​Florida outfielder Hayden Yost, a Tampa native, was selected in the fifth round of the 2026 MLB Draft by the Seattle Mariners. He was the 162nd overall pick, with a corresponding slot value of $429,100. During the 2026 season, Yost appeared in 42 games and earned 30 starts, 23 of which came in right field. The redshirt junior slashed .262 with 10 home runs, all of which occurred in his final 24 outings of the year, and added five doubles while driving in 23 runs.
In his sophomore year, Yost was a regular contributor, starting 55 games and appearing in 60 contests overall. His performance against LSU this season stood out, as he hit three home runs and went 4-for-5 at the plate, accumulating 13 total bases, five RBI and four runs scored in that impressive outing. Across three complete seasons, Yost posted a career batting average of .264, recording 23 doubles, 14 home runs, and 65 RBIs over 99 starts and 134 games.
For further information or to follow ongoing coverage of Hayden Yost and Florida Gators baseball, reach Florida Gators writer Andrew Abadie at AAbadie@usatodayco.com, or connect with him on X (formerly Twitter) at @AndrewAbadie. He can also be found on Facebook at Andrew Abadie Sports Reporter and on Instagram at @andrewabadie_sports. This article originally appeared in The Gainesville Sun under the title What Florida baseball’s Hayden Yost brings to Seattle Mariners, with SEO considerations in mind.