The MLB Draft Leagueโs alumni group is set to grow over the weekend as the next crop of talent enters the professional ranks through the MLB Draft. As the 2026 group awaits their turn, former players continue to thrive as two alums captured Player of the Month honors and another two claimed Player of the Week.
The first player from the 2026 class put pen to paper on Tuesday, July 7, as Jui-Chieh Lin signed an international free agent contract with the Minnesota Twins.
More on Lin, the four MiLB award winners, 23 additional standouts this past week and four promotions, including a return to the big leagues for Zach Dezenzo.
Previous Alumni Reports: 2025 Recap | Offseason Update | Prospect Update | Opening Weeks | April 16 | April 23 | April 30 | May 7 | May 14 | May 21 | May 28 | June 4 | June 11 | June 18 | June 25 | July 2
Position Players
2022 State College Spikes | Cubs No. 9 Prospect (MLB Pipeline) | Southern League (AA) Player of the Month
Week: 6 G, .304/.385/.652 (1.037 OPS), 2 HR, 2 2B, 5 RBI, 3 R, 2 BB, HBP
June: 25 G, .451/.554/.825 (1.378 OPS), 7 HR, 13 2B, 23 R, 21 RBI, 2 SB
Season (A+/AA): 72 G, .322/.435/.659 (1.094 OPS), 22 HR, 3B, 19 2B, 59 RBI, 55 R, 6 SB
Ayers added his fifth Minor League Baseball award of the season as the Southern League (AA) Player of the Month after winning the weekly award twice in June. Over 25 games, the switch-hitting catcher led all of Minor League baseball with his .451 batting average, 41 hits, 13 doubles, .554 on-base percentage and 1.378 OPS. During the 25-game stretch, he also held a 13-game hitting streak and set a career high of four hits in one game twice.
Eddie Micheletti Jr. (TOR, Double-A)
2022 Williamsport Crosscutters
Week: 6 G, .300/.375/.650 (1.025 OPS), HR, 3B, 2 2B, 3 R, 2 RBI, 3 BB, SF
Season: 76 G, .239/.343/.436 (.779 OPS), 11 HR, 3 3B, 16 2B, 50 R, 34 RBI, 5 SB
2023 West Virginia Black Bears
Week: 5 G, .400/.500/.867 (1.367 OPS), 2 HR, 2B, 11 RBI, 4 R, 3 BB, 3 SB, HBP, SF
Season: 32 G, .303/.450/.606 (1.056 OPS), 7 HR, 2 3B, 5 2B, 32 RBI, 27 R, 12 SB
Andrew Cossetti (MIN, Double-A)
2021/22 Trenton Thunder
Week: 5 G, .250/.304/.900 (1.204 OPS), 4 HR, 2B, 6 RBI, 5 R, 2 BB, SF
Season: 65 G, .215/.367/.449 (.816 OPS), 14 HR, 3B, 6 2B, 38 RBI, 32 R, 2 SB
2023 Mahoning Valley Scrappers
Week: 6 G, .500/.500/.773 (1.273 OPS), HR, 3 2B, 9 RBI, 7 R, 4 BB, 4 SF
Season: 43 G, .359/.441/.545 (.986 OPS), 4 HR, 2 3B, 11 2B, 31 RBI, 28 R
Charlie Pagliarini (SEA, Double-A)
2023 Trenton Thunder
Week: 6 G, .300/.517/.700 (1.217 OPS), 2 HR, 2 2B, 8 R, 6 RBI, 7 BB, 2 HBP
Season: 77 G, .270/.406/.500 (.906 OPS), 16 HR, 3 3B, 10 2B, 56 R, 51 RBI, 6 SB
2023 Mahoning Valley Scrappers
Week: 6 G, .429/.571/.714 (1.285 OPS), HR, 3B, 2B, 7 RBI, 6 R, 7 BB, 2 SB
Season: 54 G, .311/.420/.513 (.933 OPS), 7 HR, 2 3B, 14 2B, 36 R, 33 RBI, 22 SB
2022 Williamsport Crosscutters
Week: 6 G, .263/.391/.684 (1.075 OPS), 2 HR, 2 2B, 4 R, 3 RBI, 4 BB
Season: 72 G, .249/.351/.429 (.780 OPS), 11 HR, 2 3B, 10 2B, 49 R, 37 RBI, 13 SB
2023 State College Spikes
Week: 6 G, .286/.375/.667 (1.042 OPS), 2 HR, 2 2B, 7 RBI, 2 R, 3 BB
Season: 52 G, .255/.388/.435 (.823 OPS), 9 HR, 6 2B, 32 RBI, 24 R, 7 SB
2021 West Virginia Black Bears
Week: 6 G, .400/.478/.750 (1.228 OPS), HR, 3B, 2 2B, 7 R, RBI, 3 BB
Season: 72 G, .238/.330/.479 (.809 OPS), 14 HR, 3 3B, 15 2B, 34 RBI, 49 R, 12 SB
2021 Williamsport Crosscutters
Week: 5 G, .294/.455/.588 (1.043 OPS), HR, 2 2B, 5 R, 3 RBI, 5 BB
Season: 51 G, .256/.409/.469 (.878 OPS), 8 HR, 10 2B, 37 RBI, 32 R, 8 SB
2021 Frederick Keys / 2022 Mahoning Valley Scrappers
Week: 4 G, .429/.556/.429 (.985 OPS), 3 R, RBI, 2 BB
2021 Trenton Thunder
Week: 7 G, .375/.444/.458 (.902 OPS), 2 2B, 5 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, HBP
Season: 91 G, .296/.375/.481 (.856 OPS), 12 HR, 2 3B, 20 2B, 47 RBI, 42 R
Pitchers
2022 West Virginia / 2024 Mahoning Valley | Angels No. 25 Prospect (MLB Pipeline)
Northwest League (A+) Pitcher of the Month
Week: GS, 5.1 IP, 3 R, 9 K, 10 H, 0 BB
June: 4 GS, 2-0, 22.2 IP, 1.99 ERA, 24 K, 1.01 WHIP, .193 BAA
Season: 14 GS, 68.1 IP, 4.61 ERA, 69 K, 1.45 WHIP, .262 BAA
In four starts, Olejnik captured the Northwest League Pitcher of the Month award as he kept his ERA for June under 2.00. In his first start of the month on June 6, the 6-foot-11 right-hander set a career high of nine strikeouts through 5.2 innings.
2023 Williamsport Crosscutters + Florida Complex League (Rk) Pitcher of the Week
Week (6/29-7/5): 3 G, 4 IP, 0 R, 4 K, 0 H, BB
Diaz made a trio of relief appearances on his way to Pitcher of the Week honors, allowing just one walk over four innings while striking out four. In one one of his best weeks in 2026, Diaz improved his ERA at the rookie level to 3.86.
2023 State College Spikes + Texas League (AA) Pitcher of the Week
Week: 2 GS, 1-0, 10.1 IP, 4 R, 11 K, 5 H, 7 BB
Week (6/29-7/5): GS, 6 IP, 0 R, 6 K, H, 3 BB
Avant turned in his first scoreless start of the year on Thursday, July 2, pitching six innings and surrendering just one hit and three walks. This is the first weekly award for the Athleticsโ right-handed pitching prospect in his first full season at the Double-A level.
Tyler Uberstine (BOS, Triple-A)
2021 Williamsport Crosscutters | Red Sox No. 13 Prospect (MLB Pipeline)
Week: 2 G, 4 IP, 0 R, 7 K, 0 H, 0 BB
Season (MiLB): 12/2 G/S, 27.2 IP, 3.58 ERA, 35 K, 1.19 WHIP, .216 BAA
2022 Mahoning Valley Scrappers | D-Backs No. 12 Prospect (MLB Pipeline)
Week: GS, W, 5 IP, 0 R, 6 K, H, 0 BB
Titan Kennedy-Hayes (PHI, High-A)
2023 Williamsport Crosscutters
Week: 2 G, 3.1 IP, 0 R, 8 K, 0 H, BB
2021 West Virginia Black Bears
Week: 3 G, 2.2 IP, 0 R, 2 K, H, 0 BB
Season: 28 G, 7-2, 2/3 SV, 36.1 IP, 2.23 ERA, 54 K, 1.07 WHIP, .205 BAA
Garrett Schoenle (CHW, Triple-A)
2021 Mahoning Valley Scrappers
Week: 2 G, W, 4.1 IP, 0 R, 4 K, H, BB
Season: 23 G, 2-2, 32.2 IP, 2.20 ERA, 29 K, 1.07 WHIP, .193 BAA
2022 Frederick Keys
Week: G, 4 IP, 0 R, 5 K, H, BB
Christian Rodriguez (BAL, Single-A)
2024 Frederick Keys
Week: GS, W, 5.2 IP, 0 R, 6 K, H, 2 BB
Season: 16/15 G/S, 4-4, 80.2 IP, 3.01 ERA, 89 K, 1.30 WHIP, .261 BAA
Eduardo Rivera (BOS, Triple-A)
2021 Williamsport Crosscutters | Red Sox No. 25 Prospect (MLB Pipeline)
Week: 3 G, 2-0, 5.2 IP, 0 R, 7 K, H, BB
Season (MiLB): 22/4 G/S, 7-2, 48 IP, 2.44 ERA, 62 K, 1.15 WHIP, .185 BAA
Jack Wenninger (NYM, Triple-A)
2023 Williamsport Crosscutters | Mets No. 4 Prospect (MLB Pipeline)
Week: GS, W, 7 IP, 0 R, 5 K, H, 3 BB, HB
Season: 16/13 G/S, 75 IP, 3.48 ERA, 73 K, 1.35 WHIP, .215 BAA
2021 West Virginia Black Bears | D-Backs No. 14 Prospect (MLB Pipeline)
Week: GS, 4 IP, 0 R, 6 K, 4 H, 0 BB
Season (MiLB): 13 GS, 1-1, 52.1 IP, 2.41 ERA, 51 K, 0.96 WHIP, .195 BAA
Connor Fenlong (DET, Single-A)
2022 Williamsport Crosscutters
Week: GS, 4.2 IP, ER, 8 K, 3 H, BB, HB
Season: 2 GS, 9.1 IP, 0.96 ERA, 16 K, 1.07 WHIP, .222 BAA
2023 West Virginia Black Bears
Week: 2 G, 1-0, 3 IP, 0 R, 7 K, 0 H, BB, HB
Season: 25 G, 4-1, 34.1 IP, 2.36 ERA, 68 K, 1.05 WHIP, .090 BAA
Promotions
On Tuesday, July 7, Jui-Chieh Lin officially became the first prospect to play in the 2026 season to move onto professional affiliated baseball, signing an international deal with the Minnesota Twins.
Making five starts, the Taiwan native struck out 22 over 22 innings with the Aberdeen IronBirds while flashing elite spin on his sinker and slider. With the deal, Lin becomes the fourth MLB Draft Leaguer to sign as an international free agent, joining: Zack Qin (SDP, Frederick โ22), Chen-Wei Lin (STL, Frederick โ23) and Mingxuan Zhang (PIT, Frederick โ25).
July 7: OF Patrick Lee (DET, WV โ23) - West Michigan Whitecaps (A+) to Erie SeaWolves (AA), LHP James Hitt (SD, SC โ24) - Fort Wayne TinCaps (A+) to San Antonio Missions (AA), RHP K.C. Hunt (TB, TRN โ22) - Bowling Green Hot Rods (A+) to Montgomery Biscuits (AA).
July 4: OF Zach Dezenzo (HOU, FRE โ21/MV โ22) - Sugar Land Space Cowboys (AAA) to Houston Astros (MLB).
Draft History
The MLB Draft League has found success in the MLB Draft through its first five seasons with 233 players drafted and another 200+ signing as free agents for a total of over 400 players placed in affiliated baseball. A complete list of MLB Draft League graduates who have moved on to the next level can be found here.
For more information about the MLB Draft League, visit mlbdraftleague.com or follow @mlbdraftleague and @draftleaguedata on X, and @mlbdraftleague on Instagram.
