Florida Baseball 2026 MLB Draft Tracker
Three Florida players and one signee heard their names called Saturday during the opening four rounds of the 2026 MLB Draft, with the final 16 rounds now underway Sunday.
Pitcher Liam Peterson led the way, joining the Cleveland Guardians with the 19th overall pick and becoming the 10th-highest player selected in program history.
Florida’s churned out 236 draft picks all time, including 121 under coach Kevin O’Sullivan. With the exception of the COVID-19-shortened draft, multiple Gators have been selected every year since 1988.
Florida infielder Ethan Surowiec, ranked No. 249, is the final Gator remaining on the board in the Top 250 MLB Prospect Rankings. Three commits who participated in the MLB Combine, including two the top 200 prospects: outfielder Brady Harris (No.163) and right-handed pitcher Brady Snow (No. 169), along with left-handed pitcher Colin White are also still available.
Here’s a look at the Gators selected in the MLB Draft:
First Round: Liam Peterson (P) Selected No. 19 by Cleveland Guardians
Liam Peterson became the fifth-highest Gators pitcher selected in program history.
Surrounded by friends and family, the room erupted as Peterson heard his name called by MLB Commissioner Rob Manfed and put on a Guardians hat.
Florida’s 232nd draft pick and 21st first-round pick all time (27th including the secondary phase), Peterson became coach Kevin O’Sullivan’s 15th Gator taken in the first round, ranking second nationally, and 65th pitcher after entering the draft ranked No. 20 on MLB’s top prospects list.
Third Round: Kyle Jones (OF) Selected No. 102 by the Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers drafted Kyle Jones No. 102, making him Florida’s ninth-highest outfielder selected in program history.
Redshirting his sophomore season in 2025 with a shoulder injury, Jones played his first full season with the Gators in 2026, starting 56 games., He maintained a perfect fielding percentage across 113 defensive chances, primarily as a centerfielder.
At bat, Jones led the Gators in doubles (16), stolen bases (17) and multiple-hit games (22), and tied the team high in batting average (.317) and sacrifice flies (6). He notched 71 hits, 58 runs and career high seven home runs.
Fourth Round: Kevin Roberts Jr. (OF Commit) Selected No. 120 by the Baltimore Orioles
The highest ranked of the four Florida recruits at the 2026 MLB Combine, Kevin Roberts Jr. went No. 120 to the Baltimore Orioles.
Roberts spent his high school career at Jackson Prep in Jackson, Mississippi, becoming the No. 8 shortstop recruit in the nation, according to Perfect Game. In his senior year, he led the Patriots in runs (46), hits (40), RBIs (34), batting average (.396), home runs (10), on-base percentage (.591) and stolen bases (27).
His No. 120 draft pick carries a $711,800 slot value, and he’s the only member of the Florida 2026 signing class who didn’t enroll for the summer.
Fourth Round: Russell Sandefer (RHP) Selected No. 132 by the Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers made Russell Sandefer the second Gators pitcher drafted on Day One, taking him 132th overall.
Sandefer played his first season as a Gator in 2026 after transferring from Central Florida. He made 19 mound appearances, including 12 starts, with 10 as part of the weekend rotation.
Sanderfer ended 2026 with a 3-2 record and 4.61 ERA while holding batters to a .240 batting average across 57 innings pitched. The right-hander earned a spot on the 2026 NCAA Gainesville Regional All-Tournament Team after leaving Rider scoreless over 5 2/3 innings pitched during Florida’s 8-7 win over Rider.
Fifth Round: Luke McNeillie (RHP) Selected No. 152 by the New York Mets
The first Gator drafted on Day Two, pitcher Luke McNeillie was selected No. 152 by the New York Mets.
McNeillie made 18 appearances on the mound in 2026, mainly in relief, and produced a career-low 3.97 ERA. He picked up a 3-0 record while striking out 48 batters against 17 walks. He secured the series win against Georgia on April 12 after throwing 2 1/3 scoreless innings, fanning four batters behind three hits and walks.
The right-hander joined Florida as a freshman in 2024 and has the option to return for his senior year. The No. 152 draft pick carries a $472,500 assigned slot value.
Fifth Round: Hayden Yost (OF) Selected No. 162 by the Seattle Mariners
Gators outfielder Hayden Yost didn’t enter the draft as part of the Top 250 MLB Prospect Rankings, but the Seattle Mariners drafted him with the 162nd pick Sunday.
Yost saw the field 42 times in 2026, including 30 starts, and maintained a perfect fielding percentage across 70 defensive chances.
His swing found power toward the tail end of the season, launching a career-high 10 home runs in his final 24 starts of the season. Yost produced the Gators’ lone three-homer performance during the team’s sweep of LSU on May 16, recording a season-high four hits and five runs batted in.
Yost can choose to return for his fourth season with Florida. His No. 162 draft pick holds a $429,100 assigned slot value.
Category: Feature Sports News, Gator Sports, Gators Baseball
