​There were 613 players selected in the 2026 Major League Baseball Draft, with at least 14 having ties to Michigan. Leading the charge among Michigan-connected players was center fielder Brayden Dowd, a third-round pick by the Arizona Diamondbacks who went 88th overall out of Florida State. Dowd starred in high school at Birmingham Brother Rice and was a standout throughout his journey to the pros. MLB.com listed him as the 178th-best prospect in this year’s draft class, and his draft slot carried a bonus value of $915,100.
Dowd, who also spent time in college baseball with Southern California before transferring to Florida State prior to the 2026 season, made an impression with his on-base abilities. In his junior year, he posted a .456 on-base percentage, underscoring his knack for getting on base. Offensively, he showed some power as well, finishing with 10 home runs and a .527 slugging percentage while swinging from the left side. The Diamondbacks’ scouting director, Ian Rebhan, commented on Dowd’s potential, saying, “We think there’s sneaky power in there. He did show the ability to slug a little bit. We think there’s more untapped potential in the power there.” He added, “He’s just a really instinctual player, both in the box and in center field.”
Dowd’s selection marks the 11th time a Brother Rice alumnus has been chosen in the MLB Draft, and he is the first Brother Rice star drafted into the MLB since outfielder Nick Plummer went in the first round to the St. Louis Cardinals in 2015. Brother Rice has also produced DJ LeMahieu, a three-time All-Star, two-time batting champion, and four-time Gold Glove winner, highlighting the program’s track record of producing major league talent.
Among Michigan connections in the 2026 draft were three players from Michigan colleges or high schools. Michigan State right-hander Nolan Higgins was taken in the fifth round by the Toronto Blue Jays; Higgins played at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, and his draft slot value stood at $421,300. Olivet College right-hander Bryan Carney, a former Grosse Pointe North standout, went in the seventh round to the Houston Astros, who also drafted Michigan catcher Noah Miller (Monroe) in the 20th and final round, with a slot value of $285,400.
The Astros have a history of tapping Metro Detroit talent, marking another chapter in their scouting success stories. In 2019, they drafted right-hander Hunter Brown in the fifth round out of St. Clair Shores Lakeview High School and Division II Wayne State University. This year, their focus extended to players from DIII programs, where they found Carney, who became the first Olivet player to earn first-team All-America honors from D3Baseball.com. BaseballReference.com notes that Carney is the second Olivet player ever drafted, joining former Tigers pitcher Vern Ruhle, who was selected in the 17th round in 1972. In the most recent season, Carney delivered an impressive 122 strikeouts and 17 walks over 73.1 innings across 11 starts, posting a 1.35 ERA and a 0.79 WHIP.
This class of draftees demonstrates how Michigan’s baseball ecosystem—from high school programs to Michigan colleges and small private universities—continues to feed talent into the professional ranks. The blend of on-base proficiency, emerging power, and durable pitching from Metro Detroit and surrounding areas signals a bright pipeline for future MLB rosters, with Dowd and the Michigan-connected picks serving as notable anchors for what could be a broader trend in coming drafts.