Blue Jays: History of the 292nd overall pick in the MLB Draft

In the tenth round of the 2025 MLB draft, the Toronto Blue Jays will pick 292nd overall.

Although they’ve never picked 292nd in their franchise history, they have found success with 10th-rounders in the past. The most notable is Yan Gomes, who accumulated 18.5 bWAR in over 1,000 games. Ryan Freel is another notable player selected in the 10th round, accumulating 8.8 bWAR in his 594 games.

There are three active players selected by the Toronto Blue Jays. Jordan Romano is easily the most notable, accumulating 7.1 bWAR, while Cal Stevenson and Kirby Snead each have a bWAR below 0. Josh Phelps and Danny Farquhar are the two other notable 10th-round picks made by the Jays.

The Jays may have never drafted 292nd overall, but one player picked from that spot has played on their team, and it was somewhat recent (relatively). Let’s take a look at the history of the 292nd overall pick. If you missed the last article, we looked at the 262nd overall selection.

Notable players selected 292nd overall

Of the 13 players selected 292nd overall who’ve made the big leagues, no player has more bWAR than Travis Shaw. If Shaw’s name sounds familiar, the infielder played the 2020 season with the Blue Jays, where he slashed .239/.306/.411 with six home runs in 180 plate appearances. That feels like a lifetime ago.

Shaw’s most productive seasons came in 2017 and 2018, slashing .258/.347/.497 with 63 home runs in 1,193 plate appearances for a 120 wRC+ in those two seasons. After the Jays, Shaw returned to the Milwaukee Brewers, the team where he had those two successful seasons before struggling in 2019. After 202 plate appearances batting under the Mendoza line with the Brewers, he was designated for assignment and claimed off waivers by the Boston Red Sox, the team that drafted him in 2011 (and 2008).

For his career, Shaw slashed .237/.319/.437 with 114 home runs in 2,690 plate appearances, accumulating 8.5 bWAR, the most for any player selected 292nd overall.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, the player with the least amount of bWAR after being selected 292nd overall is Marty Brown. The 1985 draft pick only played 35 MLB games but had a lengthy career as a manager in Japan and the minor leagues. One of his stints was with the Blue Jays Triple-A team from 2011 until the end of 2013.

There’s only one World Series winner selected 292nd overall, and he’s an active player. Christian Vázquez was selected in the 2008 draft by the Boston Red Sox and won a World Series with them in 2018, as well as with the Houston Astros in 2022. Now with the Minnesota Twins, Vázquez is slashing .250/.298/.368 with 70 home runs in 3,455 plate appearances in his career. The catcher’s 6.3 bWAR is the second-most out of the 292nd selection.

The Red Sox have selected 292nd overall three times, and the other player has the fourth-most bWAR from the selection. Phil Plantier was selected in the 1987 draft and finished with 2.3 bWAR in his 610-game career. George Frazier, who the Texas Rangers selected in the 1972 draft, didn’t sign with them and posted 2.9 bWAR in his career.

Along with Vázquez, Cade Gibson is the only other player selected 292nd overall who pitched in the big leagues. He was the Miami Marlins’ 2022 pick in the 10th round and has a 2.67 ERA and a 3.76 FIP in 27 innings pitched this season.

Other active players picked 292nd overall are Ryan Nicholson (2024), Kayshawn Askew (2021), and Jake Holton (2019).

Joe McIntosh (1973), Michael Stutes (2007), Heath Phillips (2000), Gary Holle (1976), and Rob Sasser (1993) are the MLB players with 0 or more bWAR. Ryane Snare (1997), Phil Norton (1996), and Brown are the players with bWAR below 0.