Florida State University Athletics
Mendes and Bailey Selected in Second Round of MLB Draft
7/11/2026 5:58:00 PM | Baseball
TALLAHASSEE – Florida State baseball junior left-handed pitcher Wes Mendes and sophomore first baseman Myles Bailey have been drafted in the second round of the 2026 MLB Draft on Sunday afternoon.
Mendes was selected by the Houston Astros with the 57th overall pick and Bailey was picked by the Chicago Cubs 75th overall. The duo are the first two FSU players selected in this year's draft.
The Seminoles have seven first or second round picks since 2024, the most in a three-year stretch in program history. Eight players have been drafted in the first two rounds in head coach Link Jarrett's four seasons in Tallahassee, also a four-year program best.
A Tampa, Florida, native, Mendes is the fifth Florida State player all-time selected by the Astros, all pitchers, and the first since Jimmy Lewis in 1991, also in the second round. Bailey, from Tallahassee, is the 12th pick by the Cubs and first since first-rounder Cam Smith in 2024, who now is the Astros' right fielder. The Cubs have drafted an FSU first baseman for the first time.
WES MENDES – HOUSTON ASTROS – SECOND ROUND, 57TH OVERALL
Mendes is coming off an impressive 2026 campaign, where he earned five All-America honors, was named the ACC Pitcher of the Year, the third in team history, and was recognized as the ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year. He is an All-American, including on D1Baseball's First Team, for the first time in his career. Mendes also was named to the ABCA Southeast All-Region First Team, the CSC Academic All-District Team and was an All-ACC First Team honoree. He was a Dick Howser Trophy and National Pitcher of the Year semifinalist and earned two ACC Pitcher of the Week accolades and several National Team of the Week honors.
As the Seminoles' ace in 2026, Mendes was among the nation's leaders in strikeouts (125, No. 13 NCAA, No. 1 ACC), WHIP (1.02, No. 15/1), complete games (2, No. 15/1) wins (9, No. 24/6) and starts (16, No. 30/3) during his junior season. He was second in the ACC with a 2.81 ERA and No. 3 with 6.77 hits allowed per nine innings and 12.10 strikeouts per nine innings and No. 4 with a 5.00 strikeout-to-walk ratio. In ACC games, Mendes led the league with 62.1 innings pitched and 79 strikeouts and also was in the top 10 in fewest home runs allowed (4), ERA (3.32), opponent batting average (.223), wins (5) and fewest walks allowed (16). He posted a 9-3 record and led the team with 93.0 innings pitched while allowing 29 earned runs on 70 hits with a .207 opponent batting average.
In his two-year FSU career, Mendes made 32 appearances, all starts in the weekend rotation, and posted a 16-6 record with a 4.00 ERA. He allowed 76 earned runs on 140 hits with 215 strikeouts and 64 walks in 171 innings. Mendes notched a 1.19 WHIP, averaged 11.3 strikeouts per game and held opponents to a .222 batting average.
MYLES BAILEY – CHICAGO CUBS – SECOND ROUND, 75TH OVERALL
A team captain in 2026, Bailey started all 26 games at first base before suffering a season-ending injury. He hit .363 with a team-leading 13 home runs and notched 29 hits, five doubles, 33 RBI, 36 runs scored and 35 walks. Bailey also led the team among all players with a .913 slugging percentage and a .582 on-base percentage. He was named to the Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List and was a Midseason First Team All-American by D1Baseball and Perfect Game. Bailey earned ACC Player of the Week and National Team of the Week distinctions on March 23.
FSU's first Freshman All-American since 2022 in 2025, Bailey was named to the ACC All-Freshman Team, the ACC All-Tournament Team and the Tallahassee Regional All-Regional Team. He was the Seminoles' first player to be on three or more Freshman First Team All-America lists since 2016. Bailey was second in the ACC in home runs (19) and No. 7 in slugging percentage (.663) and hit .327 with a .663 slugging percentage and a .411 on-base percentage. He had 66 hits, 19 home runs, 11 doubles, 56 RBI and 32 walks.
In his two-year career, Bailey ranks No. 3 in school history in slugging percentage (.734) and No. 7 in on-base percentage (.488). He has 32 career home runs, 95 hits, 89 RBI, 16 doubles and 86 runs scored. Bailey boasts a .337 career batting average.
The 2026 MLB Draft continues with the first four rounds on Saturday, July 11, before rounds 5-20 on Sunday, July 12.
Bailey and Mendes helped the Seminoles to a 40-19 season in 2026. Florida State reached the 40-win mark for the third consecutive year after a four-year gap without 40 wins from 2020-23. Finishing third in the ACC, the team was 19-11 with eight series wins, both the best totals since 2014 outside of the extended 2021 season. FSU made its 62nd NCAA appearance, second-most all-time, and hosted an NCAA Regional for the 38th time, the most in the country. Florida State is one of three teams to host a regional each of the last three years.
For more information on Florida State baseball, check Seminoles.com for the latest news and scheduling information, and keep up with the team on social media through Twitter/X and Facebook (@FSUBaseball) & Instagram (@NoleBaseball).
Mendes was selected by the Houston Astros with the 57th overall pick and Bailey was picked by the Chicago Cubs 75th overall. The duo are the first two FSU players selected in this year's draft.
The Seminoles have seven first or second round picks since 2024, the most in a three-year stretch in program history. Eight players have been drafted in the first two rounds in head coach Link Jarrett's four seasons in Tallahassee, also a four-year program best.
A Tampa, Florida, native, Mendes is the fifth Florida State player all-time selected by the Astros, all pitchers, and the first since Jimmy Lewis in 1991, also in the second round. Bailey, from Tallahassee, is the 12th pick by the Cubs and first since first-rounder Cam Smith in 2024, who now is the Astros' right fielder. The Cubs have drafted an FSU first baseman for the first time.
WES MENDES – HOUSTON ASTROS – SECOND ROUND, 57TH OVERALL
Mendes is coming off an impressive 2026 campaign, where he earned five All-America honors, was named the ACC Pitcher of the Year, the third in team history, and was recognized as the ACC Scholar-Athlete of the Year. He is an All-American, including on D1Baseball's First Team, for the first time in his career. Mendes also was named to the ABCA Southeast All-Region First Team, the CSC Academic All-District Team and was an All-ACC First Team honoree. He was a Dick Howser Trophy and National Pitcher of the Year semifinalist and earned two ACC Pitcher of the Week accolades and several National Team of the Week honors.
As the Seminoles' ace in 2026, Mendes was among the nation's leaders in strikeouts (125, No. 13 NCAA, No. 1 ACC), WHIP (1.02, No. 15/1), complete games (2, No. 15/1) wins (9, No. 24/6) and starts (16, No. 30/3) during his junior season. He was second in the ACC with a 2.81 ERA and No. 3 with 6.77 hits allowed per nine innings and 12.10 strikeouts per nine innings and No. 4 with a 5.00 strikeout-to-walk ratio. In ACC games, Mendes led the league with 62.1 innings pitched and 79 strikeouts and also was in the top 10 in fewest home runs allowed (4), ERA (3.32), opponent batting average (.223), wins (5) and fewest walks allowed (16). He posted a 9-3 record and led the team with 93.0 innings pitched while allowing 29 earned runs on 70 hits with a .207 opponent batting average.
In his two-year FSU career, Mendes made 32 appearances, all starts in the weekend rotation, and posted a 16-6 record with a 4.00 ERA. He allowed 76 earned runs on 140 hits with 215 strikeouts and 64 walks in 171 innings. Mendes notched a 1.19 WHIP, averaged 11.3 strikeouts per game and held opponents to a .222 batting average.
MYLES BAILEY – CHICAGO CUBS – SECOND ROUND, 75TH OVERALL
A team captain in 2026, Bailey started all 26 games at first base before suffering a season-ending injury. He hit .363 with a team-leading 13 home runs and notched 29 hits, five doubles, 33 RBI, 36 runs scored and 35 walks. Bailey also led the team among all players with a .913 slugging percentage and a .582 on-base percentage. He was named to the Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List and was a Midseason First Team All-American by D1Baseball and Perfect Game. Bailey earned ACC Player of the Week and National Team of the Week distinctions on March 23.
FSU's first Freshman All-American since 2022 in 2025, Bailey was named to the ACC All-Freshman Team, the ACC All-Tournament Team and the Tallahassee Regional All-Regional Team. He was the Seminoles' first player to be on three or more Freshman First Team All-America lists since 2016. Bailey was second in the ACC in home runs (19) and No. 7 in slugging percentage (.663) and hit .327 with a .663 slugging percentage and a .411 on-base percentage. He had 66 hits, 19 home runs, 11 doubles, 56 RBI and 32 walks.
In his two-year career, Bailey ranks No. 3 in school history in slugging percentage (.734) and No. 7 in on-base percentage (.488). He has 32 career home runs, 95 hits, 89 RBI, 16 doubles and 86 runs scored. Bailey boasts a .337 career batting average.
The 2026 MLB Draft continues with the first four rounds on Saturday, July 11, before rounds 5-20 on Sunday, July 12.
Bailey and Mendes helped the Seminoles to a 40-19 season in 2026. Florida State reached the 40-win mark for the third consecutive year after a four-year gap without 40 wins from 2020-23. Finishing third in the ACC, the team was 19-11 with eight series wins, both the best totals since 2014 outside of the extended 2021 season. FSU made its 62nd NCAA appearance, second-most all-time, and hosted an NCAA Regional for the 38th time, the most in the country. Florida State is one of three teams to host a regional each of the last three years.
For more information on Florida State baseball, check Seminoles.com for the latest news and scheduling information, and keep up with the team on social media through Twitter/X and Facebook (@FSUBaseball) & Instagram (@NoleBaseball).
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