CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Thirty-two Appalachian League alumni were selected in the 2026 Major League Baseball Draft. The 32 selections are the second most in a single draft in league history, behind only 2024.
Carson Kerce (Johnson City ‘24) was the league’s first selection in 2026 when the Arizona Diamondbacks drafted him in the second round, 53rd overall. Kerce is tied for the fourth highest overall selection in league history.
Five alumni, including Kerce, were selected on Day 1 of the 2026 MLB Draft. Josh McDevitt (116th), Kam Durnin (121st), Russell Sandefer (132nd) and Alex Conover (134th) were all fourth round picks.
Four alumni selected played in the Appy League in 2026: Jack Beck (Burlington), Diego Gutierrez (Danville), McCarty English (Danville) and Aiden VanDeHatert (Greeneville). Beck and Gutierrez were both members of the Appy League Select Team that faced the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team on June 29.
Every Appy League team had at least one player selected in this year’s Draft. Danville led the way with nine selections, the second most by a team in a single draft in league history behind Greeneville’s 10 in 2024. Burlington and Kingsport both had five alumni drafted in 2026, while Greeneville had four.
The 32 alumni were selected by 17 different Major League organizations. The San Diego Padres and Washington Nationals led the way with four selections each, the second most in a single draft trailing only Colorado’s five selections in 2023. Eight MLB teams drafted multiple Appy League alumni.
The complete list of Appalachian League players selected can be found here.
About the Appalachian League
Founded in 1911, the Appalachian League is one of the longest-running baseball leagues in history. The Appy League is the only collegiate summer league under MLB and USA Baseball’s Prospect Development Pipeline (“PDP”) and is an integral part of the identification and development process for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Teams and other future National teams.
For more information about the Appalachian League, visit appyleague.com or follow @appyleague and @appyleaguedata on X, and @appyleague on Instagram.
