A program seeing a large amount of athletes graduating to the professional level of their sports in a double edged sword. On one hand, the ascension to a pro spot is a feather in the cap of an organization when it comes to developing talent while on the other, it leaves coaches with more work to fill spots in the roster.
That’s currently occurring with Oregon Ducks baseball, as this years’ squad (which was already a patchwork rebuild at the beginning of the 2025-2026 season), saw a record seven players get their names called in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania for the 2026 MLB Draft.
Oregon pitcher Miles Gosztola throws against Nebraska at PK Park in Eugene April 12, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Ryan Cooney Leads the Picks
During the extensive 20 round draft, Ducks’ short stop Ryan Cooney was the first to have his name called for the program, clocking in during the third round as the No. 103 overall pick to the Toronto Blue Jays with a No. 137 ranking. The All-Big Ten Honors selection spent three years with the Ducks, with his role evolving to second base by his junior season.
During the Ducks’ 2026 campaign, Cooney raked in .331 batting average, .420 on base percentage, and a .524 total bases vs. at bats. Cooney topped the team in hits (82), doubles (22) and extra-base hits (31) while swiping 13 bases, so it was very much assumed he’d be the first Duck off the board.
Oregon State infielder Travis Bazzana slides safely into second under cover from Oregon infielder Drew Smith as the Oregon Ducks host the Oregon State Beavers Tuesday, April 30, 2024, at PK Park in Eugene, Ore. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
The Ducks That Followed
Each Duck that followed also got chances during the 2025-2026 season to shine, but the Ducks really stepped up with pitchers in the draft, as Devin Bell (Round 10, No. 313 to the Los Angeles Dodgers), Cal Scolari (Round five, No. 137 to the Chicago White Sox), and Miles Gosztola (Round eight, No. 253 to the Los Angeles Dodgers) all got selected.
A transfer from San Diego for the 2026 season, Scolari stepped up early during the season to fill the gaps in Oregon’s pitching go-to’s with a 3.32 ERA and 85 strikeouts over 57 innings across 14 games in 2026. Senior reliever Bell picked up All-Big Ten honors after clocking in a 3.86 ERA and 12 saves over the season. Gosztola became a bigger player on the mound later in the season with a 3.61 ERA and 69 strikeouts over 17 games pitched (10 starting).
According to GoDucks.com, this draft is the 16th time in the last 17 drafts that Oregon saw multiple pitchers depart for the pros.
Outside of the pitching bullpen, the Ducks also saw several power players from this season also get called up. Short stop Maddox Molony (Round 6, No. 176 to the Detroit Tigers), third baseman Drew Smith (Round 15, No. 448) to the San Francisco Giants), and outfielder Jack Brooks (Round 19, No. 556 to the Washington Nationals) also departed from their college careers to ascend to the minor leagues for a shot at the MLB.
Oregon baseball coach Mark Wasikowski, center, talks strategy as the Ducks take San Francisco to extra innings at PK Park March 30, 2022.
Syndication The Register Guard | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
The Problem With Progression
For the Ducks, this historic draft metric is a blessing and a curse. On one hand, having the fourth consecutive draft with at least five players selected is a testament to the development that can be done under coach Mark Wasikowski and his team.
However, the potential departures of several top-talent players in the transfer portal including freshman outfielder Angel Laya (LSU) and infielder Naulivou Lauaki Jr. (Georgia) mixed with the departures for the draft puts an even harder task to rebuild the team, which Oregon’s coaching staff did prior to entering the 2025-2026 season.
Yes, there is a chance some players chose to remain with their program until eligibility runs out, but that’s also a delicate balance to negotiate with the MLB team that drafted them and their assigned minor league team.
As of Monday, the Ducks gained the commitment from USC first baseman Adiran Lopez, but the future of Ducks’ baseball relies on a rebuild or convinving players with remaining eligibility to stay.
Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow