CLEVELAND -- The Guardians opened the 2026 MLB Draft by adding a pair of intriguing arms to the Cleveland Pitching Factory assembly line, before they then landed two collegiate prospects who are known for their promising hit tools to complete Day 1.
The Guardians selected University of Florida right-hander Liam Peterson with the No. 19 overall pick, marking the third consecutive Draft they’ve taken a college prospect in the first round. It’s the first time Cleveland selected a pitcher with its top pick since Gavin Williams was taken No. 23 overall in 2021.
From there, the Guardians picked California prep left-hander Logan Schmidt (second round, No. 59 overall), University of Houston outfielder Tre Broussard (third, No. 95) and Wake Forest corner infielder Kade Lewis (fourth, No. 123).
“We’re really excited about the players we were able to pick today, super excited for the organization,” Guardians senior vice president of scouting Paul Gillispie said Saturday. “Our scouts did a great job of putting us in a position to make these decisions on Draft day.”
Here’s a look into the Guardians’ Day 1 picks.
Logan Schmidt, LHP
- Round 2, Pick 59
- Bats/throws: L/L
- School: Ganesha High School (Calif.)
- Calling Card: Schmidt will only turn 18 on July 23; the LSU commit reclassified to finish high school early. He’s listed at 6-foot-4, 210 pounds and features a fastball, a changeup and a slider, while showing he can fill up the zone with each.
- Quote: “Logan is 17 years old, but despite that, [he has a] really advanced feel for pitching. Fastball up to 98 [mph], really advanced feel for his changeup, developing breaking stuff. Delivery, arm action, all those things are starter-like. We’re really excited about Logan.” -- Gillispie
Tre Broussard, OF
- Round 3, Pick 95
- Bats/throws: L/L
- School: University of Houston
- Calling Card: Broussard’s best tool is his speed. He had 56 stolen bases in 98 games over two seasons with the Cougars, while logging a .315/.399/.464 slash line. He has a disciplined and gap-to-gap approach offensively and is known as a quality defender in center field.
- Quote: “Tre is a twitchy and athletic speed-oriented center fielder. Really good ability to control the strike zone. His contact skills are really impressive, and we think he's going to be able to play center field. He stole a lot of bases at the University of Houston. We're really excited about Tre.” -- Gillispie
Kade Lewis, 1B/3B
- Round 4, Pick 123
- Bats/throws: L/R
- School: Wake Forest University
- Calling Card: Lewis split his time between first and third base in two seasons at Wake Forest, after he spent his freshman campaign at Butler University. The Guardians will likely explore both positions with him initially, Gillispie noted. Lewis’ top tool is his bat-to-ball skills. He won the Big East Conference batting title in 2024 (.377 average) and hit .385 with Wake Forest in ‘26.
- Quote: “Really well-rounded offensive package with the ability to control the strike zone, but also impact the ball. Really impressive track record of success with him. He's hit, really, everywhere he's gone.” -- Gillispie
The Guardians rounded out their Draft class on Sunday by taking a pitcher in each of the final five rounds. In total, they selected 13 pitchers and seven position players. Here’s a snapshot of their Day 2 picks.
Rounds 5-10
The Guardians selected Louisville outfielder Lucas Moore in the fifth round and Miami right-hander Ryan Bilka in the 10th. In between, their picks had a common thread: They’re large humans.
The Guardians picked Oklahoma catcher Deiten Lachance (who’s listed at 6-foot-5) in the sixth round; prep right-hander Savion Sims (6-foot-8) in the seventh; Georgia right-hander Matt Scott (6-foot-7) in the eighth; and Oklahoma State right-hander Mario Pesca (6-foot-8) in the ninth.
Lachance has some pop. He hit 18 home runs over 65 games in 2026 on a Sooners team that won the College World Series.
The Guardians have shown a preference for pitchers who pair size and good extension off the mound with their stuff to overpower hitters. Sims, Scott and Pesca could fit that mold.
Player to watch: Savion Sims, RHP
- Round 7, Pick 213
- Bats/throws: R/R
- School: Prestonwood Christian Academy (TX)
- Calling Card: Sims (who’s listed at 6-foot-8, 215 pounds) works at 94-97 mph with his fastball, which has repeatedly touched triple digits. He generates velocity with plus arm speed and little effort, so his heater could project to gain a few ticks in the future. He also features a mid-80s mph slider and a changeup. Sims only turned 19 on June 5. There’s some development to be had here, including with his secondaries, but his arm talent stands out. He’s committed to the University of Oklahoma, so the Guardians will have to sway him to turn pro.
Rounds 11-15
The Guardians rolled with all college players in this window, taking two pitchers and three position players. They selected right-handers Jake Bean (Louisville) and Carson Lane (UNLV) in Rounds 11 and 14. Cleveland then landed shortstop Ben Cleary (Santa Clara), outfielder Erick Dessens (Sacramento State) and third baseman Alejandro Garza (Cal Poly) in Rounds 12, 13 and 15. Bean is a local product who grew up a Cleveland sports fan. He went to Cardinal High School in Middlefield, Ohio.
Player to watch: Erick Dessens, OF
- Round 13, Pick 393
- Bats/throws: L/R
- School: Sacramento State
- Calling Card: Dessens, who’s the son of longtime big league pitcher Elmer Dessens, has hit at every level he’s played at. He spent two seasons at Paradise Valley Community College, where he slashed .363/.447/.475 over 99 games. Dessens transferred to Sacramento State ahead of his junior season, and he went on to earn first-team All-Western Athletic Conference honors in 2026. He slashed .356/.407/.563 with 17 doubles, 10 home runs and 64 RBIs over 59 games.
Rounds 16-20
Among the pitchers the Guardians selected with their final five picks, one is from the high school ranks and four are college guys. Sebastian Rolon (16th round) is committed to play collegiately at Oregon. Cleveland also selected right-hander Travis Lutz from Lamar University (17th round), lefty Parker Dillhoff from UNLV (18th), right-hander Zac Cowan from LSU (19th) and lefty Parker Coil from Arkansas (20th).
Player to watch: LHP Parker Coil
- Round 20, Pick 603
- Bats/throws: R/L
- School: Arkansas
- Calling Card: The Brewers selected Coil in the 16th round of the 2025 Draft, but he opted to return to school for his senior season. The southpaw reliever had a strong ‘25 (1.27 ERA in 21 1/3 innings over 14 appearances) and had a solid ‘26 (3.99 ERA in 47 1/3 innings over 27 appearances). Coil demonstrated his ability to get punchouts and limit free passes. He had 24 strikeouts with just two walks in ‘25, and 58 strikeouts with 10 walks in ‘26.