WVU P Maxx Yehl Drafted in the Third Round of the 2026 MLB Draft

A tremendous year for West Virginia left-handed pitcher Maxx Yehl has led to him being selected in the third round (91st overall) by the Kansas City Royals.

Yehl, as you know, had to miss the entire 2025 season recovering from Tommy John surgery, which can oftentimes set a pitcher back in a big way, and for some, they may never get back to the version of themselves they were pre-surgery.

For Yehl, bouncing back was never a concern. He knew he would get it done and turn some heads; he just had to ease into it. At the start of the 2026 season, Yehl was on a pitch count/innings watch, throwing just 45 pitches in two innings in his first start against Georgia Southern and then going just four frames against Liberty. From that point on, he was turned loose and tossed at least six innings nine times and pitched a complete game gem on the road at Kansas.

Yehl finished the season with a 9-3 record and an ERA of 2.13. He struck out 112 batters while walking just 26. The "stuff" may not be the most overpowering, but he knows how to paint the edges of the strike zone and mix in his secondary pitches to keep hitters off balance.

At season's end, Yehl was named the Big 12 Conference Pitcher of the Year and also became just the fifth Consensus All-American in WVU baseball history, joining a club that features Chris Enochs (1997), Jedd Gyorko (2010), Alek Manoah (2019), and JJ Wetherholt (2023).

Although much of his production at WVU came in just one season, he will forever go down as one of the most decorated players to ever put on a Mountaineer uniform.

Yehl does have two years of eligibility remaining, but if he does plan to sign, he will need to do so before Monday, July 27, at 5 p.m. ET.

Who could replace Yehl's spot in the rotation if he signs?

I think it's pretty safe to say that University of Tampa (Division II) transfer Robert Satin has a spot in the Mountaineers' rotation, whether Yehl returns or not. He has the tools to become West Virginia's next ace, and if all goes well, he could be in the mix for Big 12 Pitcher of the Year as well. This past season, Satin posted a 2.61 ERA in 113.2 innings. He punched out 114 while issuing just 20 free passes.

Add us as a preferred source on Google