2026 Second-Round Draft Pick Shockingly Announces He Won't Sign With Guardians

Losing Schmidt will put the Guardians in an interesting position as they look to add a new left-handed arm to the farm system, especially with so many injuries to the position this season.

Jun 27, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; A general view of a glove, baseballs and a bat before a game between the Kansas City Royals and Cleveland Guardians at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

The No. 12-rated prospect in the United States will not sign a deal with the Cleveland Guardians.

After speculation ran rampant all week, left-handed pitcher Logan Schmidt officially announced that he would be turning his attention towards college ball instead of making the jump to the big leagues.

On Sunday, July 26, Schmidt, an 18-year-old left-handed pitcher who was selected with the Guardians' second-round pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, confirmed on his social media accounts that he and the organization could not agree on a deal.

"After a great deal of thought and conversations with my agent Garrett Parcell, others at the Paragon group, my family, and those I trust most, I have made the difficult decision not to sign with the Cleveland Guardians," Schmidt wrote. "I have a great deal of respect for that organization and for everyone I met throughout this process. We were not able to come to an agreement, but I appreciate the time they invested in getting to know me and my family.

"To my family, my coaches, my teammates, and everyone who has supported me along the way: thank you. Your belief in me means more than I can put into words. I am excited for what’s next!"

Schmidt was taken with the Guardians' 59th pick in the draft and had a slot value of $1,598,900, and while it isn't wild to see some players sign for more money than that, his agent confirmed that they were seeking a deal worth $3-4 million.

With the Guardians shelling out for 6-foot-8 right-handed pitcher Savion Sims just a day prior, signing him to a deal over a million dollars, such a contract wasn't in the picture for Schmidt.

And while he could be arguably worth that, Cleveland wasn't in a position to give him anywhere near that.

The maximum the organization could have paid him over the slot value was $1,717,885.

Just got a phone call from Logan Schmidt’s agent, Garrett Parcell.

He said the Guardians drafted Schmidt without an agreement in place. Schmidt’s camp was seeking a deal in line with the other premier prep lefties ($3-4M) but the sides never got close.

More to come soon pic.twitter.com/gyI7iMEaKc

— Inside LSU Baseball (@Insidelsubsbl) July 26, 2026

Being one of the top talents in the draft, Schmidt's high value of himself isn't a surprise, but to see him shoot for such a high number certainly is. However, only time will tell if betting on himself will be worthwhile down the line.

Now, Schmidt's focus has shifted on what to do next.

According to multiple reports, he is mulling over whether he wants to fulfill his commitment to LSU, which would mean he wouldn't be draft-eligible until 2029, or attend a junior college and jump right back in the draft next summer.

It's hard to imagine, though, that if Schmidt decides to take the JUCO route, organizations at the next level will be hesitant about his level of loyalty come next June.

For the Guardians, fortunately, they will receive the No. 60 overall pick in next year's draft, which somewhat makes up for missing out on a second-rounder this year.