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The 2026 MLB Draft is in the books and it was a productive one for baseball players with Southwest Florida ties.
Nine players with area connections were selected, including five from FGCU. Only Florida and Florida State, which each had seven players drafted, had more selections among the state's college baseball programs.
Here's a recap of the area high school, college, FGCU, and FSW products who were selected in the 2026 MLB Draft:
Team:Detroit Tigers (Competitive Balance Round B, Pick 69)
About: The two-time unanimous All-American became the second-highest pick in FGCU's history behind only MLB star pitcher Chris Sale, who went 13th overall in 2010. This season, Dempsey led the Eagles with 226 plate appearances, 57 runs scored, 18 doubles, and 15 stolen bases to go along with 76 hits, 45 RBIs, and 10 home runs. On the mound, he recorded 116 strikeouts in 82 2/3 innings and logged two complete games and two shutouts. In June, Dempsey became just the second player to win the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award in back-to-back years.
“I am super excited to be with the Tigers,” Dempsey said following his selection. “I already know they are a great organization, and I am really fired up to work with them.”
Team: Milwaukee Brewers (Round 5, Pick 163)
About: Knaak was a 2023 Southwest Florida Baseball Player of the Year finalist as a senior with the Vikings after posting a 9-3 record with a 1.24 ERA and an area-best 116 strikeouts. At Clemson, the right-hander was named the National Freshman Pitcher of the Year in 2024. He went 14-2 in his first two seasons with the Tigers and struck out more than 300 batters in his Clemson career.
Team:Kansas City Royals (Round 8, Pick 239)
About: As a redshirt sophomore, Possehl made 14 starts and struck out 65 batters in 67 innings. He posted a 9-6 record with an ERA of 3.21 for the Eagles. The 6-foot-7 southpaw earned All-ASUN Second Team honors.
Team:Baltimore Orioles (Round 10, Pick 290)
About: The Venezuela native hit .347 with seven home runs, 68 runs scored, 60 RBI and 41 stolen bases for FSW in the 2024-25 season. At LSU Shreveport last year, Sanchez batted .388 with 12 home runs and 82 RBI, which ranked sixth nationally. He was named the Red River Athletic Conference Player of the Year and was a NAIA first-team All-American.
Team:Seattle Mariners (Round 14, Pick 430)
About: A second-team All-ASUN selection, the junior went 5-2 with a 3.98 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 72.1 innings. Diaz held opponents to a .217 batting average.
Team:Chicago Cubs (Round 16, Pick 487)
About: The 6-foot-2 senior went 3-4 with a 3.24 ERA, six saves and 50 strikeouts in 33.1 innings for the Eagles this season. Pocol was named third-team All-ASUN as a reliever.
Team:Athletics (Round 17, Pick 501)
About: The redshirt sophomore was a first-team All-ASUN honoree after batting .370 with 13 home runs, 46 runs scored and 57 RBI. The Miami native put together a 45-game hitting streak, the longest in FGCU history and the sixth-best in Division I.
Team:Toronto Blue Jays (Round 19, Pick 582)
About: The Stetson-signee put together a stellar senior season against the toughest schedule in the area. The 6-foot-3 shortstop batted .464 with 46 hits, 12 doubles, one triple, and nine home runs with 34 RBI. Travers walked 21 times and had a 1.452 OPS, tops in the area.
Team: Miami Marlins (Round 20, Pick 595)
About: Lawson, who signed to play college baseball at North Carolina, earned back-to-back Southwest Florida Player of the Year awards. This past season, the 6-foot-2 right-hander posted a 0.95 ERA, and hit .325 with four home runs and a team-high 25 RBI against a nationally competitive schedule.
Contact Sports Reporter Dan DeLuca at [email protected]. For the best sports coverage in Southwest Florida, follow @newspresssports and @ndnprepzone on Instagram.
Please support local community journalism and stay informed about Southwest Florida news by subscribing to The News-Press and Naples Daily News; download the free News-Press or Naples Daily News app, and sign up for daily briefing email newsletter, food & dining and growth & development newsletters here and here.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Nine SW FL baseball players selected in the 2026 MLB Draft. See who
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Nine players with area connections were selected, including five from FGCU. Only Florida and Florida State, which each had seven players drafted, had more selections among the state's college baseball programs.
Here's a recap of the area high school, college, FGCU, and FSW products who were selected in the 2026 MLB Draft:
Evan Dempsey, RHP, FGCU
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Team:Detroit Tigers (Competitive Balance Round B, Pick 69)
About: The two-time unanimous All-American became the second-highest pick in FGCU's history behind only MLB star pitcher Chris Sale, who went 13th overall in 2010. This season, Dempsey led the Eagles with 226 plate appearances, 57 runs scored, 18 doubles, and 15 stolen bases to go along with 76 hits, 45 RBIs, and 10 home runs. On the mound, he recorded 116 strikeouts in 82 2/3 innings and logged two complete games and two shutouts. In June, Dempsey became just the second player to win the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award in back-to-back years.
“I am super excited to be with the Tigers,” Dempsey said following his selection. “I already know they are a great organization, and I am really fired up to work with them.”
Aidan Knaack, RHP, Bishop Verot/Clemson
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Team: Milwaukee Brewers (Round 5, Pick 163)
About: Knaak was a 2023 Southwest Florida Baseball Player of the Year finalist as a senior with the Vikings after posting a 9-3 record with a 1.24 ERA and an area-best 116 strikeouts. At Clemson, the right-hander was named the National Freshman Pitcher of the Year in 2024. He went 14-2 in his first two seasons with the Tigers and struck out more than 300 batters in his Clemson career.
Hunter Possehl, LHP, FGCU
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Team:Kansas City Royals (Round 8, Pick 239)
About: As a redshirt sophomore, Possehl made 14 starts and struck out 65 batters in 67 innings. He posted a 9-6 record with an ERA of 3.21 for the Eagles. The 6-foot-7 southpaw earned All-ASUN Second Team honors.
Carlos Sanchez, INF/C, FSW/LSU Shreveport
Team:Baltimore Orioles (Round 10, Pick 290)
About: The Venezuela native hit .347 with seven home runs, 68 runs scored, 60 RBI and 41 stolen bases for FSW in the 2024-25 season. At LSU Shreveport last year, Sanchez batted .388 with 12 home runs and 82 RBI, which ranked sixth nationally. He was named the Red River Athletic Conference Player of the Year and was a NAIA first-team All-American.
Chris Diaz, RHP, FGCU
Team:Seattle Mariners (Round 14, Pick 430)
About: A second-team All-ASUN selection, the junior went 5-2 with a 3.98 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 72.1 innings. Diaz held opponents to a .217 batting average.
Ashton Pocol, RHP, FGCU
Team:Chicago Cubs (Round 16, Pick 487)
About: The 6-foot-2 senior went 3-4 with a 3.24 ERA, six saves and 50 strikeouts in 33.1 innings for the Eagles this season. Pocol was named third-team All-ASUN as a reliever.
Javier Gorostola, 3B, FGCU
Team:Athletics (Round 17, Pick 501)
About: The redshirt sophomore was a first-team All-ASUN honoree after batting .370 with 13 home runs, 46 runs scored and 57 RBI. The Miami native put together a 45-game hitting streak, the longest in FGCU history and the sixth-best in Division I.
Cole Travers, SS, St. John Neumann
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Team:Toronto Blue Jays (Round 19, Pick 582)
About: The Stetson-signee put together a stellar senior season against the toughest schedule in the area. The 6-foot-3 shortstop batted .464 with 46 hits, 12 doubles, one triple, and nine home runs with 34 RBI. Travers walked 21 times and had a 1.452 OPS, tops in the area.
Joey Lawson, C, Bishop Verot
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Team: Miami Marlins (Round 20, Pick 595)
About: Lawson, who signed to play college baseball at North Carolina, earned back-to-back Southwest Florida Player of the Year awards. This past season, the 6-foot-2 right-hander posted a 0.95 ERA, and hit .325 with four home runs and a team-high 25 RBI against a nationally competitive schedule.
Contact Sports Reporter Dan DeLuca at [email protected]. For the best sports coverage in Southwest Florida, follow @newspresssports and @ndnprepzone on Instagram.
Please support local community journalism and stay informed about Southwest Florida news by subscribing to The News-Press and Naples Daily News; download the free News-Press or Naples Daily News app, and sign up for daily briefing email newsletter, food & dining and growth & development newsletters here and here.
This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Nine SW FL baseball players selected in the 2026 MLB Draft. See who
Continue reading...
