The 2026 Major League Baseball Draft is scheduled to take place this weekend.
Rounds 1-4 will take center stage on Saturday followed by rounds 5-20 on Sunday.
A few Southern Tier baseball stars have a chance to hear their name called during the MLB Draft:
Conner Griffin – Binghamton University
Griffin served as the ace for the Bearcats during the 2026 season. The right-hander made 15 starts for Binghamton where he displayed a fastball that sat in the 92-95 MPH range. Griffin earned second team all-conference honors in the America East by striking out 65 batters in 60.1 innings to go along with a 5.22 ERA. Griffin is expected to be drafted and could be selected early on day two.
Jackson Mitchell – Binghamton University
Mitchell was one of Binghamton’s most effective pitchers in 2026. The righty started the season in the bullpen before transitioning to be a starter. He tossed 49 innings, posting a 4.22 ERA, and striking out 51 batters.
Jake Dally – Binghamton University
Dally led the Bearcats with 21 appearances in 2026. He struck out 44 in 39.1 innings while registering a 4.58 ERA.
Mike Mancini – Vanderbilt University (Maine-Endwell High School)
Mancini was a standout for Vanderbilt in 2026. The left-handed hitter started 53 games for the Commodores, batting .305 with 15 home runs and 44 RBI. Mancini made 47 starts for Vanderbilt as a junior in 2025. He began his college baseball career at James Madison University after performing as a standout prep player at Maine-Endwell High School.
Jack Hopko – University of Rhode Island (Maine-Endwell High School)
Hopko had an incredible college baseball career at Rhode Island. The lefty broke the Rams’ single-season RBI record with 83 as a junior in 2025 when he hit .341 with 16 home runs. As a senior in 2026, Hopko batted .306 with 19 home runs and 63 RBI. He was a two-time first team selection by the Atlantic 10 Conference.
Jude Abbadessa – Tulane University (Union-Endicott High School)
Abbadessa is a right-handed pitcher who tossed 34.1 innings for Tulane in 2026. He began his college baseball career at UConn. Abbadessa throws a variety of pitches with a fastball clocked in the 92-96 MPH range.