OXFORD, Miss. — Another Ole Miss Rebel baseball player has been selected in the 2026 MLB Draft. The Toronto Blue Jays landed right-handed pitcher Landon Waters in the 17th round with the No. 522 overall pick. The 6-foot-1 Grenada, Miss. native brings great potential to Toronto’s development system.

Ole Miss pitcher Landon Waters has been drafted!

RHP Landon Waters has been drafted No. 522 overall in the MLB Draft by the Toronto Blue Jays. Congratulations to Landon! Hotty Toddy! pic.twitter.com/4wunqXxPr0

— The Rebel Walk (@TheRebelWalk) July 12, 2026

This past season for Ole Miss, Waters pitched in 24 games as a relief pitcher. He pitched 24 innings, with 25 strikeouts, 13 walks, and 17 hits allowed. He tallied some notable performances this season, earning a save during Ole Miss’ upset of then-No. 2 Texas. Waters struck out a season-high four batters in two scoreless innings against Kentucky. Those are just a couple of his moments with the Rebels this past season, but they don’t tell his whole story.

He developed into one of the most trusted middle-relief arms of Mike Bianco by the end of the season. While he wasn’t a closer, Waters produced well to bridge the gap for Rebel closers such as Walker Hooks. He relied on a lively fastball and could keep hitters off balance. His 3.00 ERA and .198 opponent batting average reflect the consistency he provided out of the bullpen.

Waters fits the mold of what Toronto has been looking for in their pitching. The organization has emphasized college pitchers with quality stuff and the ability to miss bats, then works to refine their command and pitch usage through analytics and player development. Waters has all that. He played against top-notch competition in the SEC and has a great fastball that does well in relief situations. Lastly, the versatility to pitch out of a bullpen.

Waters may not have entered the draft as one of the Blue Jays’ highest-profile selections, but he offers bullpen upside teams covet. His SEC experience, competitive mentality, and ability to miss bats give him a solid foundation as he begins his climb through Toronto’s minor league system. If he sharpens his command, he has a path to becoming a valuable major league reliever.

Related

Parks Burcham

Parks Burcham is a senior at the University of Mississippi. He is majoring in Journalism, emphasis in Sports Media, with a minor in Sports Management. He is originally from Booneville, Mississippi and graduated high school from Jumpertown Attendance Center.His favorite sports are basketball and football. He chose this path because he has always been extremely interested in the sports world. Parks enjoys all aspects of the game and hopes to do great work in this field.