​LAWRENCE, Kan. — Kansas baseball has just seen Mathis Nayral selected No. 402 overall in the 2026 MLB Draft, making him the fourth Jayhawk to hear his name called this year. The Toronto Blue Jays chose Nayral, a junior right-handed pitcher for the Jayhawks this past season, in the 13th round. Nayral arrived in Lawrence as a transfer from Cochise College, adding to a steady pipeline of junior-college additions who have thrived under coach Dan Fitzgerald at KU.
During his time with the Jayhawks, Nayral contributed to a season in which Kansas captured both the Big 12 Conference regular-season and tournament titles before advancing to the NCAA tournament’s Lawrence Regional. Nayral’s 2026 campaign culminated with a 4.96 ERA over 17 starts and 18 appearances, accompanied by a 4-3 win-loss record. He tallied 71 strikeouts over 69 innings, a solid demonstration of his ability to miss bats and compete at a high level against strong competition.
Nayral’s selection adds to a notable draft class for Kansas this year. He follows fellow juniors who have heard their names called in the earlier rounds: infielder/outfielder Tyson LeBlanc was drafted by Detroit in the sixth round, right-hander Dominic Voegele went to Baltimore in the third round, and infielder/outfielder Brady Ballinger also landed with Detroit in the seventh round. Taken together, this quartet marks a remarkable run for a Kansas program that has steadily elevated its profile and expectations in Lawrence in recent seasons.
As Nayral begins the next chapter of his baseball career, he joins the growing list of Kansas alumni pursuing professional opportunities after college baseball. His performance this season demonstrated not only his talent but also the potential for continued growth at the next level, where the Blue Jays will hope his mid-80s to low-90s fastball and developing secondary pitches translate into success on professional soil.
In other notes from KU baseball coverage, Nayral’s performance came during a season highlighted by the Jayhawks’ competitive depth and the program’s ability to develop pitchers who can contribute to a winning culture. The 2026 campaign added another layer to Kansas’ recent run of success, underscoring the program’s progress and the increasing recognition of its players on the national stage.
This article originally appeared in the Topeka Capital-Journal, with Jordan Guskey reporting on University of Kansas Athletics. Guskey, a former National Sports Media Association sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas in 2022, can be reached at jmguskey@gannett.com or followed on Twitter at @JordanGuskey. For readers seeking additional context on Kansas baseball’s 2026 MLB Draft activity, a comprehensive tracker tracks where KU players were selected and how the program’s draft results fit into the broader narrative of the season.