The National League West division is quite familiar with entertaining, larger-than-life personalities on the mound. In the early aughts, the Los Angeles Dodgers had fish-out-of-water Qu\u00e9b\u00e9cois-native \u00c9ric Gagn\u00e9. Then, the San Francisco Giants employed The Beard Brian Wilson.<\/p>\n
Someday soon, another electric persona might ply their trade in the same division: Oregon State’s long-haired rockstar closer Albert Roblez. Today, the All-American pitcher was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 16th round of the 2026 Major League Baseball amateur draft.<\/p>\n
Roblez’s story mirrors a medieval quest, with many great trials and travels. A two-year letterwinner on his high school baseball team, Roblez racked up awards, but little attention from Division I programs. Undeterred from chasing his baseball dreams, Roblez spent two seasons at Riverside Community College (Riverside, CA) in Southern California’s Inland Empire. From there, he spent the 2024 season at UNLV, pitching in 24 and 1\/3 innings across 13 games. <\/p>\n
2025 marked a change in trajectory for the young reliever, as Roblez thrived at mid-major Long Beach State: that Spring, he threw a team-leading 2.78 earned run average, with 4 saves, 4 wins, and a staggering 1.68 opposing batting average. At season’s end, he was named second team All-Big West Conference. <\/p>\n
Following that star turn, the 5’11” senior took his talents to Goss Stadium. In 2026, the transfer reliever represented Oregon State with excellence, earning All-American nods from three separate national outlets, a spot on the ABCA’s All-West Region second team, and watch lists for several major awards. Across 24 games and 30 innings pitched, Roblez tallied a 1.50 earned run average, .173 opposing batting average, and 1.03 WHIP, while striking out 53 batters and recording 14 saves. At season’s end, that saves mark matched the fourth-best clip for saves in a single season at Oregon State. <\/p>\n
Roblez is the fifth Oregon State pitcher taken so far in this weekend’s amateur draft, the most for the Beavers since six orange & black jerseys were picked back in 2010. The last Oregon State player selected by the Padres was 2018 College World Series hero Tyler Malone <\/a>in 2019.<\/p>\n Pending a signed contract, Roblez will likely begin his professional career with one of several farm teams: the Padres Arizona League affiliate in Peoria, their single-A affiliate the Lake Elsinore Storm (Lake Elsinore, CA), or their high-A affiliate the Fort Wayne Tincaps (Fort Wayne, IN).\n<\/p>\n
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