This 2026 Ohio State Baseball Commit Could Leave for MLB Draft

The Ohio State Buckeyes will look to convince Landon Thiel to stay, rather than take his talents to the MLB in the upcoming draft.

Jackson pitcher Landon Thiel delivers a pitch in the first inning against Perrysburg in an OHSAA Division I regional semifinal at Munson Stadium, June 4, 2025 | Julie Vennitti Botos / Canton Repository / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Landon Thiel is set to join the Ohio State Buckeyes for the 2026-27 Academic Year.

OH-IO 🌰 #Committed pic.twitter.com/vPU2POUYOB

— Landon Thiel (@landonthiel12) September 24, 2024

But before he gets the chance to take his talents to the college scene, the 6-foot-7 left-handed pitcher will have a chance to make the jump to professional ball.

According to the 2026 MLB draft rankings created by ESPN, Thiel is ranked as one of the nation's Top 150 prospects. Coming in at 148 on the list and ranked in the 40 FV Tier, Thiel may have a chance to be selected by an MLB squad in the coming months.

His 40 FV ranking means scouts currently project him as an eventual middle reliever or up-and-down MLB contributor. That doesn’t mean he can’t develop into more with additional polishing and continued growth.

The 2026 MLB draft will take place from July 11 through 13, in Philadelphia, Pa.

Thiel's Chance to Get Drafted

Committed to becoming a Buckeye back on Sept. 24, 2024, it seemed that Thiel was destined to travel to Columbus and suit up in the scarlet and gray. However, having an incredible senior season has resulted in him climbing mock drafts left and right.

Back in early April, Thiel put together one of his best showings of the season.

Recording a school career strikeout record in the process, Thiel threw five no-hit innings against Perry, striking out 14 of 15 batters en route to an 11-0 win. That type of efficiency on the mound is now just eye-popping for Ohio State, but for professional organizations as well.

Not just 14k’s but 14 of 15 outs. Oh yeah btw a new school career strikeout record. And @landonthiel12 ain’t done yet. https://t.co/HddCIcpGx9

— Jackson Bears 2026 (@2026JaxBears) April 9, 2026

According to Prep Baseball, Thiel currently has a four-pitch arsenal, consisting of a fastball, changeup, curveball and slider. Each comes in at the necessary miles per hour and movement that professional teams would be looking for.

His fastball velocity sits at 88-90 mph, while his off-speed pitches see numbers in the high-70s and low-80s.

With all of those things considered, including the fact that his confidence was boosted after a strong final year of high school ball, his chance to be taken in this year's draft is high. But beyond the numbers, Thiel fits the mold of the type of high-upside pitcher that some organizations would be willing to gamble on in the middle rounds.

Still developing physically, he possesses the type of projectable frame that many scouts would be interested in exploring.

Recently, a trend has begun to be seen that clubs like to target prep pitchers with a solid projection, rather than those who have lower ceilings but are polished. After all, a couple of campaigns in the minors can mold players like Thiel into something special.

If Thiel is taken high enough and given an appropriate bonus, there is a legitimate chance that he decides to forgo attending Ohio State and instead take a step straight into his professional career.

‘26 Landon Thiel (OH)

6’7” XL frame. Has controlled the inner half on RHH’s early and opened it up to AS later. Can create angle and will run it away. Heavy FB usage w/ occasional CB & CH. @OhioStateBASE commit // #PBFG24

FB 86-88 T90-91
CB 73-74
CH 76-78

@PrepBaseballOH… pic.twitter.com/l1ll3NhNsD

— Jason Burton (@ksallday19) July 20, 2025

Ramifications for the Buckeyes

As of late May 2026, the Buckeyes have seven notable commits, with Thiel being one of them. Outside of him, they have just one other left-handed pitcher and three righties, with the other two commits being a catcher and a shortstop.

With the Buckeyes attempting to reload, losing out on a player like Thiel, who has been so highly touted, would be a big hit to their class.

Jackson’s relief pitcher Clayton Macaluso (5) and pitcher Landon Thiel bump chests following their defeat of Hoover 4-1 on Tuesday, April 21, 2026. | Bob Rossiter / Special To The Canton Repository / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Landing him was viewed as a big-time win for the Buckeyes, especially snagging him so early on in the recruitment process. If they aren't able to get him to stick to his commitment, Ohio State will be forced to try and address his absence from both a short-term and future pitching outlook.

Still, the fact that the Buckeyes received a commitment from a prospect of Thiel's caliber shows that the program's recruiting presence is continuing to improve. The only hope now is that, for the Buckeyes' sake, he ends up being overlooked in the upcoming draft.