IOWA CITY, Iowa – Former University of Iowa infielder Mason McCoy has been called up from Triple-A Buffalo to the Toronto Blue Jays. The official transaction took place Tuesday.
“We couldn’t be happier for Mason,” said head coach Rick Heller. “He is a great player and a great Hawkeye. Mason is a perfect example of what you can achieve if you truly believe in yourself and just keep putting in the work. He has earned this opportunity.”
The Washington, Illinois, native is hitting .226 over 402 at bats in Triple A as a member of the Seattle Mariners and Toronto Blue Jays systems this season. He has notched 64 RBIs, 66 runs, 12 home runs and 23 stolen bases.
McCoy played for the Hawkeyes from 2015-17. He hit at a .311 clip tallying 68 RBIs, 92 runs, 14 stolen bases and seven home runs. He was an American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings Mideast first-team all-region honoree and a second-team All-Big Ten selection in 2017.
McCoy was selected in the sixth round of the 2017 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by the Baltimore Orioles with the 188th pick.
McCoy is the second player in Heller’s Iowa tenure to get the call to the Majors, joining Nick Allgeyer. He is the seventh player to reach MLB who played under Heller, joining Sean Manaea, Dakota Bacus, Colin Rea, Jake Petricka and Ryan Strausborger — all of whom played for Heller at Indiana State.
The Blue Jays face the Washington Nationals today at 6:07 p.m. (CT) in Toronto.