The 2026 MLB Draft is officially in the books, and it was a successful weekend for the Georgia Bulldogs.
Of 22 eligible players from the 2026 roster, along with six of the seven incoming high school commits, the Bulldogs had a program-record 13 players drafted, along with one high school and two transfer commits also hearing their names called.
Last season, Georgia had 10 players selected in the MLB Draft, one short of matching the then-program record of 11 set in 2009. But the momentum this program continues to build under Wes Johnson is showing in the draft, as just like the 2009 team, UGA led the nation in players selected.
Georgia had a player taken in 10 different rounds, including the first round, when Golden Spikes Award-winning catcher Daniel Jackson was taken 37th overall by the Colorado Rockies.
The Bulldogs came into the draft with five top 250 prospects according to MLB.com, all of whom were drafted.
Each player taken this weekend will have until July 27 to either sign with their new organizations or return to Georgia if they have eligibility.
Below is the full 2026 Georgia draft class.
2026 MLB Draft tracker
Catcher Daniel Jackson - Colorado Rockies, 1st round, 37th overall
Daniel Jackson was drafted 37th overall by the Colorado Rockies Saturday afternoon in the first round of the 2026 MLB Draft.
His slot value is set at $2,696,700.
In his first full season behind the plate, all Jackson did was throw out 34 percent of base stealers and set a program record with 549 putouts, and tally a .997 fielding percentage.
Offensively, Jackson slashed .379/.473/.803 with 100 hits, 32 home runs, 87 RBIs, 26 stolen bases and led the NCAA with 212 total bases and 88 runs scored. Jackson became the first catcher in NCAA history to hit at least 30 home runs and steal 25 bases in a single season.
His historic season helped the Sandy Springs native win the Golden Spikes Award, along with multiple other prestigious postseason honors, including the Dick Howser Trophy, D1Baseball, SEC, Perfect Game and the ABCA/Rawlings Player of the Year.
Over his two years in Athens, Jackson racked up 129 career hits, 46 homers, 123 RBIs and stole 38 bases.
Jackson becomes the second-highest-ranked Bulldog catcher to be selected in an MLB Draft, only behind John Henderson, who was picked No. 4 overall by the Chicago Cubs in the 1975 MLB Draft.
RHP Joey Volchko - Chicago White Sox, 3rd round, 77th overall
Joey Volchko was drafted 77th overall by the Chicago White Sox on Saturday afternoon in the third round of the 2026 MLB Draft.
His slot value is set at $1,086,600.
Volchko spent just one season at Georgia after transferring from Stanford, where he played his first two years. But as soon as the Visalia, CA, native arrived, he asserted himself as the Bulldogs’ ace.
He made 18 appearances in 2026, starting every game, and posted a 3.68 ERA in 95.1 innings. Over that span, Volchko struck out 119 batters, walked 46 with a 1.34 WHIP and 4.34 runs allowed per nine innings.
The right-hander’s strong junior campaign earned him third-team All-American honors.
His defining moment came in the opening round of the College World Series against Texas back on June 13. Volchko tossed a 114-pitch complete game, striking out 15 Longhorns en route to a 7-1 win.
Volchko’s arsenal consists of a power fastball that averages 95 mph but has touched 99 multiple times this year. Pairing with that is a high-spin slider in the upper 80s, a cutter in the low 90s, and a spike-grip curveball in the low 80s with a 12-to-6 shape.
Command will be the biggest facet of Volchko’s game that will need to improve. In 2026, he led the SEC with 46 walks and finished his collegiate career walking 12.6 percent of the 939 batters faced.
Outfielder Rylan Lujo - Los Angeles Angels, 4th round, 109th overall
Rylan Lujo was drafted 109th overall by the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday afternoon in the fourth round of the 2026 MLB Draft.
His slot value is set at $718,700.
Lujo transferred to Georgia this past season after a breakout freshman campaign at Dayton, where he hit .361 with 87 hits in 58 games played.
As a sophomore, all Lujo did was elevate himself to an everyday starter in the outfield for UGA and become a prominent hitter in this vaunted lineup, primarily batting behind Tre Phelps and Jackson.
In 60 games played, the Coconut Creek, FL, native’s .357 batting average ranked second in the SEC, totaling 79 hits, including 16 doubles, one triple, a career-high 14 home runs, 49 RBIs, 14 stolen bases and a 1.056 OPS.
During the NCAA Tournament, Lujo was one of Georgia’s best players. In nine postseason games, Lujo batted .310 (13-42) with three doubles, five home runs and 11 RBIs.
His biggest game came in Game 1 at the College World Series, when he went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run and three RBIs against Texas starting pitcher Dylan Volantis.
Lujo is only a sophomore, so if he does not sign with the Angels and returns to UGA, the outfielder does have three more years of eligibility.
RHP Justin Byrd - Los Angeles Angels, 6th round, 170th overall
Justin Byrd was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday afternoon in the sixth round.
His slot value is set at $399,800.
Byrd, a Bogart native, grew up minutes away from Georgia, where he dreamed of playing baseball one day. Little did he know how impactful he would be in helping the Bulldogs get back to Omaha.
After transferring to Georgia in 2025, Byrd made 18 relief appearances, posting a 3.74 ERA in 21.2 innings with six walks and 26 strikeouts. However, his role then was not very prominent, serving as a middle-innings reliever or coming in for mop-up duty.
However, this past season, the former North Oconee High pitcher started to find his footing, eventually serving as the team’s primary closer by season’s end. The right-hander posted a 6-2 record in 27 appearances - making one start, alongside a team-high eight saves. In 62.2 innings, Byrd tallied a 77-to-14 strikeout-to-walk ratio and held opponents to a .194 batting average.
His success did not come without overcoming some mental blocks along the way. After hitting a midseason slump, in which Byrd allowed 16 hits, 12 earned runs, nine extra-base hits — four being home runs in five outings.
To help build his confidence back up, Johnson, the pitcher, does dry work — practicing without a ball — one day during practice. He reminded them to have more confidence in whatever part of the game they are involved in.
“Coach made us start doing dry work and telling ourselves how good we are and I think ever since that point, a lot of us have really taken that in and do it every day, and I think it started working,” Byrd said during Super Regionals.
That reinstalled confidence helped Byrd get back on track to the point where he closed out both super regional games against Mississippi State and an elimination game vs. Texas at the College World Series.
“What Justin Byrd was able to do to come in and just attack, attack the strike zone, force contact, force early swings on a night, ” Johnson said on June 16. “Like I say, when it’s really, really tough to score, is going to be the key to that.”
RHP Caden Aoki - Texas Rangers, 7th round, 207th overall
Caden Aoki was drafted 207th overall by the Texas Rangers on Sunday afternoon in the 7th round.
His slot value is set at $294,800.
Aoki may have only spent one year in Athens, but he became one of Georgia’s most important pitchers by the end of the season. Known for being an old-school pitcher, Aoki overpowers hitters with velocity, but with lethal precision and accuracy, Aoki acquired the name ‘Doc’ from none other than Coach Johnson.
Coming into the year, the USC transfer served primarily as a reliever but finished the year as the Bulldogs’ No. 2 pitcher. This came after Dylan Vigue went down with an injury in April, bumping Aoki up, and he delivered each time out.
From there, Aoki would finish the year starting six of his final seven outings, including three postseason starts. During the NCAA Tournament, Aoki tossed a combined 19.2 innings, 22 hits, nine runs, 26 strikeouts and two walks versus Liberty, Miss St, and Oklahoma.
He finished the year making 20 appearances, recording a 4.08 ERA, a 110-to-27 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 86 innings thrown.
“When you look up ‘warrior,’ it’s him,” Georgia coach Wes Johnson said during a postgame radio interview on April 26. “He loves this game, loves to compete, loves to be out there. And the team wants him out there.”
RHP Dylan Vigue - Kansas City Royals, 7th round, 209th overall
Dylan Vigue was drafted 209th overall by the Kansas City Royals on Sunday afternoon in the 7th round.
His slot value is set at $289,900.
Vigue played one season at Georgia after transferring from Michigan. He spent most of the time in the Bulldogs’ weekend starting rotation - starting in 16 of his 18 total outings this 2026 season. He finished with a 4.43 ERA, striking out 77 batters and allowing 36 walks in 63 innings.
While command was a bit of an issue with Vigue, the Leominster, MA, native did hold opposing hitters to just a .216 average.
The 6-foot-3 right-hander was certainly not the same pitcher post-forearm injury he suffered during a start against Arkansas on April 17. Prior to his final start of the season against Texas at the College World Series on June 16, Vigue had combined to throw 11 innings, allowing 18 hits, 20 runs, nine walks and as many strikeouts.
But he was brilliant in his four innings of work, allowing just two hits, no runs and striking out eight.
Despite the struggles, Johnson never lost confidence in Vigue, which helped him get back on track.
“I can’t be more grateful of Coach Johnson, just giving me the opportunity to start today, whether I’ve been deserving of it or not,” Vigue said. “He sees that belief in me.”
INF Ryan Wynn - Seattle Mariners, 7th round, 220th overall
Ryan Wynn was drafted 220th overall by the Seattle Mariners on Sunday in the 7th round.
His slot value is set at $266,100.
Wynn transferred to Georgia this past season after spending his first two years at Wofford. The Douglasville native played in 50 games this year for the Bulldogs, primarily playing second base, where he posted a .948 fielding percentage in 96 chances, making five errors.
Offensively, Wynn found an everyday role in the bottom half of the lineup and slashed .323/.377/.638 with 42 hits, 14 doubles, nine home runs and 37 RBIs.
The second baseman’s best game this season came back on May 29 against Long Island when he went 4-for-5 with a pair of home runs and four RBIs as Georgia beat the Sharks 18-2 to open the NCAA Tournament.
INF Kolby Branch - Texas Rangers, 8th round, 237th overall
Kolby Branch was drafted 237th overall by the Texas Rangers on Sunday in the 8th round.
His slot value is set at $236,100.
Branch spent three years at Georgia after playing his freshman season at Baylor. Across his three seasons in Athens, the Bulldogs captain started and played in all 195 games, hit a career .277 with 197 hits, 50 homers (fourth most in UGA history) and ranked 10th in program history in RBIs (159) and walks (110).
Playing every game at shortstop, Branch posted a career .973 fielding percentage, including this season’s .977 that earned him the Gold Glove Award By ABCA/Rawlings.
“Having Kolby as kind of our main leader is great because you know he’s always, you know, calm, cool and collected, not too emotional, and kind of gets us going in the right direction,” Jackson said ahead of the series against Mississippi State in the super regional.
This season, Branch slashed .267/.379/.576 with 68 hits, including career-highs in doubles (19), homers (20), RBIs (60) and walks (40). During his final at-bat, Branch’s storybook career came to a fitting ending with a no-doubt solo home run against Oklahoma on June 17.
“Can’t script it up any better,” Kolby Branch said postgame.
Branch is currently playing for Team USA Collegiate National Team at the World Collegiate Baseball Championship at Taichung City Intercontinental Baseball Stadium in Taichung City, Taiwan.
RHP Matt Scott - Cleveland Guardians, 8th round, 243rd overall
Matt Scott was drafted 243rd overall by the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday in the 8th round.
His slot value is set at $228,600.
Similar to Volchko, Scott transferred to Georgia after spending three years at Stanford. Scott was one of the most vital bullpen arms for the Bulldogs this past season, pitching in multiple high-leverage spots and often getting the job done.
In 20 outings - three starts - the 6-foot-7 right-hander posted a 7-0 record with a 4.22 ERA and a 76-to-30 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 59.2 innings pitched. Opponents struggled hitting Scott this year, batting just .214 and racking up an 11.5 strikeout-per-nine thanks to the Redding, CT, native’s power fastball, sharp cutter and slider.
While he had multiple solid outings, his finest came on May 14 against Auburn, when Scott tossed the final four innings in relief, giving up zero runs, one hit, one walk and struck out six.
INF Tre Phelps - Pittsburgh Pirates, 9th round, 258th overall
Tre Phelps was drafted 258th overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 9th round.
His slot value is set at $214,800.
Phelps originally committed to Georgia before Wes Johnson took over in 2024, but stuck around and became one of the most dynamic pieces to wear the red and black in recent memory.
Over three seasons, Phelps appeared in 157 games, where he recorded a career .339 batting average, totaling 199 hits, 36 doubles, 2 triples, 41 home runs, 143 RBIs, and a 1.059 OPS.
The Atlanta native burst onto the scene his freshman year, hitting .353 with 12 home runs and earning Perfect Game First Team Freshman All-American.
He had a bit of a down season by his standards in 2025, in which it felt as if Phelps was pressing more than he needed to. The utility man bounced back in a big way in 2026. Phelps played and started in 65 games, batted .348 with 11 doubles, one triple, 19 home runs and 59 RBI while fielding .961 in 128 total chances.
His efforts helped earn him ABCA First Team All-American, All-SEC First Team and SEC All-Defensive Team honors.
More than anything, Phelps’ charismatic energy was the lifeblood of this Georgia ball club and was put on full display following his go-ahead home run in the regional final versus Liberty, which resulted in an ejection for taunting and a one-game suspension.
As a result, the team hung his jersey up outside the dugout following the win and raved about his presence after the Game 1 super regional win.
“He’s going to bring the Tre Phelps energy, I mean, it’s unique, and it’s been like that all year, and he brings a great energy to the team that everyone feeds off of,” O’Shaughnessy said on June 6.
RHP Caleb Jameson - Arizona Diamondbacks, 12th round, 356th overall
Caleb Jameson was drafted 356th overall by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 12th round on Sunday. His pick makes him the 11th Bulldog to come off the board and ties the program record with the 2009 team.
Jameson played one year at Georgia after transferring from Baylor during his redshirt-sophomore season.
The Paris, TX native made 17 appearances in 2026 - one start - and posted a 6.11 ERA in 17.2 innings pitched. He allowed 22 hits, 14 runs, walked four and struck out 26 batters.
OF Kenny Ishikawa - Cincinnati Reds, 13th round, 392nd overall
Kenny Ishikawa was drafted 392nd overall by the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday in the 13th round. Ishikawa is the 12th Bulldog taken, marking a new program record for most players ever taken in a single MLB Draft.
After playing his freshman year at Seattle University, Ishikawa traveled 2,700 miles to Athens, where he became an integral player for Georgia this season. For the first half of the year, Ishikawa split double duties between outfield and pitching.
But major inconsistencies once SEC play started put an end to the Yokohama, Japan native’s time pitching, at least for this year. His final stats on the mound were 10 appearances - six starts - with a 14.44 ERA in 14.1 innings pitched. He allowed 21 hits, 24 runs and a 20-to-16 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
But at the plate, Ishikawa was one of the most impactful batters for Georgia. In 160 plate appearances, the left-handed batter tallied 42 hits, six doubles, one triple, three homers, 21 RBIs and a remarkable 28-to-11 walk-to-strikeout ratio.
Ishikawa was Georgia’s best hitter all of the College World Series, knocking a team-best .357 (5-for-14) with a home run and three RBIs.
It will be interesting to see whether Ishikawa signs with Cincinnati or returns to Georgia, as he still has three years of eligibility remaining.
UGA transfer commit LHP Edwin Alicea - Detroit Tigers, 14th round, 426th overall
Edwin Alicea, a left-handed pitcher, who announced on Friday that he was transferring to Georgia from USF, has been selected 426th overall by the Detroit Tigers in the 14th round on Sunday.
Alicea made 19 appearances for USF in 2026 - making 10 starts - posting a 6-5 overall record, with a 5.23 ERA in 72.1 innings and a 60-to-28 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He also posted a 1.37 WHIP, allowed 71 hits and held opponents to a .253 batting average.
UGA commit LHP Patrick Clemmey - Philadelphia Phillies, 14th round, 429th overall
UGA commit Patrick Clemmey, a left-handed pitcher out of Avon Old Farms High School was drafted 429th overall by the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday in the 14th round.
Clemmey has been committed to Georgia since October of 2025.
UGA transfer commit Mikey Bell - San Francisco Giants, 19th round, 568th overall
Infielder Mikey Bell, who announced he was transferring to Georgia from Gonzaga on June 15, was drafted 568th overall by the San Francisco Giants on Sunday in the 19th round.
Bell earned West Coast Conference Player of the Year honors for the 2025 and 2026 seasons and was a two-time first-team All-WCC selection.
At the plate this past season, Bell led the team with a .378 average (42nd in D-I) with a team-high 1.058 OPS, hit 24 doubles (5th in D-I), scored 52 runs and drove in 47 RBIs.
INF Brennan Hudson - Chicago Cubs, 20th round, 607th overall
Brennan Hudson was drafted 607th overall by the Chicago Cubs in the 20th round on Sunday.
Hudson rounds out Georgia’s draft class after spending two seasons in Athens. He transferred from Georgia State last year but never carved out a consistent role beyond serving as a backup first baseman and designated hitter.
He hit .219 in 32 at-bats with seven hits, all for extra bases - four doubles and three home runs, 13 RBIs and 17 strikeouts.
After a strong summer playing for the Sanford Mainers in the New England Collegiate Baseball League, the Cumming native slowly developed into a full-time first baseman in 2026.
In a much bigger role, Hudson hit .294 in 163 at-bats with 48 hits, 22 home runs and 51 RBIs. He still struck out 46 times - tied for fifth highest - but also drew 39 walks.
The power-hitting left-hander hit a team-best .625 (5-for-8) with four runs scored, one home run and two RBIs during Georgia’s super regional sweep of Miss. State.
