Brett Renfrow almost never played for Virginia Tech.
Coming out of Colgan, the two-way threat received plenty of interest from Major League Baseball teams going into the July 2023 20-round MLB Draft.
Most of them liked him as a pitcher, but some liked him as a hitter.
Renfrow did pre-draft workouts for teams before his senior season and after, including one at the Philadelphia Phillies’ park.
But Renfrow made it clear to teams that he would only turn pro and forgo Virginia Tech if his signing bonus figure was met.
Teams primarily contacted his advisor during the draft, but no deal was struck.
“We had our figure and we stuck to it,” Renfrow said. “I bet on myself with Virginia Tech to grow more and it benefitted me.”
It certainly did. Renfrow is now Baseball America’s No. 97 overall prospect in the 2026 MLB Draft, potentially making him Virginia Tech’s highest selection as a pitcher since Drue Hackenberg went in the second round to the Atlanta Braves in 2023.
With a higher draft profile than he had in high school, Renfrow spent December and January talking to MLB teams. Besides area scouts, Renfrow has also talked with crosscheckers and even scouting directors. The conversations usually last 30 minutes and are very informal at this point as teams and Renfrow get to know each other better.
Going through this experience out of high school has helped Renfrow prepare for what’s coming.
“It matured me at that age,” Renfrow said. “It showed me how things go and how teams react. You never know what happens or why.”
To help in the process, Renfrow has a new advisor now after switching to Bryan Minniti his freshman year.
Minniti, who works for Washington-based WME Sports, is a former assistant general manager for the Washington Nationals, Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks. Last year, he represented Eli Willits, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft by the Nationals.
“[Bryan] brings so much knowledge and expertise and connection with MLB,” said Renfrow’s father, Grant.
