​After a landmark finish to the 2026 college baseball season, Louisiana baseball has more cause to celebrate during the 2026 MLB Draft weekend. Cody Brasch, the Cajuns’ standout right-handed pitcher, was selected by the San Francisco Giants with the No. 238 overall pick in the eighth round of the 2026 MLB Draft on Sunday, July 12. This pick marks the program’s 115th player to hear his name called at an MLB Draft and the first Louisiana player drafted since 2024. Brasch joins a notable lineage of Ragin’ Cajuns alumni who have earned selections in recent years, following shortstop Kyle DeBarg, who was taken 33rd overall in the first round by the Minnesota Twins, and pitcher Andrew Langevin, chosen in the fourth round by the Kansas City Royals.
MLB.com projects Brasch’s slot value at No. 238 to be $234,700. Brasch, listed at 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, emerged as a premier professional prospect during his time with Louisiana, developing into one of the Cajuns’ most dependable arms in 2026. In his only season at UL, he worked 74.2 innings, allowing 53 hits while striking out 82 batters and posting a 2.77 ERA. Whether he started games or pitched in relief, Brasch consistently supplied a much-needed boost to the Cajuns’ bullpen during critical moments. With Brasch anchored alongside a roster of other talented pitchers, UL stood out as the lone Louisiana school to advance to the 2026 NCAA Tournament, ultimately finishing as runner-up in the Starkville Regional.
Before joining Louisiana, Brasch took the junior college route, beginning his collegiate career at Tyler Junior College in Texas. In 2023, he appeared in 26 games and made seven starts for the Hawks, compiling a 2-3 record on the mound. He was sidelined for the 2024 season due to injury but returned in 2025 to make seven starts in nine appearances. Brasch represents one of several Cajun players who are hoping to hear their name called in the later rounds of the MLB Draft.
Shannon Belt covers high school sports and Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns athletics for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. You can follow her coverage of high school and Cajuns sports on X (formerly Twitter) at @ShannonBelt3. For questions regarding high school or UL athletics, you can reach Shannon Belt at sbelt@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on the Lafayette Daily Advertiser under the headline: What UL baseball’s Cody Brasch brings to San Francisco Giants.