No. 19 overall pick Peterson signs with Guardians (source)
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CLEVELAND -- The Guardians have signed 2026 first-round Draft pick Liam Peterson, MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis reported on Friday, to formally bring the right-hander into the organization.
Peterson, the No. 19 overall pick in the Draft out of the University of Florida, signed with the Guardians for the full slot value of $4,530,500, according to Callis. The club has not confirmed the agreement.
Earlier this month, Peterson became the first pitcher Cleveland selected in the first round of the Draft since it landed Gavin Williams 23rd overall in 2021. Like Williams, Peterson is a big right-hander (he’s listed at 6-foot-5, 225 pounds) -- with big time stuff. Peterson’s fastball sits in the mid-90s and has hit 99 mph.
Now, the 21-year-old is the latest member of the Cleveland Pitching Factory developmental pipeline.
“We are ecstatic about Liam Peterson and drafting him,” Guardians senior vice president of scouting Paul Gillispie said on July 11. “We look forward to partnering with him and helping him become the best right-handed starting pitcher he can become.”
The Guardians have a longstanding relationship with Peterson, whom they scouted when he was a prep prospect before the 2023 Draft. He ultimately opted to pitch collegiately and spent three seasons at Florida.
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Peterson logged a 5.03 ERA in 216 2/3 innings over 50 games (including 47 starts) with the Gators. That included a 4.59 ERA in 84 1/3 innings over 16 starts in 2026, when he struck out 111 batters and walked 36. Those numbers aside, the Guardians are optimistic about his potential given the tool kit he possesses.
Beyond his size and plus velocity, Peterson wields a mid-80s slider and a 12-to-6 curveball.
“The things that he already does and the things that he brings to the table are really hard to teach,” Gillispie said after Day 1 of the Draft, “just with the physicality, just with the arm speed and just with the stuff. We think when we bring him into our organization, there's a lot of things we can do with just some of the finer points of pitching and refinement and those types of things.”
The Guardians selected 13 pitchers, including Peterson, with their 20 picks in the Draft. Many of them are big-bodied, such as second-round pick Logan Schmidt (who stands 6-foot-4), seventh-round pick Savion Sims (6-foot-8), eighth-round pick Matt Scott (6-foot-7), ninth-round pick Mario Pesca (6-foot-8).
Callis also reported Friday the Guardians came to terms with Scott for $200,000, below the slot value for the No. 243 overall pick of $228,600.
Gillispie said that trend was mostly coincidental. It also wasn’t unwelcomed.
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“Anytime you get big guys with those types of engines and arm strength, I think those are a good thing,” Gillispie said after the Draft wrapped up. “I don't think any of our player development people are going to be upset with guys with physicality and arm strength and arm speed and really good pitch traits.
"But I think it's mostly just a coincidence of how the Draft played out and who was on the board when it was our turn to pick.”
Schmidt and Sims are among the three prep prospects the Guardians selected, meaning they have a college commitment. Schmidt, a left-hander who turned 18 on Thursday, is committed to play collegiately at LSU. Sims, a right-hander who turned 19 on June 5, is committed to play at Oklahoma.
The Draft signing deadline is Monday at 5 p.m. ET.