​Florida junior right-hander Luke McNeillie, a native of Milton, Georgia, was selected by the New York Mets in the fifth round of the 2026 MLB draft, taken with the 152nd overall pick on Sunday. He becomes the 235th Gator drafted all-time and the 120th draft selection under head coach Kevin O’Sullivan, with a slot value of $472,500 attached to his selection. Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing 200 pounds, McNeillie enjoyed a productive 2026 season, posting a career-low 3.97 ERA while going 3-0 with one save. Across 18 appearances, including three starts for the Orange and Blue, he struck out 48 hitters and walked 17 over 34 innings, delivering an impressive 12.7 strikeouts per nine innings and a 2.82 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He also surrendered just 0.8 home runs per nine frames and recorded a flawless 1.000 fielding percentage.
The Peach State product entered last spring with high expectations, earning Baseball America’s Second Team Preseason All-American honors and a spot on the Preseason All-SEC First Team. Yet, he rarely worked beyond three innings in a start, logging a three-inning outing against Florida State and a four-inning appearance against Auburn—neither of which were starts—and ultimately proved more effective out of the bullpen. “There was hope the 6-foot-3 McNeillie would transition to a starting role for the Gators, but that hasn’t happened yet,” notes his MLB.com scouting report. “His stuff plays louder in shorter stints out of the bullpen, beginning with a fastball that has sat in the 96-99 mph range this year as a reliever.”
McNeillie was ranked 89th overall and 23rd among right-handed pitchers in the 2023 cycle by Perfect Game, which described him as possessing a “three-pitch starter profile with lots of projection remaining, up to 93 mph with a plus changeup, high-level performer.” MLB Prospects assigned him a 40 overall grade entering the draft, with his fastball and slider rated at 55 and his changeup and control at 45. The assessment noted that his command, both in and out of the zone, has been inconsistent at Florida, and his projection is complicated by a lack of extension or deception. The report suggested he can be caught between trying to be a complete pitcher and attacking with his power stuff. Nevertheless, teams will be intrigued by his arm strength, and a skilled development program focusing on starting responsibilities could help him realize his long-term potential.
If McNeillie can establish himself as a legitimate starter for Florida in the lead-up to next year’s draft, his stock could rise considerably. For ongoing Florida Gators coverage, follow us at GatorsWire on X (formerly Twitter), Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook for updates, notes, and opinions about Florida Gators athletics. This article originally appeared on Gators Wire.