Three Seminole standouts secured top-three round selections, headlined by ACC Pitcher of the Year Wes Mendes. The Astros, Cubs, and Diamondbacks all snagged elite Tallahassee talent.
On Saturday, the childhood dreams of three Florida State baseball stars playing in the Major Leagues have come true, as pitcher Wes Mendes, first baseman Myles Bailey and outfielder Brayden Dowd will continue their baseball journey at the pro level. All were drafted in the first three rounds.
P Wes Mendes
The Houston Astros selected Mendes with the 57th pick of the second round. Mendes posted a 9-3 record with a 2.90 ERA and a WHIP of 1.02. He pitched 93.0 innings and recorded 125 strikeouts and 25 walks. In addition, Mendes allowed a .207 batting average against him.
Mendes pitched a nine-inning complete game against Pitt, allowing one earned run, five hits and seven strikeouts. Against Wake Forest, Mendes pitched another complete game. He allowed just two hits and struck out 11 Demon Deacon batters in seven innings. In a game against Duke, Mendes struck out a career-high 12 batters.
For his outstanding effort on the mound for the Seminoles, Mendes was named the ACC Pitcher of the Year, and All-American by D1 baseball. In addition, he was named the ACC Scholar Athlete of the Year and a semifinalist for both the Dick Howser Trophy and the National Pitcher of the Year.
The Astros are currently third in the American League West with a record of 46-50.
1B Myles Bailey
The Chicago Cubs selected Bailey with the 75th pick of the second round. This pick was a compensatory pick-competitive balance round B. The Cubs lost a qualifying free agent player and did not receive revenue share, nor did they exceed the luxury-tax salary threshold. As a result, the Cubs picked up an extra pick and used it to select Bailey.
Bailey was on a tear during the first half of the 2026 season, swatting 13 home runs and driving in 33 runs. He batted .363, posted an OPS of 1.495 and a slugging percentage of .913.
In the weekend series against Duke, Bailey suffered a season-ending leg injury. Despite that, Bailey’s smooth swing and power at the plate were hard for the Cubs to pass up.
Mendes and Bailey being drafted continues the tradition of the Florida State baseball program producing major league talent.
The Cubs are currently in second place in the NL Central with a 52-42 record.
OF Brayden Dowd
Dowd was selected with the 88th overall pick (3rd round) by the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was as consistent as they come for the Seminoles during the 2026 season, posting two game-winning hits (including a grand slam) and scoring four game-winning runs.
A constant figure in the outfield, Dowd started 51 games for the Seminoles. In 184 at-bats, Dowd belted 10 home runs, 13 doubles, drove in 36 RBI, scored 52 runs and walked 51 times. Dowd earned third-team All-ACC honors.
The Diamondbacks are second in the NL West with a .500 record of 47-47.
Florida State 2027 recruits drafted
The Seminoles had two of their commitments from the 2027 recruiting class drafted as well. Shortstop Landon Thome, No. 34 among the Top 250 Draft prospects, was selected with the 34th pick of the first round by the Chicago White Sox. The young Thome is the son of Hall of Fame first baseman Jim Thome.
In the second round, another Seminole commit was drafted. Right-handed pitcher Kaeden Waechter was selected with the No. 55 pick by the San Francisco Giants.
Join our ROUNDTABLE community! It's free to join. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members. Download the free Roundtable APP, and stay even more connected!
