Mathis Nayral, a junior right‑handed pitcher for the Kansas Jayhawks, heard his name called in the 13th round of the 2026 MLB Draft, landing him with the Toronto Blue Jays as the 402nd overall pick.
His journey to the draft began at Cochise College, where he honed his repertoire before transferring to Kansas. In his lone season with the Jayhawks he helped the team capture the Big 12 Conference titles and win the Lawrence Regional in the NCAA tournament.
Nayral closed the year with a 4.96 ERA, a 4‑3 record and 71 strikeouts across 69 innings, numbers that highlighted his growth into a dependable starter.
Draft Impact
The selection makes him the fourth Jayhawk drafted this year, joining Tyson LeBlanc, Dominic Voegele and Brady Ballinger, underscoring a strong pipeline from the university to the professional ranks.
Analysts view the pick as a reward for a season of steady improvement and expect Nayral to bring the same poise and strike‑out ability to the Blue Jays’ farm system that he displayed in Lawrence.