​On Saturday afternoon, the Texas Rangers selected left-handed pitcher Gio Rojas with the 16th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft.“This was just all so surreal,” Rojas said. “Everything was a blur. I was just living in the moment at the time. The nerves are pumping, heart’s pounding hard, but dang. Just glad to be a Ranger.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementWidely regarded as the best high school arm in the draft class, Rojas went 11-1 with a 0.58 ERA (6 ER/72.2 IP) and 124 strikeouts against 17 walks in 13 appearances for Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida.Last year, Rojas pitched for the Team USA 18-and-under National Team, earning All-World Starting Pitcher honors at the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup, where the United States placed first.Also on that team was Rangers manager Skip Schumaker’s son and TCU commit Brody, who Rojas called a “good friend.””He’s one of the, I thought, best prep pitchers in the Draft,” said the elder Schumaker. “He was one of the best personalities on that team when I was in Japan with them, watching him, getting to know him throughout the year.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement”He’s a hard worker, he’s high character, got great makeup, and then he’s got a real edge on the mound. He wants the stage, he wants the moment. We lucked into that one. I think it is a very, very good pick.”It wasn’t just Schumaker who may have felt a little surprised when Rojas was still on the board for the Rangers selection.“I can’t speak for the teams up ahead of us that passed, but when doing all our preparation, we thought that there was a limited chance that Gio was going to be there.” Rangers director of amateur scouting Kip Fagg said.“You don’t really game plan it. You take things as they come. We’re prepared for every scenario going into this, so it wasn’t like something all that shocking. We prepared for Gio being there. We prepared, and we were ready.”AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementRojas’ fastball is one of the best in the draft class with the ability to touch 98 mph. His slider and changeup give him a three-pitch mix that should translate nicely to pro ball.The 6-foot-4 left-hander becomes the highest high school pitcher selected by Texas since 2018, when the team drafted Cole Winn.Although it will likely be a while before we see Rojas take the mound in a Rangers uniform, the organization certainly feels they made a good choice.Don’t miss out on our ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news!It’s completely free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!