How Kansas Jayhawks shortstop Tyson LeBlanc made history in the 2026 MLB Draft
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Tyson LeBlanc became KU baseball’s highest-drafted position player at No. 61 overall.
- LeBlanc set a KU single-season record with 25 home runs and hit .341 in 2026.
- Baltimore selected Dominic Voegele No. 82 after he struck out 120 in 97.0 innings.
Kansas Jayhawks shortstop Tyson LeBlanc made program history Saturday afternoon.
LeBlanc was drafted in the second round, No. 61 overall, by the Detroit Tigers. In the process, he became KU baseball’s highest-drafted position player of all-time.
The only Jayhawk picked higher in the MLB Draft? Curtis Shaw, who was picked No. 42 by the Oakland Athletics in 1990.
LeBlanc had a special final season for the Jayhawks. He earned various All-America honors from numerous publications, including Perfect Game’s first team. He also made All-Big 12 first team.
LeBlanc set a single-season KU record with 25 home runs while hitting .341 this year. He finished with 1.131 OPS and 69 RBIs. He previously spent two seasons at LSU Eunice, where he won a junior-college championship in 2024.
On a recent episode of the “Hawk Talk” radio show, KU coach Dan Fitzgerald had high praise for Leblanc: “I can very comfortably say he’s the best baseball player I’ve ever coached.”
The coach later added: “I think his ceiling is a long career as a big-leaguer. I think his floor is like a big-league utility guy.”
Dominic Voegele picked one round later
One round after LeBlanc’s selection, another Jayhawks player was drafted.
The Baltimore Orioles selected right-handed KU pitcher Dominic Voegele No. 82 overall in Round 3. He’s the second KU player picked by the O’s (Jimmy Walker, 1993).
Voegele had a 6-4 record with a 5.85 ERA in 97.0 innings this past season. He struck out 120 batters while walking 35 in 17 starts. He made All-Big 12 second team and Big 12 All-Tournament team.
He was the only Division I player to record multiple games with 15 strikeouts in 2026. He finished his three-year Jayhawk career with 289, second most in program history.
