Two Penn State Baseball Commits Selected In 2026 MLB Draft
While only one current Nittany Lion was selected in the 2026 MLB Draft on Sunday, two incoming recruits heard their names called, giving them a unique decision to make in the coming weeks.
High school four-star outfielder Alex Weingartner was selected with the No. 166 overall pick in the sixth round by the Chicago White Sox, while junior college transfer catcher Dalton Harper was selected No. 472 overall in the 16th round by the Atlanta Braves.
Weingartner, the younger brother of former Penn State infielder and St. Louis Cardinals draft pick Ryan Weingartner, just finished up a sensational high school career, which saw him be named New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior.
The Berlin, New Jersey, native was a major coup for Mike Gambino and the Penn State coaching staff, as they landed one of the best prep prospects in the nation. According to Perfect Game, Weingartner is the No. 75 recruit in the country and No. 1 in New Jersey as an intriguing two-way prospect.
Harper is an incoming catching transfer from Division III SUNY Niagara, where he was extremely impressive over 59 games as a sophomore, slashing .556/.642/1.005 with 17 home runs, 47 extra-base hits and 91 RBIs. He won NJCAA Division III Player of the Year and led the Thunder Wolves to their first-ever World Series title. He committed to transfer to Penn State after entering the transfer portal in June.
It’s important to note that, unlike the NHL, incoming players being selected in the MLB Draft is extremely risky for any college baseball team. If Weingartner or Harper puts pen to paper with their new team, Penn State officially loses them for good. For an extremely talented catching transfer and one of the best incoming recruits in program history, this suddenly becomes a major story.
As a 16th-round pick, Harper’s potential signing bonus is fixed at $150,000 unless the Braves want to make a further commitment to keep him. Most JuCo transfers picked at this point elect to go to college if they aren’t given a major over-slot with their signing bonus, but the Cheektowaga, New York, native hasn’t tipped his hand yet.
The intrigue is with Weingartner, who’s currently projected to get a signing bonus of just over $400,000. For a top-100 recruit in the nation, trying to get him to start his pro career early is surely going to require a major investment. After all, if he becomes the star that many believe he can be, he can make a lot more money in the 2029 MLB Draft.
The White Sox figure to have some money to spend after reports that No. 1 overall pick Roch Cholowsky will sign for less than his $11.3 million slot value, but the team selected two likely over-slot high schoolers with their second and third picks. Will they have enough to sign all three of their coveted prep picks? For Penn State’s sake, they have to hope Weingartner honors his commitment.
If you’re looking for a recent pick to compare this situation with, Penn State’s last blue-chip incoming recruit to be drafted was Lonnie White Jr. in 2021. The Coatesville, Pennsylvania, native was the No. 44 recruit in the Class of 2021 via Perfect Game and was one of the best prospects to stay home and choose Penn State. To further entice him, he even got a football scholarship, planning to be a rare two-sport collegiate athlete.
Unfortunately, White was selected No. 64 overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the Buccos offered him an over-slot signing bonus of $1.5 million, luring him away from Happy Valley and stealing one of the most prized commits in Penn State baseball history. Five years later, White is currently in Double-A.
Elsewhere in the 2026 draft, Michael Anderson was selected as a two-way player by the Texas Rangers in the fifth round, marking the highest-drafted Nittany Lion in the Mike Gambino era. The last Nittany Lion to be selected that early was Matthew Wood in the fourth round in 2022.
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