Texas Longhorns catcher Carson Tinney (8) smiles while running to first after getting hit by a pitch during the NCAA Baseball Regional game against Tarleton State at UFCU Disch-Falk Field on Saturday, May 30, 2026 in Austin.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
The 2026 MLB Draft kicked off Saturday and multiple Texas, Texas A&M and prep players heard their names called. The Texas Rangers and Houston Astros made a few picks as well.
Longhorns and Aggies selected within the first four rounds include All-SEC selections Carson Tinney and Chris Hacopian. Tinney was the first Longhorn off the board, second round, No. 43 overall. The Minnesota Twins made the Colorado native their second-round pick after a season that include All-American honors.
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Texas Longhorns outfielder Aiden Robbins (43) celebrates scoring in the eighth inning as the Texas Longhorns take on the UTSA Roadrunners at Disch-Falk Field in Austin, Tuesday, May 5, 2026. Texas won the game 11-8.
Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman
Hacopian was the first A&M player, taken at No. 11 overall by the Washington Nationals. He was also listed to All-American teams by a couple outlets and was first-team All-SEC after a transfer from Maryland. Texas outfielder Aiden Robbins, also an all-conference first-team pick, was projected as a potential first-round pick but slid to 92nd overall by the New York Mets.
On the preps level, Texas and A&M each had at least one high school player who committed to their program drafted. At No. 2 overall, the Tampa Bay Rays took Grady Emerson, the Fort Worth Christian star who pledged to Texas. Connor Comeau, an Austin Anderson pitcher committed to the Aggies, was selected 54th overall by the Rangers.
MORE: Potential Texas, Texas A&M MLB draftees
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Texas also saw senior hurler Ruger Riojas picked No. 100 overall by the Philadelphia Phillies. A&M sluggers Caden Sorrell (No. 62 overall) and Gavin Gravohac (No. 81 overall) were taken by the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Angels, respectively.
Wondering how to watch Day 2? On Sunday the MLB draft restarts at 10:30 a.m. on MLB TV, MLB+ and mlb.com. Here is a recap from the first day as well as every first-round pick:
Texas A&M infielder Gavin Grahovac (9) celebrates a hit for a double during the Lone Star Showdown against Texas at Blue Bell Park on Friday, April 10, 2026 in College Station, Texas.
Aaron E. Martinez/Austin American-Statesman
The Philadelphia Phillies drafted Texas right-handed pitcher Ruger Riojas with the 100th overall pick in the 3rd round. Riojas recorded a 3.97 earned run average as a senior in 2026, striking out 120 batters and walking 36 in 81⅔ innings.
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The New York Mets drafted Texas outfielder Aiden Robbins 92nd overall in the third round. Robbins spent two season at Seton Hall before breaking out with the Longhorns. He recorded a batting average of .333, an OPS of 1.122 and a team-leading 24 home runs in 2026.
The Los Angeles Angels selected Texas A&M infielder Gavin Grahovac with the 81st overall pick in the third round. Grahovac was the second-most productive Aggie in 2026, hitting 22 home runs and putting up an OPS of 1.150.
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The Chicago Cubs drafted Texas A&M baseball outfielder Caden Sorrell with the 62nd overall pick in the second round. Sorrell led the Aggies in batting average (.341), on-base plus slugging (1.177) and home runs (23) this spring.
Rangers drafted infielder Conno Comeau, an A&M commit who starred for Anderson this spring, 54th overall in the second round. He is thin (6-foot-4, 180) but is projected to grow to more than 200 pounds. It’s unlikely Comeau will suit up for the Aggies.
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The Minnesota Twins drafted Texas catcher Carson Tinney on Saturday with the 43rd overall pick in the second round. After hitting 17 home runs last year at Notre Dame, Tinney finished the 2026 season with a .326 batting average, 22 home runs, 58 RBIs and 68 runs, which tied for the team lead.
The Houston Astros selected Texas Tech outfielder Logan Hughes Saturday with the No. 17 overall pick. Hughes batted .375 with 18 home runs in his junior season with the Red Raiders, after two seasons at Stetson University.
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The Astros then chose Notre Dame right-handed pitcher Jack Radel with the No. 28 overall pick. He posted a 3.58 ERA in 70⅓ innings in 2026.
The Texas Rangers took the first prep pitcher of the day No. 16 overall, drafting left-hander Gio Rojas out of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Rojas comes from one of the premier high school programs in Florida and led his team to the state championship this spring.
“In my estimation, he’s the best pitcher in the draft,” Rangers scouting director Kip Fagg said in a brief conference call after the pick.
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The Washington Nationals selected Texas A&M infielder Chris Hacopian No. 11 overall. The Aggie has a keen eye at the plate and advanced contact skills. He walked more times than he struck out in college, drawing 25 free passes and striking out 21 times in 195 plate appearances as a junior.
The Tampa Bay Rays draft Fort Worth Christian IF Grady Emerson with the No. 2 overall pick after the Chicago White Sox selected UCLA IF Roch Roch Cholowsky. Emerson has an advanced feel at the plate and a frame that could carry more muscle, giving him a tantalizing ceiling. A Texas commit, he will likely never make it to campus.
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Rounds 5-20: July 12, 10:30 a.m. CT on MLB.com, MLB.TV, MLB+
Chicago White Sox – UCLA IF Roch Cholowsky
Tampa Bay Rays – Fort Worth Christian IF Grady Emerson
Minnesota Twins – Georgia Tech C Vahn Lackey
San Francisco Giants – UC Santa Barbara RHP Jackson Flora
Pittsburgh Pirates – LSU OF Derek Curiel
Kansas City Royals – Louisville OF Zion Rose
Baltimore Orioles – Oak Grove HS OF Eric Booth Jr.
Athletics – Georgia Tech OF Drew Burress
Atlanta Braves – Virginia OF AJ Gracia
Colorado Rockies – Kentucky IF Tyler Bell
Washington Nationals – Texas A&M IF Chris Hacopian
Los Angeles Angels – Huntington Beach OF Jared Grindlinger
St. Louis Cardinals – Etowah High School OF Trevor Condon
Miami Marlins – Gulliver Schools IF Jacob Lombard
Arizona Diamondbacks – Arkansas C Ryder Helfrick
Texas Rangers – Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS LHP Gio Rojas
Houston Astros – Texas Tech OF Logan Hughes
Cincinnati Reds – Alabama IF Justin Lebron
Cleveland Guardians – Florida RHP Liam Peterson
Boston Red Sox – North Carolina IF Jake Schaffner
San Diego Padres – South Walton High School IF Coleman Borthwick
Detroit Tigers – Coastal Carolina RHP Cameron Flukey
Chicago Cubs – Ole Miss RHP Cade Townsend
Seattle Mariners – Mississippi State IF Ace Reese
Milwaukee Brewers – Corona Medium High School IF Trey Ebel
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The Dodgers, Mets, Yankees, Phillies and Blue Jays each received a 10-spot penalty on their first pick for exceeding the second surcharge threshold of the league’s competitive balance tax, per ESPN.
Prospect promotion incentive picks
26. Atlanta Braves (For Drake Baldwin, 2025 NL rookie of the year) – Indiana State OF Carter Beck
27. New York Mets (10-pick CBT penalty) – Arkansas RHP Carson Wiggins
28. Houston Astros (For Hunter Brown, top-three AL Cy Young finisher) Notre Dame RHP Jack Radel
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Competitive balance Round A
29. San Francisco Giants (Acquired from CLE) – Southside Christian High School LHP Carson Bolemon
30. Kansas City Royals – Ole Miss RHP Taylor Rabe
31. Arizona Diamondbacks – Citizens Christian Academy RHP Blake Bryant
32. St. Louis Cardinals – Tennessee RHP Tegan Kuhns
33. Tampa Bay Rays (Acquired from BAL) – James Island High School IF Taj Marchand
34. Chicago White Sox (Acquired from PIT) – Nazareth Academy IF Landon Thorne
35. New York Yankees (10-pick CBT penalty) – Arkansas LHP Hunter Dietz
36. Philadelphia Phillies (10-pick CBT penalty) – De La Salle IF Tyler Spangler
37. Colorado Rockies – Georgia C Daniel Jackson