Gavin Eddy Likely to Be First Cal Player Taken in MLB Draft

Cal pitcher Gavin Eddy turned himself into intriguing Major League Baseball prospect in the final four weeks of the Bears’ 2026 season, and as a result he is likely to be the first Cal player taken in the MLB draft, which will be held Saturday and Sunday.

Unlike last year, when no Cal players were drafted for only the fourth time in the history of the MLB draft, which started in 1965, as many as four Golden Bears players could be taken this time around.

Cal catcher Hideki Prather is likely to be drafted on the second day of the 20-round draft, and utility player Jacob French and pitcher Oliver de la Torre have outside chances to be among the 667 players selected this weekend.

However, it is the 6-foot-5 Eddy who is getting the most attention. Baseball America called Eddy one of the “sleeper prospects to know,” and although he is unlikely to be taken on Saturday, when rounds one through five are held, he could go anywhere in the 15 rounds on Sunday.

The right-handed Eddy is a sleeper because he was just an average college pitcher for most of the Bears’ 2026 season following a 2025 season when he had a 5.74 earned-run average in 14 appearances, including nine starts.

Eddy was effective in his first nine starts of 2026 as a junior, rolling up a 5-2 record with a 3.26 earned-run average.

But it was in the final five starts that he became an MLB prospect. He had a 2.38 ERA s over those final five starts, and allowed just one earned run in each of his last three starts.

Lack of offensive support hurt Eddy as he went just 1-1 with three no decisions in those five games, but he went eight innings twice in that span while also striking out 43 batters. That includes a 14-strikeout performance in which he allowed just one run in seven innings on May 9 against Virginia, which was ranked No. 23 at the time.

Even though he did not get a decision in that game, which Cal ultimately lost 2-1, Eddy was named ACC pitcher of the week.

Eddy finished the season with a 6-3 record and a 2.87 ERA, which ranked third in the ACC. Those are good numbers, but it was the way he finished the season that improved his draft status.

He is expected to be the first Cal player taken in the 2026 MLB draft, perhaps midway through the second day of picks.

Prather, French, de la Torre Next

Prather is the most likely Cal player to be taken next in the draft, with French and de la Torre also having a shot to be drafted.

Prather made his mark in his one season at Cal after playing in just four games at Clemson in 2025.

The 5-foot-10, 195-pound catcher was Cal’s best hitter in 2026. Prather led the team in homers (14), OPS (1.053), on-base-percentage (.421) and slugging percentage (.632), and he was second in batting average (.333).

The Perfect Game website had this to say about Prather:

Prather did not see much time on the field over his first two seasons at Clemson, but quickly made an impression this spring. The backstop is a strong defender that receives the ball well. The bat made strides this spring, showing barrel feel and impact. An aggressive approach does limit the hit tool and contact against spin will need to improve.

If Prather is picked this weekend, he would be the second Cal catcher drafted in the past three years, joining Caleb Lomavita, a first-round pick in 2024 who has yet to play in a major-league game and is now with Double-A Harrisburg.

French missed the final 13 games of the 2026 season with an injury, but he has shown he can hit at the college level. He hit .380 as a sophomore in 2025, and bounced back from a slow start this season to finish with a .344 average, best on the team. He can play a lot of positions, which could make him attractive to some major-league team.

The right-handed de la Torre finished the 2026 season with a 5-5 record and a 3.76 ERA.

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