A New Era for Seminoles Alumni
Kaden Waetcher, the Seminoles' top‑ranked pitcher commit, has agreed to a $3,247,500 contract with the San Francisco Giants, forgoing his college eligibility. The deal reflects the high value placed on a prep career that featured a 1.01 earned‑run average, 135 strikeouts and a .154 opponent batting average over 370 at‑bats.
Joining him on the professional trail, Landon Thome, the program’s top position‑player commitment, signed with the Minnesota Twins, while utility standout Myles Bailey also inks an above‑slot agreement. Their signings bring the total of Florida State’s 2026 MLB Draft selections to ten, a testament to the program’s growing pipeline of elite talent.
The contracts, many of which exceed slot values, underscore a shifting landscape in which top collegiate prospects are opting for immediate professional opportunities rather than completing their NCAA eligibility. Executives at the university and within the Giants organization have praised the players’ readiness and projected impact at the next level.
Implications for the Program
These signings not only bolster the Seminoles’ recent recruiting classes but also signal a broader trend across college baseball, where elite high school talent is increasingly evaluated through the lens of professional potential. As the draft class settles into its new professional environments, the university will look to maintain its reputation for developing major‑league‑ready players.