After four years donning the crimson and gray, class of 2025 graduate Will Cresswell is heading to the big leagues. On Monday, the second day of the MLB draft, the Toronto Blue Jays selected Cresswell No. 532 overall in the 18th round.

Born and raised in Auburn, Washington, Cresswell played three years at Auburn Mountainview High School before moving to Puyallup High School in his senior year. Cresswell played 16 games behind the dish for the Vikings and recorded a 0.415 batting average and 0.571 OBP with 17 hits and 16 RBIs.

Rather than start at the junior college level, Cresswell committed to WSU for the 2022 season, following in the footsteps of his parents, uncle and older sister, all Cougar alumni. Over the course of his four years as a Coug, he progressively got more and more playing time, developing into the player fans saw in 2025. Cressewll appeared in 26 games as a freshman, 33 as a sophomore, 29 as a junior and 43 in his final season.

As a junior he was placed on the to Buster Posey National Collegiate Catcher of the Year Watch List and as a senior he was selected to the All-Mountain West Conference Second Team.

His All-Mountain West selection was in part because of his productive senior year, when he batted 0.327 with 52 hits, 13 doubles, five home runs, 45 RBIs and posted a 0.927 OPS. His explosive year at the plate cemented him as a core member of the team and made him invaluable throughout the season. Behind the dish, he cut down 19 runners on the base paths (leading all MWC catchers), taking away runs and helping his pitching staff get out of innings.

With only 600 picks in the draft, Cresswell just snuck in under the wire. The Blue Jays have a need for young catchers in their farm system and Cresswell may satisfy that need. None of Toronto’s top 30 prospects, are catchers. On their big league roster they have three, with their main one being Alejandro Kirk.

At the All-Star break, Kirk is batting 0.303, slugging 0.408 and posting an OPS of 0.769. He has hit seven homers, tallied 45 RBI’s and 87 hits. The 5-foot-8, 245-pound stout catcher is 26 years old and already has five and a half seasons under his belt. While he is far from being a veteran, he may only have a few years left in a Blue Jays jersey.

With Toronto eventually needing a replacement behind the dish, Cresswell could be the solution they are looking for. His hitting, defensive play and leadership all make him a quality pick for the Toronto organization.

His ability to trust the process and develop also make him a standout draft pick. Rather than start in JUCO or transfer, Cresswell stayed on the Palouse and used his four years as a Coug to grow as a player. If the same is true for his time with the Blue Jays, then Cresswell could be a name to look out for as he climbs his way through the farm system.