CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – To close out the 2026 MLB draft, three members of the Virginia baseball team heard their names called on Sunday (July 12). After two Cavaliers were selected on Saturday (July 11), UVA upped its total to five in this year’s draft.
2026 UVA MLB Draft Summary
AJ Gracia (Atlanta Braves) – Round 1 (Ninth Overall)
Eric Becker (Cincinnati Reds) – Round 2 (58th Overall)
Kyle Johnson (Tampa Bay Rays) – Round 6 (174th Overall)
Joe Tiroly (San Diego Padres) – Round 7 (215th Overall)
Tyler Kapa (Miami Marlins) – Round 14 (415th Overall)
A dual-threat for Virginia in 2026, Johnson went 1-3 with a 6.87 ERA in 11 appearances with 45 strikeouts in 38 innings on the mound, while hitting .241 (27-for-112) with seven long balls and 29 runs driven in.
In his one season on Grounds, Tiroly rode a second-half surge to bat .319 (76-for-238) with 16 home runs and 66 RBIs. The junior led all UVA batters in hits (76), home runs (16), RBIs (66) and total bases (137).
Out of the bullpen, Kapa went 2-2 with a 2.70 ERA and 11 saves in 26 appearances. The graduate student fanned 39 batters while walking 14 in 30 innings pitched. Kapa’s 11 saves led the ACC and ranked 14th nationally. The right-handed flamethrower was named to the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) All-Atlantic Region team.
UVA Draft Notes
- Four or more Cavaliers have been selected in the MLB draft in 19 of the last 23 seasons.
- Since the start of the 2021 season, 30 Cavaliers have been drafted, the third most in the ACC over that span.
- Since the MLB Draft’s inception, 163 Virginia baseball players have been selected.