The 2026 MLB Draft kicks off this weekend, with NBC/Peacock covering the first 10 picks on Saturday starting at 1:00pm, and then coverage switching over the wide assortment of MLB platforms for the remainder of Saturday (starting at 2:30pm) through Sunday (11:30am-7:30pm). NC State has had a player drafted – multiple actually – in each of the last 25 drafts, and that’s a streak that will continue this year with at least six members of this year’s Wolfpack baseball team expected to be drafted.
Eligible Players from the 2026 roster:
- RHP Heath Andrews (JR) – 3-4, 7.55 ERA, 64.1 IP, 11.6 BB%, 18.6 K%
- UTL Dalton Bargo (SR) – .275/.338/.500, 7 2B, 8 HR, 8.9 BB%, 19.1 K%, 0-0 SB
- RHP Landon Carr (rJR) – 0-0, 5.40 ERA, 1.2 IP, 35.7 BB%, 14.3 K%
- LHP Cooper Consiglio (JR) – 3-5, 3 SV, 6.90 ERA, 60.0 IP, 10.5 BB%, 25.7 K%
- RHP Jacob Dudan (JR) – 4-1, 3.60 ERA, 50.0 IP, 5.9 BB%, 30.4 K%
- OF Brayden Fraasman (SR) – .256/.302/.372, 9 2B, 2 HR, 7.1 BB%, 23.0 K%, 8-10 SB
- OF Ty Head (SO) – .291/.460/.556, 8 2B, 14 HR, 22.3 BB%, 9.0 K%, 26-29 SB
- RHP Danny Heintz (rSR) – 0-1, 7.71 ERA, 9.1 IP, 16.0 BB%, 24.0 K%
- INF Sherman Johnson (JR) – .330/.432/.538, 7 2B, 9 HR, 11.8 BB%, 14.5 K%, 11-14 SB
- C Drew Lanphere (rJR) – .227/.344/.341, 6 2B, 3 HR, 14.4 BB%, 16.3 K%, 1-1 SB
- RHP TruittManuel (rFR) – 1-0, 9.82 ERA, 7.1 IP, 22.2 BB%, 27.8 K%
- LHP Ryan Marohn (JR) – 6-1, 3.18 ERA, 45.1 IP, 11.9 BB%, 33.5 K%
- 1B ChrisMcHugh (JR) – .320/.409/.525, 16 2B, 9 HR, 9.7 BB%, 16.7 K%, 4-6 SB
- OF Devin Mitchell (JR) – .250/.417/.750, 1 2B, 1 HR, 25.0 BB%, 16.7 K%, 1-1 SB
- 2B Luke Nixon (JR) – .367/.452/.595, 16 2B, 9 HR, 12.1 BB%, 14.0 K%, 11-16 SB
- INF Wyatt Peifer (SR) – .288/.424/.404, 3 2B, 1 HR, 18.2 BB%, 18.2 K%, 1-2 SB
- RHP Julien Peissel (rJR) – 0-1, 10.45 ERA, 10.1 IP, 14.5 BB%, 16.4 K%
- OF Andrew Wiggins (JR) – .290/.449/.580, 2 2B, 6 HR, 20.2 BB%, 27.0 K%, 8-8 SB
Of those listed above, Dudan, Head, Johnson, Marohn, McHugh, and Nixon are almost sure to be drafted. Those six recently took part in the MLB Draft Combine, a pretty clear indication that they will be selected. Among them, Head has seemed to fly up boards lately, checking in at #60 from MLB.com, #46 from ESPN, and a huge jump all the way up to #16 at FanGraphs. Kiley McDaniel at ESPN has him mock drafted at 44th to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Dudan is the next highest regarded prospect for this year’s draft, although his stock took a major hit when he went down with an elbow injury midseason that resulted in Tommy John Surgery. While that injury knocked him out of the first round, he won’t drop past the third round this weekend. MLB has Dudan ranked #78, ESPN #89, and FanGraphs #73.
Marohn is the only other Wolfpack player to break the Top 250 prospect lists, checking in at #149 by MLB and #177 by ESPN.
Among college prospects, D1 Baseball has Dudan ranked 50th, Head 53rd, Marohn 107th, Johnson 138th, Nixon 185th, and McHugh 201st.
Aside from those six players, Consiglio has the best chance of being drafted.
Eligible Incoming Transfers
- LHP Jesse Gutierrez (rJR) – 1-4, 6.55 ERA, 45.1 IP, 11.1 BB%, 14.4 K%
- LHP Chet Lax (JR) – 9-1, 4.23 ER, 78.2 IP, 5.9 BB%, 20.2 K%
- 2B Hunter Warren (rSO) – .361/.437/.529, 12 2B, 8 HR, 10.1 BB%, 8.6 K%, 15-of-22 SB
It’s unlikely that any of the these three get drafted, although Lax has put together two great starts in the Cape Cod League, sporting a line of 1-0, 2.00 ERA, 9.0 IP, 0.0 BB%, 22.2 K%. That coupled with the luxury of being a lefty and he might entice a late selection from a team. Warren is currently hitting .348/.423/.391, 2 2B, 0 HR, 9.6 BB%, 23.1 K%, 0-2 SB in the Cape Cod League. The batting average and OBP are really nice, but the strikeout number is a bit concerning.
Incoming High School Commits
- OF Gunnar Alm (Columbus, NC)
- INF Landon Church (Clemmons, NC)
- RHP Logan Clark (Virgilina, VA)
- RHP Heath Craver (Kernersville, NC)
- RHP Otto Knust (Overland Park, KS)
- INF Cooper Gornet (Charlotte, NC)
- RHP Maddox McRee (Hickory, NC)
- INF Kellen Smith (Four Oaks, NC)
- LHP Mylo White (Mint Hill, NC)
Among the committed freshman class for next season, Alm is the highest rated and the biggest threat to be drafted. Alm is a lefty swinging speedster with plenty of athleticism and a projectable 6’ frame. Alm doesn’t appear on any of the aforementioned prospect boards for this year’s draft, but his tools are apparent and he could easily be drafted in the top 5 rounds.
Once you get past Alm, it’s unclear if any of the remaining class will be drafted, but all it takes is one team to fall in love with a prospect and get drafted. There’s talent in the class, but the reduced 20 round nature of the current MLB Draft certainly takes away a lot of the risk of losing high school commits.
