​Pennsbury High School alumnus Joe Tiroly heard his name called on Sunday as the San Diego Padres selected him in the seventh round, 215th overall, during the final stretch of the 2026 MLB Draft’s second day. The 21-year-old infielder, who spent most of his spring at Virginia as a regular at second base and batted third, posted a standout season for the Cavaliers. Tiroly hit .319, led Virginia with 16 home runs, 66 RBIs and 76 hits, and posted a .984 OPS, ranking him second on the team in that category after transferring from Rider for his first two collegiate campaigns. His spring performance helped him secure a spot on the Cavaliers’ roster as one of the key run producers atop the lineup.
Tiroly’s season included a memorable appearance in the Hattiesburg, Mississippi Regional all-tournament team. In Virginia’s dramatic 15-11, 10-inning victory over Southern Miss on May 30, he delivered a three-run homer and collected four RBIs, underscoring his impact for the Cavaliers in high-pressure postseason play. The draft buzz around the 6-foot, 205-pound middle infielder had built steadily through the spring, with most mock drafts projecting him to land somewhere between the third and eighth rounds. MLB.com had him ranked as the No. 147 prospect entering the draft.
Among those with ties to Pennsbury, fellow graduate Ryan Zuckerman also drew attention on draft day. Zuckerman, a 6-foot-4, 230-pound third baseman for Georgia Tech, entered Sunday as a candidate for a high selection as well. He anchored the Yellow Jackets’ offense by leading the team in home runs (23) and RBIs (79, tied for eighth in the country) while posting a career-best batting average (.345), 71 runs, 80 hits, 37 walks, and a robust slugging percentage (.720) as well as an on-base percentage (.438). His standout season earned him D1 Baseball first-team All-American honors, and he was named the ACC Tournament MVP as Georgia Tech made its push through the postseason.
Tiroly’s selection by the Padres adds a notable feather in the cap of a player who rose from Pennsbury High School to the prominent stage of Division I baseball in Charlottesville. Though the first four rounds of the 2026 MLB Draft had concluded on Saturday, rounds 5 through 20 unfolded on Sunday, bringing a mix of opportunities for a variety of draft hopefuls. Among the other notable college grad releases that weekend was Holy Ghost Prep alumnus Aiden Robbins, an outfielder who heard his name called as the No. 92 overall pick by the New York Mets on Saturday, rounding out a draft class filled with promise for players from Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic region.
As Tiroly begins his professional baseball journey with the Padres organization, his trajectory could mirror the success stories of fellow alumni who have used strong showings at the plate, crisp defense, and savvy base running to climb the minor leagues. After a standout junior year at Virginia and a productive college career capped by All-Region and All-American considerations, Tiroly joins a growing list of players who have leveraged excellent collegiate performance into a shot at the majors. The Padres will now look to translate his bat speed, versatility, and competitive approach into steady development within their farm system, with fans elsewhere keeping an eye on his progress as he transitions from Virginia’s diamonds to professional ball.
This report originates from Bucks County Courier Times and outlines the noteworthy outcomes of the 2026 MLB Draft as it related to Pennsbury graduates, including Tiroly’s seventh-round selection by San Diego and Zuckerman’s ongoing draft-day expectations, highlighting the continued impact of regional coaching, school programs, and collegiate achievements in shaping the next generation of professional baseball players.