​The Kansas baseball program added two more players to its growing list of professional talent on Sunday, as Brady Ballinger and Mathis Nayral were selected on the final day of the 2026 MLB Draft. Ballinger was chosen by the Detroit Tigers in the seventh round, with the 216th overall pick, while Nayral went to the Toronto Blue Jays in the 13th round at No. 402 overall. When combined with Tyson LeBlanc and Dominic Voegele, who were drafted on Saturday, the Jayhawks finished this year’s draft with four selections. The 2026 class also marked a milestone in program history, as LeBlanc, Voegele, and Ballinger were all selected within the first 10 rounds, marking the first time Kansas has had three players drafted in the top 10 rounds of a single MLB Draft.
“We’re proud of all four guys who were drafted,” head coach Dan Fitzgerald said in a press release. “We have a number of returners who we anticipated getting drafted. It just shows that this is truly the deepest that college baseball has ever been and spots in professional baseball are becoming more and more rare.” Fitzgerald added that each player earned his opportunity through a combination of performance and long-term potential. “For Tyson, Dom, Brady, and Mathis to get these opportunities, it’s a real tip of the cap to their ability and their projection as professionals,” he said. “We’re really looking forward to watching them in the next stage of their career.”
Ballinger spent two seasons in Lawrence and emerged as one of the program’s most consistent offensive contributors. He earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors in 2026, and he tied for the conference lead with nine sacrifice flies while posting a .993 fielding percentage after transitioning from first base to left field. “Brady had a great two-year run for us,” Fitzgerald noted. “He was a key piece of both our NCAA Tournament teams.” Nayral, meanwhile, made an immediate impact during his lone season at Kansas, posting a 4.96 ERA with 71 strikeouts across 69 innings and helping the Jayhawks capture the Big 12 Tournament title.
With four more players entering professional baseball, Fitzgerald’s program continues to build on one of the most successful stretches in Kansas baseball history. The script of this season’s draft underscores the strength and depth of the Jayhawks’ development system, as well as the allure of Kansas’ program for professional scouts. As Ballinger, Nayral, LeBlanc, and Voegele begin the next phase of their careers, Kansas baseball can point to a track record of continued success in moving players to the professional ranks, a trend that has become a hallmark of the program’s recent history.