What happened: Paul Toboni and the front office selected the Texas A&M infielder with the No. 11 overall pick, following up in the second round with TCU outfielder Chase Brunson. The club shifted to high school upside in the third and fourth rounds, drafting Franklin Regional High School (PA) shortstop Luke Williams and Flower Mound High School (TX) right-hander Cooper Harris. Day two selections featured Miami third baseman Daniel Cuvet in the fifth round, collegiate right-handers Cooper Allen, Gage Peterson, and Max Hansmann in rounds six through eight, UCLA catcher Cashel Dugger in the ninth, and Michigan State outfielder Nick Williams in the tenth.
Why it matters: Hacopian provides near-term offensive reinforcement after posting a 116 wRC+ with Texas A&M, bringing plate discipline and bat-to-ball skills to a crowded middle infield and third-base mix. Brunson adds middle-of-the-order potential in center field following a 131 wRC+, 10-homer campaign across 51 games at TCU, while prep selections Williams and Harris offer long-term athletic ceilings. The budget-conscious senior and junior pitching selections on day two enabled slot savings to pay above-market bonuses for those high school talents, injecting needed farm depth as the major-league club sits at 41-47 following a two-game home sweep by the Yankees.
By the numbers: Across 15 starts each during the 2026 collegiate season, right-handers Cooper Allen recorded a 2.79 ERA with a 21.3% strikeout-to-walk margin at UNC Wilmington, while Gage Peterson logged a 3.28 ERA with a 29.4% strikeout rate at Appalachian State. At the plate, Chase Brunson produced a 131 wRC+, 10 home runs, and 13 stolen bases in 51 games for TCU, while No. The influx of collegiate production arrives with the major-league staff allowing 5.4 runs per game and the offense averaging 5.3 across 88 games.
What to watch: The front office now faces the MLB signing deadline to finalize contract agreements and bonus allocations for all 20 selections, particularly prep standouts Williams and Harris. Initial minor-league assignments will follow, dictating whether Hacopian and Brunson begin their professional careers at the Florida Complex League or bypass complex play directly to Class-A Fredericksburg.