The 2026 MLB Draft League season is less than three weeks away, alumni from the first five seasons within Major and Minor League Baseball continue to grow in numbers and prospectdom.
Owen Ayers (State College 2022) continues his meteoric rise since the Arizona Fall League with his second Player of the Week honors and Isaiah Drake (Trenton 2023) claims his first as well as being recognized on MLB Pipeline’s Prospect Team of the Week.
This week’s Alumni Report dives into the top prospects, breakout performances, signings, promotions and more.
Previous Alumni Reports: 2025 Recap | Offseason Update | Prospect Update | Opening Weeks | April 16 | April 23 | April 30 | May 7
Position Players
Owen Ayers (CHC, Double-A)
2022 State College Spikes | Cubs No. 10 Prospect (MLB Pipeline)
Southern League (AA) Player of the Week
Week: 5 G, .250/.368/.750 (1.118 OPS), 2 HR, 3B, 5 RBI, 3 R, 2 BB, SB
Season: 28 G, .293/.418/.657 (1.075 OPS), 10 HR, 3B, 4 2B, 26 RBI, 25 R, 4 SB
The rise of Owen Ayers continues after taking home his second Minor League Player of the Week honors of the season for May 4-10. His first at the Double-A level, the former State College Spikes backstop first was recognized at the High-A level for April 13-19. In five games, the Cubs’ 10th-ranked prospect by MLB Pipeline carried an OPS of 1.341 with two home runs and six RBI. Over the week, Ayers was top-10 across the Southern League in the previously mentioned categories, on-base percentage, slugging, runs and total bases.
2023 Trenton Thunder | Braves No. 30 Prospect (MLB Pipeline)
South Atlantic League (A+) Player of the Week
MLB Pipeline Prospect Team of the Week
Week: 7 G, .464/.583/.964 (1.547 OPS), 3 HR, 5 2B, 13 R, 9 RBI, 7 BB, 7 SB
Season: 32 G, .294/.373/.507 (.880 OPS), 7 HR, 8 2B, 29 R, 21 RBI, 13 SB
On top of having 70-grade speed, the Braves’ No. 30 prospect tapped into some power on his way to becoming the May 4-10 South Atlantic League (A+) Player of the Week and named to the MLB Pipeline Prospect Team of the Week. Through six games, Drake slashed .536/.594/1.071 with three home runs and six RBI, each home run coming in consecutive games. Over the week, the Rome Emperor led the South Atlantic League in hits, batting average, on-base percentage, doubles, extra-base hits, runs and total bases.
Charlie Pagliarini (SEA, Double-A)
2023 Trenton Thunder
Week: 7 G, .385/.467/.885 (1.352 OPS), 3 HR, 3B, 2 2B, 6 RBI, 5 R, 4 BB, SB
Season: 32 G, .268/.394/.446 (.840 OPS), 5 HR, 3B, 3 2B, 15 RBI, 15 R, 3 SB
John Cristino (NYY, Rookie)
2021/22 Trenton Thunder
Week/Season: 3 G, .444/.500/1.566 (2.056 OPS), 3 HR, 2B, 6 RBI, 5 R, BB
Cristino put everyone on notice in his first game of the season with the Florida Complex League on Thursday, May 7, blasting three home runs. Signed to a Minor League deal before the 2025 season, the former Thunder homered five times last year between the FCL and High-A Hudson Valley. In the Draft League, he went deep three times in 32 games with a .544 slugging percentage.
Andrew Cossetti (MIN, Double-A)
2021/22 Trenton Thunder
Week: 3 G, .308/.526/.615 (1.141 OPS), HR, 2B, 2 RBI, 5 R, 5 BB
Christian Olivo (CHC, High-A)
2021 Williamsport Crosscutters
Week: 6 G, .364/.481/.727 (1.208 OPS), 2 HR, 2 2B, 11 RBI, 7 R, 4 BB, HBPSeason: 29 G, .226/.368/.398 (.766 OPS), 4 HR, 4 2B, 19 RBI, 17 R, 4 SB
Casey Yamauchi (ATH, High-A)
2023 Frederick Keys
Week: 5 G, .429/.520/.619 (1.139 OPS), 3B, 2 2B, 7 RBI, 5 R, 3 BB, SB, HBP
Season: 26 G, .270/.350/.483 (.833 OPS), 4 HR, 3B, 5 2B, 21 RBI, 21 R, 2 SB
Eddie Rynders (PIT, Single-A)
2024 Williamsport Crosscutters
Week: 5 G, .278/.350/.556 (.906 OPS), HR, 3B, 3 R, RBI, 2 BB
Joel Dragoo (PHI, High-A)
2024 Mahoning Valley Scrappers
Week: 4 G, .364/.533/.455 (.988 OPS), 2B, 2 R, 4 BB
Devin Saltiban (PHI, High-A)
2023 West Virginia Black Bears | Phillies No. 19 Prospect (MLB Pipeline)
Week: 6 G, .364/.370/.577 (.947 OPS), HR, 3 2B, 10 RBI, 3 R, BB, SB
Garrett Spain (MIN, Double-A)
2021 West Virginia Black Bears
Week: 5 G, .263/.440/.737 (1.177 OPS), 3 HR, 6 RBI, 6 R, 4 BB, 2 HBP
Season: 29 G, .274/.374/.623 (.997 OPS), 9 HR, 2 3B, 6 2B, 25 R, 17 RBI, 5 SB
Cristino wasn’t the only one to tap into their power as the Minnesota Twins’ Rule 5 pick also homered three times in a single game on Thursday, May 7. Following the power display, Spain had increased his slash line of .077/.167/.000 with a .167 OPS through his first four games to .290/.365/.688 with a 1.053 OPS through 25.
Pitchers
DJ Carpenter (STL, High-A)
2022 Frederick Keys
Week: 2 G, 2.1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 BB, K, 0.00 WHIP, .000 BAA
Season: 12 G, SV, 13.1 IP, 4.05 ERA, 16 K, 1.50 WHIP, .245 BAA
2024 Trenton Thunder
Week: GS, 3 IP, 0 R, H, 0 BB, 5 K, 0.33 WHIP, .100 BAA
Season: 4/2 G/S, 1-0, SV, 1.38 ERA, 15 K, 0.62 WHIP, .152 BAA
2021 Frederick Keys
Week: 2 G, 3 IP, 0 R, H, 0 BB, 5 K, 0.33 WHIP, .100 BAA
Season: 10 G, 1-0, SV, 15.1 IP, 1.17 ERA, 25 K, 1.37 WHIP, .179 BAA
2024 West Virginia Black Bears
Week: 2 G, 3 IP, R, H, 0 BB, K, 0.33 WHIP, .091 BAA
2024 Frederick Keys
Week: GS, 5.1 IP, R, H, BB, 5 K, 0.38 WHIP, .059 BAA
Season: 6 GS, 1-1, 26.2 IP, 5.40 ERA, 18 K, 1.39 WHIP, .218 BAA
2021 West Virginia Black Bears
Week: 2 G, 2-0, 3.2 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 0 BB, 7 K, 0.55 WHIP, .154 BAA
Season: 11 G, 5-2, 2 SV, 16 IP, 1.69 ERA, 24 K, 0.81 WHIP, .193 BAA
2022 Williamsport Crosscutters
Week: 2 G, 4.2 IP, 0 R, H, 2 BB, 4 K, 0.64 WHIP, .067 BAA
Season: 5 G, 9.2 IP, 0.93 ERA, 9 K, 0.72 WHIP, .094 BAA
2023 Mahoning Valley Scrappers
Week: 2 G, 5.2 IP, R, 3 H, 2 BB, 7 K, 0.88 WHIP, .158 BAA
Jack Wenninger (NYM, Triple-A)
2023 Williamsport Crosscutters | Mets No. 5 Prospect (MLB Pipeline)
Week: GS, 5 IP, 0 R, H, 3 BB, 7 K, 0.80 WHIP, .071 BAA
Season: 7 GS, 3-1, 33.1 IP, 1.08 ERA, 38 K, 1.11 WHIP, .165 BAA
Wenninger continues to cruise through the Triple-A level following his previous start on Tuesday, May 12. Striking out seven through five shutout-innings, the Mets’ No. 5 prospect would extend a scoreless streak to 16.2 innings and lowering his ERA to a Triple-A-best 1.08 and batting average against of .165.
Mitch Bratt (AZ, Triple-A)
2021 West Virginia Black Bears | D-Backs No. 14 Prospect (MLB Pipeline)
Week: GS, 5 IP, R, 3 H, BB, 7 K, 0.80 WHIP, .167 BAA
Season: 7 GS, 29 IP, 2.48 ERA, 29 K, 0.97 WHIP, .178 BAA
2024 Mahoning Valley Scrappers
Week: GS, 6 IP, 0 R, 0 BB, 7 K, 0.67 WHIP, .190 BAA
Signings
Former State College Spikes southpaw Jordan Morales became the fifth MLB Draft League alumni to sign with the Chicago White Sox on Sunday, May 3.
A second-half pitcher, Morales made seven appearances, six of them starts, where he recorded an ERA of 2.98 and struck out 40 batters. In five of his six starts, the Purdue graduate struck out at least six batters with a season-best of 10 on Aug. 9. He would be the fourth of six pitchers in the 2024 season to reach the double-digit mark. Upon signing, Morales joins RHP Michael Gemma (West Virginia 2024), LHP Trey Cooper (West Virginia 2025), OF Alex Ungar (West Virginia 2025) and OF Adam Fogel (Mahoning Valley 2022) in signing with the White Sox since the end of the 2025 MLB Draft League season. The former Spike also joins RHP Luke House (2025, Minnesota Twins), RHP Jason Shockley (2025, Baltimore Orioles), RHP Carter Holjes (2025, Twins) and LHP Anthony Steele (2025, Orioles) as signings who competed for State College.
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.
