Texas Tech had four players selected in the 2026 MLB Draft, led by Kyeler Thompson’s rise and Matt Quintanar’s defensive dominance behind the plate in Lubbock.
Texas Tech baseball took two more hits during the final day of the 2026 MLB Draft, but they were the kind of losses that prove the Red Raiders know how to develop professional talent.
Center fielder Kyeler Thompson was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers with the final pick of the ninth round, No. 283 overall.
Starting catcher Matt Quintanar followed in the 15th round when the Philadelphia Phillies called his name with pick No. 489.
Their selections gave Texas Tech four players drafted from its 2026 roster. Logan Hughes went No. 17 overall to the Houston Astros, while Caden Ferraro landed with the St. Louis Cardinals at No. 86.
Thompson’s climb might be the most impressive story of the group.
After batting .257 in 2025, the speedy leadoff hitter exploded for a .358 average during his final season in Lubbock. He added three home runs, 15 doubles, two triples and 26 stolen bases in 32 attempts.
His entire offensive profile took a massive jump. Thompson finished 2026 with a .358/.454/.491 slash line, raising his on-base percentage by 96 points and his slugging percentage by nearly 150 points from the previous year.
He wasn’t just creating chaos at the plate and on the bases, either. Thompson recorded five outfield assists, committed only two errors and finished with a .985 fielding percentage.
Across 100 appearances with Texas Tech, he collected 125 hits, stole 55 bases and scored 92 runs. That combination of speed, contact and center-field defense gives the Dodgers another versatile athlete to develop inside baseball’s deepest organization.
Quintanar delivered his own breakout after transferring to Texas Tech following stops at Central Arizona College and Blinn College.
The catcher hit .323 with six home runs and 46 RBIs in 54 games. He also walked 20 times while striking out only 17, showing the kind of plate discipline rarely found at a physically demanding position.
His biggest weapon, however, was his right arm.
Quintanar threw out 22 of the 49 runners who attempted to steal against him, a rate of nearly 45 percent. That’s not simply good college production—it’s a number that would embarrass most major-league catching rooms.
Texas Tech also saw two high school signees drafted. The New York Yankees selected El Paso infielder Drew Gonzalez in the sixth round, while the Atlanta Braves took Ryne Barker in the 11th.
Former Red Raiders two-way player Connor Shouse went to the Seattle Mariners in Round 20.
Now comes the waiting game. Drafted players have until July 27 to sign.
Texas Tech’s roster may have been raided, but four draft picks send a louder message ... Lubbock remains a legitimate road to professional baseball.
