​While the top names in the MLB draft vanish after the first day—or commit to college for another year—there are always future big leaguers waiting to emerge on the second or third day of the draft. In the last decade, several Royals picks outside the first 150 selections have eventually reached the majors, including David Sandlin, Noah Cameron, Anthony Veneziano, Noah Murdock, Vinnie Pasquantino, Tyler Tolbert, Austin Cox, Jonathan Heasley, Nate Eaton, Tyler Zuber, Brewer Hicklen, Nicky Lopez, and Richard Lovelady. Could today’s picks join that list? Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: being drafted at all is a remarkable accomplishment. Each year, roughly 10,000 players are eligible for NCAA baseball, and only about 5% are selected by MLB teams.
McElvain, who transferred from Vanderbilt, shifted entirely to the bullpen, delivering 38.1 innings with a 34.4% strikeout rate and a 1.88 ERA. He stands tall at 6’4” and 250 pounds and is rated by MLB as the 144th-best prospect in the draft. LeGuernic, another bullpen option, is young for a junior—he won’t turn 21 until October—and posted a 4.69 ERA across 19 appearances. MLB places him as the 220th-best prospect in the draft. Vigue, a starting pitcher, started 16 games for the Bulldogs and posted a 4.43 ERA against tough SEC competition, earning a spot as the 201st-best prospect in MLB’s rankings.
Possehl, a draft-eligible sophomore, is an imposing figure at 6’8” and logged a 3.21 ERA with a 2.5 K/BB ratio this season for FGCU. Kansas City’s first day-two position player selection, Johnson, transferred from Wichita State to Oklahoma this year and slashed .298/.403/.478 with 31 stolen bases, rated by MLB as the 116th-best player in the draft. Fontenot, another reliever, has faced injuries and has only 48.1 total college innings over the last three years; when healthy, he’s shown a 26.9% strikeout rate.
At 5’9”, the compact Tanner Griffith nonetheless had big production this year for St. Mary’s, hitting .342/.477/.545 with 22 doubles across 303 plate appearances. A draft-eligible sophomore, Hartley, at 20 years old, struck out 22 batters in 16 innings this season. Hill shifted to the bullpen this year and posted a 1.35 ERA with a 3.2 K/BB ratio over 20 innings. Wickersham, a multi-sport athlete, became Kansas City’s first high school draftee on day two and has committed to the College of Charleston. Clement, with his distinctive mustache, has split time between the bullpen and the mound as a starter; he’s also coming back from an injury, having logged only 3.1 innings last year. Roman just recently turned 21; he’s the Houston pitcher with a 3.88 ERA this year. MLB pegs DeVaughan as the 138th-best player in the draft, while Baseball America lists him at 111, suggesting he could lure a signing bonus above slot to attract him away.
These stories underscore the reality: the draft is a lengthy process with many future big leaguers still to be discovered well after Day 1. As teams evaluate depth and potential upside, players from later rounds continue to shape the organization’s future, and every drafted pitcher or position player carries the hope of becoming a contributor at the major league level.