AJ Gracia went #9 overall to the Atlanta Braves, leading a group of five from the 2026 UVA Baseball team, plus a top recruit in the Class of 2026, who had their names called in the 2026 MLB Draft.
Three guys who transferred out after the 2025 season also went in the draft, which was conducted on Saturday and Sunday, the jumpstart to the 2026 MLB All-Star Game.
UVA Baseball in the 2026 MLB Draft
- Round 1 (9): CF AJ Gracia, Atlanta Braves (pick value: $6,675,300)
- Round 2 (40): 3B Bo Lowrance, Los Angeles Dodgers (pick value: $2,504,200)
- Round 2 (58): SS Eric Becker, Cincinnati Reds (pick value: $1,637,700)
- Round 6 (174): LHP Kyle Johnson, Tampa Bay Rays (pick value: $396,300)
- Round 6 (191): *3B Henry Ford, Seattle Mariners (pick value: $335,900)
- Round 7 (215): 2B Joe Tiroly, San Diego Padres (pick value: $276,400)
- Round 11 (317): **CF Aidan Teel, (Minnesota Twins)
- Round 13 (381): *LHP Evan Blanco (Athletics)
- Round 14 (415): RHP Tyler Kapa (Miami Marlins)
*Ford and Blanco played the 2026 season at Tennessee.
**Teel played the 2026 season at Mississippi State.
Note: Draft picks in Rounds 11-20 can sign for up to $150,000 without their bonus counting toward their franchise’s bonus pool.
Looking ahead to 2027
Four draft-eligible guys were not taken in the draft, and assuming they don’t sign undrafted free-agent deals – and why would they? – each can return for 2027.
- 1B/DH Sam Harris: 14 HRs, 53 RBIs, .288 BA/.929 OPS, 2.49 WAR
- 3B Noah Murray: 6 HRs, 30 RBIs, .161 BA/.686 OPS, 1.47 WAR
- 1B/DH Antonio Perrotta: 5 HRs, 24 RBIs, .266 BA/.889 OPS, 1.23 WAR
- C Jake Weatherspoon: 5 HRs, 31 RBIs, .272 BA/.766 OPS, 0.81 WAR
Those four, plus this group of six returnees, are the guys I consider to be the building blocks for 2027.
- LHP Henry Zatkowski: 8-2, 4.57 ERA/1.18 WHIP, 1.96 WAR
- RF Zach Jackson: 8 HRs, 28 RBIs, .238 BA/.815 OPS, 1.45 WAR
- RHP John Paone: 1-4, 5.85 ERA/1.40 WHIP, 0.90 WAR
- SS RJ Holmes: 2 HRs, 13 RBIs, .338 BA/.922 OPS, 0.66 WAR
- LHP Max Stammel: 4-6, 7.55 ERA/1.66 WHIP, 0.58 WAR
- RHP Noah Yoder: 2-0, 2.30 ERA/1.57 WHIP, 0.57 WAR
Head coach Chris Pollard added this group of eight to the 2027 roster from the transfer portal.
- 2B Michael Elko (Richmond): 7 HRs, 38 RBIs, .340 BA/.992 OPS, 3.13 WAR
- OF Jordan Crossland (Maryland): 12 HRs, 43 RBIs, .283 BA/.932 OPS, 2.05 WAR
- SS Reid Howard (Western Kentucky): 0 HRs, 17 RBIs, .302 BA/.838 OPS, 1.45 WAR
- CF Sal Mineo (Delaware): 7 HRs, 32 RBIs, .304 BA/.857 OPS, 1.31 WAR
- LHP Joey Giordano (Richmond): 11-0, 3.35 ERA/1.20 WHIP, 1.18 WHIP
- LHP John Downing (2025 at Seton Hall): 6-0, 2.70 ERA/1.34 WHIP, 0.84 WHIP
- LHP Serigne Sarre (Mount St. Mary’s): 4-4, 4.11 ERA/1.44 WHIP, 0.52 WAR
- LHP Grant Meert (2025 at Johns Hopkins): 1-0, 1.19 ERA/1.06 WHIP
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Chris Graham
