
Brick, 18, was listed by MLB Pipeline as the 46th-best prospect on its board before the draft, and he had already been connected to Toronto in pre-draft chatter. He was also widely viewed as the top high school catching prospect available, which makes this look like the kind of pick that could pay off well beyond where he came off the board.
At six-foot-two and 195 pounds, Brick brings a right-handed bat and a reputation built first on what he does behind the plate. He has above-average arm strength, posted a sub-1.9 second pop time, and has shown he can throw out runners from his knees. He was named Gatorade’s Tennessee high school player of the year, and his work with the U.S. 18-and-under team only added to the buzz around his defensive profile.
Scouts were also impressed with how he moves behind the plate. The expectation is that he can grow into a plus receiver and blocker, and the fact that he handled elite pitching during that U.S. 18-and-under run stood out as well.
His offense brings more intrigue. Brick is said to have plus raw power and can really drive balls in batting practice, but in games he’s been more of a line-drive hitter. He gets the bat to the ball quickly thanks to a short path to the plate, though a passive approach at the plate pushed him down some draft boards.
For Toronto, the pick comes at a time when the organization suddenly looks deeper at catcher than it did not long ago. After Brandon Valenzuela moved up to the big leagues, the system appeared thin at the position. That has changed some this season.
Giaconino Lasaracina, an international free-agent signing from Italy before the World Baseball Classic, has made a fast impression in his first year in the United States. Across the FCL Blue Jays and Single-A Dunedin, he has hit .330 with eight home runs and a 1.082 OPS in 24 games.
Juan Caricote has also put together a strong showing in the Dominican Summer League, where he is hitting .310 with a .386 OBP and a .342 BABIP.
The Blue Jays added another catcher recently too, acquiring Ryan Sprock from the Twins in the deal that sent reliever Tommy Nance to Minnesota. Sprock, 21, has hit .297/.427/.428 in 67 games with five home runs, a 17.4% walk rate and an 11.5% strikeout rate.
Brick is committed to Mississippi State, which may have helped keep him on the board longer than some expected. If he signs, he’ll join a catching group that suddenly has a lot more going on than it did a short time ago.
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