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The 2026 MLB draft wrapped up on Sunday, and it finished a massive win for the LSU Tigers, who are about to get more talent to their roster than anyone could have imagined.
Two of the top high school players in the country were drafted in the 18th round, but have already announced their plans to head to Baton Rouge instead of their new professional clubs: Malachi Washington and Dominic Santarelli.
The Tigers had no real hopes of landing both players, with a small chance of even getting one. Instead, they're about to add two incredible talents to an already stacked outfield.
Them being drafted so late has nothing to do with their potential. They were expected to be second and third-round selections before the draft, but they turned out to be fairly hard to sign so teams didn't want to risk it.
Sometimes, like in these cases, the talent was so intriguing that they spent a late pick on them to see if they could somehow get them to sign. It happened with Jake Brown, who was selected in the 16th round, went to school and then rose to the No. 65 overall selection in this draft. Both of these players could see even bigger climbs.
Washington has the makings of an elite center fielder. His two best tools are his arm and his speed. He has the arm of a corner outfielder with the range of a center fielder, meaning he could really end up anywhere. That'll come in handy for LSU, who will have to balance a lot of star power in that outfield.
The 18-year-old has a more questionable path at the plate, but he has what it takes to succeed in college. It'll be hard to keep him off the field if he is even at least average with a bat in his hand.
Santarelli is far more than average with a bat in his hand. His performance at the MLB draft combine wowed, and made it feel like a lock that he would get taken early. He has an elite left-handed swing that generates a ton of power. He is a perfect replacement for Brown, with the potential to be even better.
The Wisconsin native could end up as a DH first in college, but could also end up at first base or in a corner outfield spot. This is a bat that Jay Johnson will want to put to use early.
Continue reading...
Two of the top high school players in the country were drafted in the 18th round, but have already announced their plans to head to Baton Rouge instead of their new professional clubs: Malachi Washington and Dominic Santarelli.
The Tigers had no real hopes of landing both players, with a small chance of even getting one. Instead, they're about to add two incredible talents to an already stacked outfield.
Them being drafted so late has nothing to do with their potential. They were expected to be second and third-round selections before the draft, but they turned out to be fairly hard to sign so teams didn't want to risk it.
Sometimes, like in these cases, the talent was so intriguing that they spent a late pick on them to see if they could somehow get them to sign. It happened with Jake Brown, who was selected in the 16th round, went to school and then rose to the No. 65 overall selection in this draft. Both of these players could see even bigger climbs.
Washington has the makings of an elite center fielder. His two best tools are his arm and his speed. He has the arm of a corner outfielder with the range of a center fielder, meaning he could really end up anywhere. That'll come in handy for LSU, who will have to balance a lot of star power in that outfield.
The 18-year-old has a more questionable path at the plate, but he has what it takes to succeed in college. It'll be hard to keep him off the field if he is even at least average with a bat in his hand.
Santarelli is far more than average with a bat in his hand. His performance at the MLB draft combine wowed, and made it feel like a lock that he would get taken early. He has an elite left-handed swing that generates a ton of power. He is a perfect replacement for Brown, with the potential to be even better.
The Wisconsin native could end up as a DH first in college, but could also end up at first base or in a corner outfield spot. This is a bat that Jay Johnson will want to put to use early.
Continue reading...
