​Florida relief pitcher Luke McNeillie, a member of the Gators, was selected in the fifth round of the 2026 MLB Draft. The right-hander became the first Florida pitcher to be taken on the draft’s second day. McNeillie was chosen as the 152nd overall pick, a selection with a slot value of $467,700.
Throughout his college tenure, McNeillie posted a career-best 3.97 ERA in 18 appearances, recording 48 strikeouts to 17 walks. An unfortunate spell of shoulder soreness caused him to miss nearly a month of the season, resulting in 10 fewer appearances than he logged the previous year. Over three seasons at Florida, McNeillie accumulated a 5.24 career ERA, 163 strikeouts, 62 walks, across 72 appearances and 122 innings pitched.
Standing out on the mound with a mid-90s fastball that has touched 98 mph, McNeillie also features a slider and a changeup to complement his repertoire. The Milton, Georgia native delivered his most prominent performance of the season against in-state rival Florida State, where he pitched three scoreless innings in relief, allowing two hits and one walk while striking out a season-high six hitters. Just five days later, he notched a save in 2.1 innings of relief against Arkansas.
For further updates and insights on Florida Gators baseball, reach Florida Gators writer Andrew Abadie at AAbadie@usatodayco.com or follow on X (formerly Twitter) at @AndrewAbadie. He can also be found on Facebook at Andrew Abadie Sports Reporter and on Instagram at @andrewabadie_sports. This article originally appeared in The Gainesville Sun under the headline: What Florida baseball’s Luke McNeillie brings to New York Mets for better SEO.