HBCU baseball got a double dose of draft recognition in 2026, with Delaware State right-hander Michael Lane and former Prairie View A&M outfielder Michael Smith Jr. both hearing their names called.
Smith went first, taken by the San Diego Padres in the 13th round with the 395th overall pick after a big season at the University of Dayton. Lane followed later when the Detroit Tigers grabbed him in the 16th round with the 486th overall selection.
Smith’s path to pro ball started long before Dayton, though. His rise began at Prairie View A&M, where he made an immediate splash as a freshman in 2024.
He hit .331 with a .511 on-base percentage and a .592 slugging percentage, adding nine home runs, 52 RBIs and 65 runs scored. That season put him on the map in HBCU baseball and earned him Black College Nines' 2024 All-Elite Freshman of the Year honor, along with a spot in the 2024 HBCU Swingman Classic, Major League Baseball's annual showcase highlighting many of the top HBCU baseball players in the country.
Smith returned to Prairie View A&M in 2025 before transferring to Dayton for the 2026 season, and his lone year with the Flyers only strengthened his case as a pro prospect. He started all 53 games and hit .332 with a .502 on-base percentage and a .588 slugging percentage. He finished with 10 doubles, four triples, 10 home runs, 56 RBIs and 65 runs scored, while setting Dayton's single-season record with 38 stolen bases.
That production brought plenty of recognition. Smith was named to the Atlantic 10 Second Team, earned ABCA/Rawlings East All-Region Second Team honors and landed among D1Baseball's Top 100 outfielders during the season.
Lane’s selection kept Delaware State’s draft pipeline going. He became the latest Hornet to be picked, joining former Delaware State draftees Trey Paige, Garrett Lawson, Dan Perkins, Eric Carter and Pedro Swann.
The right-hander earned his shot after becoming a full-time starter in 2026. The numbers came with some bumps - he finished 4-9 with a 7.12 ERA - but his swing-and-miss stuff stood out enough to get professional attention.
Lane struck out 88 batters in 14 appearances, which ranked second in the Northeast Conference, and his 36 called strikeouts led the league. He also worked 73.1 innings, the sixth-highest total in the conference.
Over three seasons at Delaware State, Lane appeared in 38 games and made 21 starts. He finished his Hornets career with 155 strikeouts and one complete game.
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