​With their second and final selection on the opening day of the 2026 MLB Draft, the Los Angeles Dodgers chose Florida Gators right-hander Russell Sandefer in the fourth round, picking 132nd overall. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound junior posted a 4.42 ERA across 19 appearances for Florida this season, including 12 starts, while recording 60 strikeouts and 22 walks over 57 innings pitched. Sandefer’s standout performance came on April 4, when he limited Ole Miss to seven scoreless innings and fanned 11 batters.
MLB Pipeline rated Sandefer as the 177th-best prospect in the draft, with Baseball America listing him at 182nd. BA’s scouting report notes: “Listed at 6-foot-1, 200 pounds, Sandefer has a deceptive look with a slingy, sidearm slot and a crossfire landing that creates some unusual angles for hitters.” The report adds that Sandefer typically functions as a fastball/slider pitcher against right-handed batters, and relies on a fastball/changeup/cutter mix against lefties. He’s described as a solid strike-thrower who may rely more on inducing weak contact than piling up strikeouts, but there’s potential for him to develop into a backend starter.
The 132nd overall pick carries a recommended slot value of $575,300. The Dodgers’ first day of the draft is now complete, and they won’t have another selection until the seventh round. The club experienced the loss of their second-, third-, fifth-, and sixth-round picks this year as punishment for signing free agents Edwin Díaz and Kyle Tucker during the offseason. Day 2 of the draft is scheduled to begin on Sunday morning at 8:30 a.m. PT, with live coverage available on MLB.com and MLB.tv. This selection process continues to shape the Dodgers’ long-term pitching depth as they navigate the 2026 draft landscape.