The MLB Draft League announced that State College’s Haden Luke was named Most Valuable Pitcher of the 2026 second half.
Luke, 24, led the second half with 53 strikeouts and third amongst qualified pitchers with an ERA of 1.76. Through 41 innings (nine games, eight starts), he held batters to a .205 batting average that tied for seventh with a WHIP of 1.22 placing him 10th. His performance earned him a nod to the MLB Draft League’s All-Second Half Team.
In seven of his nine games, Luke struck out at least five batters. The most being nine and always threw at least three innings. He started strong with a four-inning start July 10, striking out five and surrendering two runs (one earned) on three hits. His next appearance came eight days later out of the bullpen, striking out the side in his first inning before finishing with five total across three scoreless innings. He would end the first month with a total of 19 strikeouts across 17 innings (four games, three starts), earning two wins in the process.
In August, after surrendering four runs in his first start of the month, Luke became one of the best pitchers with 14 2/3 scoreless innings across three starts. Led off on Aug. 14 (5 2/3 innings) with nine strikeouts, he would then strike out eight batters in his following games, Aug. 21 (three innings) and Aug. 27 (six innings). During that span, his 25 strikeouts paced the league, was one of eight qualified pitchers to have zero earned runs and had the 10th-best batting average against at .157.
Expanding to qualified pitchers across the entire 2026 season, the State College Spikes' ERA elevates him to leading the league, while his 53 strikeouts put him in third behind pitchers who appeared in both halves, 12 away from first place. His batting average against also boosts up into third and his WHIP to fifth.
The Vicksburg, Miss., native came to Happy Valley after graduating from Nicholls State. Returning to action after being shut down in 2025, Luke made 13 starts (57 2/3 innings) where he struck out a team-leading 69 batters. Prior, he spent two years at the juco level with Mississippi Delta Community College, striking out 149 batters through 111 innings.
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