Oregon baseball just watched a huge chunk of its roster get pulled into the professional ranks, and the fallout is going to be felt fast.
A record seven Ducks were selected in the 2026 MLB Draft in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, turning what was already a patchwork rebuild entering the 2025-2026 season into an even tougher roster puzzle for coach Mark Wasikowski and his staff. The program has now had four straight drafts with at least five players taken, a clear sign of how much talent Oregon is sending up the ladder. At the same time, that kind of success comes with a cost.
Ryan Cooney led the way for Oregon, going in the third round as the No. 103 overall pick to the Toronto Blue Jays. The shortstop, who was ranked No. 137, spent three years with the Ducks and moved to second base by his junior season.
He was the obvious headliner after a 2026 campaign that featured a .331 batting average, a .420 on-base percentage and a .524 total bases vs. at bats mark. Cooney also paced the team in hits with 82, doubles with 22 and extra-base hits with 31, while adding 13 stolen bases.
The pitching staff took a major hit too. Devin Bell went to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 10th round at No.
313, Cal Scolari was picked in the fifth round at No. 137 by the Chicago White Sox, and Miles Gosztola landed with the Dodgers in the eighth round at No. 253.
Scolari, a transfer from San Diego for the 2026 season, became an early stabilizer for Oregon’s rotation and posted a 3.32 ERA with 85 strikeouts over 57 innings in 14 games. Bell, a senior reliever, earned All-Big Ten honors after putting up a 3.86 ERA and 12 saves. Gosztola’s role grew later in the year, and he finished with a 3.61 ERA and 69 strikeouts over 17 appearances, 10 of them starts.
According to GoDucks.com, this is the 16th time in the last 17 drafts that Oregon has seen multiple pitchers leave for the pros.
The rest of the draft class also came from key spots around the field. Maddox Molony went to the Detroit Tigers in the sixth round at No.
176, Drew Smith was taken by the San Francisco Giants in the 15th round at No. 448, and Jack Brooks went to the Washington Nationals in the 19th round at No. 556.
That leaves Oregon trying to manage the same double-edged sword that comes with success: the proof that the program develops players well, and the reality that replacing them is a grind. The Ducks are also dealing with possible losses through the transfer portal, including freshman outfielder Angel Laya to LSU and infielder Naulivou Lauaki Jr. to Georgia.
There is still a chance some players with remaining eligibility stay in Eugene, but that decision can get tricky once MLB teams and their minor league affiliates enter the picture. As of Monday, Oregon had added a commitment from USC first baseman Adiran Lopez, but the bigger question remains how much of this roster can be rebuilt again before the next season begins.
In Other News...
Dan Lanning Just Got Pushed Back In A Massive 5-Star Battle
Oregons 2027 recruiting class still has plenty of star power, but the Ducks are starting to feel the pressure in one of the cycles biggest battles. As of July 12, they already have two five-star commitments in wide receiver Dakota Guerrant and edge rusher Rashad Streets, and theyve continued to add four-star talent while keeping their board busy with top targets across the country.
The tougher news is at wide receiver and defensive back Honor Faalave-Johnson, where Oregon appears to be losing ground as Texas has emerged as the main threat in the race. The Ducks are still involved with linebacker Brayton Feister and defensive tackle Brayden Parks, but the path there is not equally clear, which is why this stretch of the summer matters so much for Dan Lannings staff as it tries to keep momentum from slipping away. [Read more 🡒]
Former Louisville QB Tyler Shough Just Had A Full Circle Moment
A familiar face turned up at Oregons indoor practice facility this week, with Tyler Shough back on campus taking reps and making throws in a place that helped launch his college career. The New Orleans Saints quarterback has already packed a lot into his football journey, moving from Oregon to Texas Tech and then Louisville before hearing his name called in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
For Ducks fans, the sight carried a little extra weight because Shough once signed with Oregon in the 2018 recruiting class and still has a connection to the program. His path has included injuries, a reset at Texas Tech and a resurgence at Louisville, and now he is back in the NFL after a rookie season that included nine starts and a spot on the PFWA All-Rookie Team. [Read more 🡒]
Oregon Just Got An Early Recruiting Signal At A Crucial Position
Oregons 2028 recruiting board got an early boost this week when four-star EDGE George Parkinson IV trimmed his list to six schools, and the Ducks were right in the middle of it. The Pennsylvania standout, ranked No. 89 nationally and No. 15 at his position, also included Tennessee, LSU, Penn State, Ohio State and Texas A&M, giving Oregon a seat at the table for one of the more important defensive targets in the class.
The timing matters because the Ducks are already looking ahead at a future need off the edge. Teitum Tuioti and Matayo Uiagalelei are expected to be gone after 2026, and there could be more turnover through the portal before then, so landing a player like Parkinson IV would help stabilize a spot that figures to matter even more down the road. He has not set a commitment date yet, which leaves Oregon with time to keep pressing in a race that should stretch deeper into the cycle. [Read more 🡒]