Will pro baseball come calling for 3 KU Jayhawks prospects in July’s MLB Draft?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Tyson LeBlanc slugged 25 homers and is projected as an early to mid-round 2026 draft pick.
- Voegele struck out 120 batters and was previously drafted in 2023.
- Ballinger hit .283 with seven homers and is ranked 97 and 181 by outlets.
Kansas Jayhawks shortstop Tyson LeBlanc, the school’s No. 1 all-time single-season home run leader after slugging 25 this past season, could return to campus for an encore if he wishes.
So could the Jayhawks’ top starting pitcher, Dominic Voegele, and starting leftfielder, Brady Ballinger, who, like LeBlanc, both have a year of collegiate eligibility remaining.
However … LeBlanc, a 6-foot, 200-pound junior from Maurice, Louisiana; Voegele, a 6-2, 175-pound junior from Columbia, Illinois; and Ballinger, a 6-2, 225 junior from Las Vegas, are all appearing on Major League Baseball draft boards and figure to be taken in the 2026 MLB Draft, set for July 11-13 in Philadelphia in conjunction with the All-Star Game.
LeBlanc — he hit .341 with 25 homers and 69 RBIs in his one season at KU — is considered an early- to mid-round selection in the 20-round draft.
He was a fan favorite for leading KU to 2026 Big 12 regular-season and postseason-tourney titles. This, after hitting 11 homers in helping Louisiana State-Eunice win the 2025 Division II junior-college World Series.
He is listed as Justbaseball.com’s No. 60-ranked prospect in this year’s draft. MLB.com predicts he will be taken at No. 130.
LeBlanc hit just four homers his freshman year at LSU-Eunice and 11 as a sophomore before blasting four more than former KU single-season home run leader Tony Thompson, who hit 21 in 2009.
In calling him “one of the most dangerous hitters in the Big 12,” MLB.com’s scouting report says LeBlanc “lacks a standout tool but his high-level performance makes him one of the better college shortstops available in the draft.
“With a strong frame and simple right-handed swing geared to launch balls in the air, LeBlanc tied the Kansas single-season record when he hit his 21st homer at the Big 12 tournament, where he earned MVP honors. While most of his power plays to his pull side, he does have opposite-field pop as well and 20-homer upside at the next level. He has decent plate discipline and a knack for making contact and he proved himself with wood bats in the Northwoods League last summer.
“LeBlanc’s base stealing prowess results more from savvy than pure speed as he’s an average runner,” the MLB.com scouting report continued. “His solid arm strength is his lone better-than-average tool and helps him make plays at shortstop where he’s a reliable if not flashy defender. He profiles better at second or third base.”
Justbaseball.com’s scouting report had this to say of LeBlanc: “Since arriving in Lawrence, LeBlanc has added about 15 pounds of muscle, giving him a well-built, proportionate frame. He makes sound swing decisions and consistently inflicts damage, excelling at lifting the ball to all fields. The barrel consistency stands out, with multiple 110+ MPH exit velocities on his ledger.
“LeBlanc’s power comes with excellent bat-to-ball skills, as he stays compact and direct to the ball with impressive adjustability both inside and outside the zone. While he projects as a hit-over-power bat at the next level, the offensive profile is well-rounded and impactful.
“Defensively, LeBlanc is a solid shortstop with fluid actions, good instincts, and a strong arm across the diamond. He looks comfortable and projects to stick at the position as he moves up the ranks,” the scouting report noted.
Voegele, KU’s Friday night starter in each of the Jayhawks’ three-game Big 12 series this year, finished the season 6-4 with a 5.85 ERA. He struck out 120 batters, passing Mike Zagurski as No. 1 on KU’s all-time single-season strikeout list. Zagurski had 113 K’s during the 2005 season.
Voegele, listed as No. 95 best prospect in the draft by Justbaseball.com and No. 296 by Perfectgame.org, has already been drafted once. He was selected by the Arizona Diamondbacks in Round 20 of the 2023 draft. This year he’s considered a middle- to late-round pick.
“His operation, athleticism, and stuff point to a viable starting pitching prospect,” wrote Tyler Jennings of Justbaseball.com.
“Voegele has a low pulse on the bump, striding down the mound with effortless mechanics and athleticism. He shows solid arm speed from a three-quarters arm slot and a longer arm swing, though he doesn’t get a ton of extension given his short stride.
“The fastball can get generic, though he found more value as a sophomore and can now get chases at a sufficient clip. He does generate solid carry with run mixed in, though as he fatigues, the shape tends to waver. He’ll hold 91-95 velocity through starts, and he’s been up to 98 MPH this season.
“His mid-80s slider features tight shape and big spin rates, playing like a deathball. It’ll turn into a cutter at times, though it plays best with shorter break and tilt. The low-80s curveball has more teeth, breaking sharply to the dirt with similar spin rates. There’s a fading upper-80s change-up that doesn’t have a ton of separation from the fastball, though he kills a good amount of spin.
“Voegele throws a ton of strikes, though he’ll get in trouble by leaving pitches in the zone too much. He will attack hitters inside and has little fear in how he operates. He has turned into one of the best starters in the country of late,” Jennings added.
Another Jayhawk who has emerged as a possible draftee is first basman Ballinger, who hit .283 with seven homers and 45 RBIs in this, his junior season. He’s listed the 97th-best prospect by Justbaseball.com and 181st-best prospect by Perfectgame.org.
“A bulkier prospect with proportionate strength and physicality, Ballinger employs one of the best approaches in this draft class,” wrote Jennings of Justbaseball.com.
“Ballinger tends to be selective and rarely expands the zone, plus he stays balanced throughout his operation, sending the baseball to all fields,” Jennings wrote.
“It’s a compact swing with loft that allows Ballinger to do significant damage in the air, especially to his pull-side. His load can get a bit noisy, featuring a moderate leg kick and a slight bat wrap, but Ballinger operates with rhythm and consistently gets the barrel on the baseball. If there’s any big bugaboo in his profile, he can be beaten by higher-end velocity, but his ability to adjust to secondary offerings keeps him afloat.
“He’s generated above-average power to both sides of the field, as well. It’s as well-rounded an offensive profile as you can find. Given his size and lackluster speed, Ballinger has been relegated to first base duties to date. He’s enough of an athlete that he could see time in the outfield in some capacity, but many believe his below-average speed limits his range. This is a profile that will have pressure on the bat to perform, but it’s a potentially good one,” Jennings added.
This story was originally published June 10, 2026 at 5:00 AM.
