​The Philadelphia Phillies selected Texas right-handed pitcher Ruger Riojas with the 100th overall pick in the third round of the 2026 MLB Draft on Saturday. Riojas had a standout senior season in 2026, posting a 3.97 ERA while striking out 120 batters and issuing 36 walks across 81⅔ innings pitched. His college journey began at UTSA, where he spent his first two years before transferring to Texas, where he continued to develop under the guidance of pitching coach Max Weiner.
Riojas arrived at Texas as a relief pitcher but soon earned a regular spot in the Longhorns’ starting rotation. His performance endured a rough stretch in the latter part of the 2025 season due to illness, yet he battled back and returned to form, demonstrating resilience and improvement that carried into his final collegiate campaign. MLB scouting reports highlight his fastball, which regularly reaches up to 98 miles per hour, complemented by an aggressive and varied offspeed repertoire. Riojas can mix a splitter, cutter, slider, and curveball off that mid-to-upper-90s heater, giving him a diverse arsenal capable of challenging hitters across the strike zone.
In Texas’ late-season run, Riojas delivered a commanding performance when it mattered most. In the College World Series, with elimination looming, he took the mound to face Alabama and responded with seven strikeouts over six innings, surrendering only two runs. That outing capped a career at Texas that showcased both his velocity and his ability to compose himself under pressure, traits that scouts noted as signals of his potential at the professional level.
The Phillies’ selection of Riojas adds a pitcher with a blend of power and pitchability to Philadelphia’s farm system. Throughout his time with the Longhorns, he demonstrated the durability and competitiveness that draft evaluators prize, overcoming setbacks to reclaim his form and finish his college career on a high note. As Riojas transitions to professional baseball, evaluators will be watching how his fastball command, development of secondary pitches, and ability to attack hitters more consistently translate to the higher level of competition found in the minors and, potentially, the majors.
This acquisition comes as part of a broader trend of teams prioritizing college arms with a track record of adapting to higher levels of play and tightening execution in pressure moments. Riojas’ trajectory—from a versatile reliever to a trusted starter, through a season interrupted by illness, to a late-career surge—offers Phillies scouts and development staff a compelling upside to explore within their pitching-development framework. His 2026 season, marked by his improved command and continued velocity, suggests that Riojas could mature into a solid contributor in the organization if he continues refining his mechanics and refining the consistency of his secondary offerings.
For Texas fans and college baseball followers, Riojas’ draft selection marks a notable capping of his collegiate chapter and a new chapter in his professional journey. As he progresses through the minor leagues, his experience against high-level competition, coupled with a powerful fastball and a diverse set of offspeed pitches, will be critical in determining how quickly he can advance and what role he ultimately can fill within the Phillies’ pitching staff. The 2026 MLB Draft positioning reflects a belief that Riojas possesses the tools to develop into a valuable pitching option at higher levels, provided he continues to harness his velocity and sharpen the precision of his offspeed repertoire.