Wes Mendes, a left‑handed pitcher from Florida State University, was selected in the second round of the 2026 MLB Draft by the Houston Astros, a culmination of a whirlwind journey through college baseball that turned heads across the sport.
The Road to the Draft
Mendes began his collegiate path at Ole Miss before transferring to Tallahassee, where he quickly became a cornerstone of the Seminoles’ rotation. As a sophomore he logged 78 innings, posting a 5.42 ERA and a 7‑3 record while striking out 90 batters and walking 39, helping the team maintain a .240 opponent batting average.
After refining his pitch mix over the offseason, he earned the role of Friday starter as a junior and went on to dominate the ACC, earning Pitcher of the Year honors and multiple All‑American selections. He made 16 starts, worked 93 innings, fanned 125 batters and posted a 2.90 ERA, including two complete games — one of them a shutout — while limiting opponents to a .207 average.
Over his three‑year stint at Florida State, Mendes compiled 171 innings with a 4.05 ERA and 215 strikeouts, numbers that underscored his reliability and upside. The Astros now look to develop the Tampa native into a future impact arm, hoping his polished repertoire can translate into major‑league success.
A Promising Future
With a strong foundation in both academics and athletics, Mendes is poised to embark on a professional trajectory that could see him rise quickly through the Astros’ farm system. Fans and analysts alike will be watching closely as the left‑hander aims to turn his collegiate promise into a lasting presence on the big‑league mound.