The 2026 MLB Draft will descend on Philadelphia during All-Star weekend, turning the city into a temporary hub for baseball’s next generation. The first four rounds are slated for Saturday, July 11, with the final sixteen rounds following on Sunday, July 12, starting at 11:30 a.m.
Live coverage will be streamed on MLB.com, giving viewers a front-row seat to the selections that could reshape professional rosters.
A Surge of Hoosier Talent
Since Jeff Mercer took over as head coach at Indiana University, the program has seen a dramatic uptick in draft activity, with thirty student-athletes selected overall and seventeen of those picks landing in the top ten rounds.
Among the most talked-about prospects are former All-American outfielder Devin Taylor, who was taken in the second round of the 2025 draft, right-handed pitcher Jackson Bergman, left-handed pitcher Tony Neubeck, and right-hander Gavin Seebold. Additional candidates such as Brayton Thomas, Jackson Yarberry, Gavin Swartz, and Luke Crighton are also expected to hear their names called.
The White Sox have emerged as the most aggressive selector of Hoosiers, drafting twelve players to date, while the Dodgers and Tigers have never selected an Indiana University player.
All of the incoming freshman class will be part of the draft pool as prep athletes, and several pitchers — including Luke Crighton, a Second Team MaxPreps All-American who went 10-0 with a 1.19 ERA and a state title in Michigan — have generated considerable buzz.
The draft’s timing, broadcast platform, and the concentration of talent from a single collegiate program underscore its potential to influence the upcoming season’s talent landscape.