NEW ORLEANS – Following a 2026 campaign in which it sent a conference-record five teams to NCAA Baseball Regionals, hosted its fifth regional over the past five seasons and advanced to the Men’s College World Series for the second-straight year, the Sun Belt had 20 players selected in the 2026 Major League Baseball (MLB) First-Year Player Draft.
With 20 selections between current and former members, the Sun Belt ran its all-time tally to 894 picks over the two-day affair from July 11-12. The league has had at least one student-athlete drafted in the first round in four of the last five years.
Coastal Carolina right-handed pitcher Cameron Flukey (1st, 22nd)—a 2025 All-Sun Belt First Team honoree—was the first Sun Belt student-athlete off the board as the 22nd overall pick by the Detroit Tigers—giving the Sun Belt a Day 1 selection in six-straight MLB Drafts.
Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year and All-Sun Belt First Team honoree right-handed pitcher Gage Peterson from App State (7th, 196th) was selected by the Washington Nationals to start Day 2 of the draft. All-Sun Belt Second Team right-handed pitcher Cody Brasch (8th, 238th) was selected in the next round by the San Francisco Giants.
The first of a Sun Belt-leading four Trojans came off the board next as shortstop Aaron Piasecki (8th, 241st) was selected by the Houston Astros. Teammate left-handed pitcher Benjamin Stubbs (9th, 275th) was the next draftee by the San Diego Padres. Fellow Trojan pitchers left-hander Zach Crotchfelt (14th, 420th – New York Mets) and right-hander Dylan Alonso (16th, 479th – Kansas City Royals) were selected later in the draft.
The first of three Golden Eagles to be drafted was outfielder Joey Urban (9th, 282nd) by the Toronto Blue Jays. Urban was named the 2026 Sun Belt Baseball Championship Most Outstanding Player as Southern Miss claimed its third tournament title over the past four years. Urban was joined by right-handed pitchers McCarty English (17th, 503rd – Tampa Bay Rays) and Drake Meeks (18th, 546th – Detroit Tigers).
Right-handed pitcher Ross Norman (11th, 320th) was taken by the Baltimore Orioles as the second Chanticleer taken in the draft. Fellow right-hander Darin Horn (16th, 465th – Chicago White Sox) followed as the would final Coastal Carolina student-athlete selected.
South Alabama right-handed pitcher Jacob Haley (11th, 324th) heard his name called by the St. Louis Cardinals and was joined by fellow Jaguar right-handed pitcher Brian Garmon II (15th, 444th) four rounds later.
Georgia State shortstop Wills Maginnis (11th, 334th) was selected by the Boston Red Sox. The final selection for the league on Day 2 came from James Madison, as right-=handed pitcher Luke McGrath (18th, 547th) was drafted by the Chicago Cubs.
Though they did not officially play in a Sun Belt uniform, new member Louisiana Tech had a pair of MLB Draft picks in right-handed pitcher Declan Dahl (5th, 158th – Detroit Tigers) and shortstop Colton Coates (16th, 484th – Boston Red Sox)
Third baseman Chase Mora (9th, 281st – Milwaukee Brewers) and catcher Rashawn Galloway (16th, 481st – Houston Astros) of former member Texas State were also selected in the MLB Draft.
2026 MLB Draft Picks
Cameron Flukey, Coastal Carolina (1st, 22nd – Detroit Tigers)
Gage Peterson, App State (7th, 196th – Washington Nationals)
Cody Brasch, Louisiana (8th, 238th – San Francisco Giants)
Aaron Piasecki, Troy (8th, 241st – Houston Astros)
Benjamin Stubbs, Troy (9th, 275th – San Diego Padres)
Joey Urban, Southern Miss (9th, 282nd – Toronto Blue Jays)
Ross Norman, Coastal Carolina (11th, 320th – Baltimore Orioles)
Jacob Haley, South Alabama (11th, 324th – St. Louis Cardinals)
Wills Maginnis, Georgia State (11th, 334th – Boston Red Sox)
Zach Crotchfelt, Troy (14th, 420th – New York Mets)
Brian Garmon II, South Alabama (15th, 444th – St. Louis Cardinals)
Darin Horn, Coastal Carolina (16th, 465th – Chicago White Sox)
Dylan Alonso, Troy (16th, 479th – Kansas City Royals)
McCarty English, Southern Miss (17th, 503rd – Tampa Bay Rays)
Drake Meeks, Southern Miss (18th, 546th – Detroit Tigers)
Luke McGrath, James Madison (18th, 547th – Chicago Cubs)
Former Member
Chase Mora, Texas State (9th, 281st – Milwaukee Brewers)
Rashawn Galloway, Texas State (16th, 481st – Houston Astros)
New Member
Declan Dahl, Louisiana Tech (5th, 158th – Detroit Tigers)
Colton Coates, Louisiana Tech (16th, 484th – Boston Red Sox)