LOS ANGELES — The Arizona Diamondbacks used the second day of the 2026 MLB Draft to load up on arms and add a mix of collegiate and prep talent to their system.
After selecting five players through Saturday's first four rounds, Arizona opened Day 2 by taking right-handed pitcher LJ Mercurius of the Oklahoma Sooners with the No. 148 overall pick in Round 5. Mercurius made 22 appearances (12 starts) for the national champion Sooners in 2026, compiling a 4.43 ERA with 103 strikeouts across 83.1 innings and recording four saves.
Day 2 haul emphasizes pitching
The club continued to prioritize pitchers in the middle rounds, pairing Mercurius with several right-handed and left-handed arms, while also selecting a handful of position players later in the day. Arizona has historically found value in middle rounds — names like Brandon Pfaadt and Jake Lamb emerged from similar territory — and the team appears to be following that blueprint.
- Round 5: RHP LJ Mercurius, Oklahoma (No. 148)
- Round 6: LHP Micah Worley, Stony Brook (No. 177)
- Round 7: RHP Carson Turnquist, Cal Poly (No. 206)
- Round 8: OF Paul Schoenfeld, West Virginia (No. 236)
- Round 9: 1B Chris Katz, Mercer (No. 266)
- Round 10: RHP Mason Steele, UAB (No. 296)
- Round 11: 1B Cody Boshell, Bishop Snyder HS (No. 326)
- Round 12: LHP Caleb Jameson, Georgia (No. 356)
- Round 13: SS Jack Spanier, Minnesota (No. 386)
Draft strategy and resources
Arizona entered the later rounds with a reported bonus pool of $13,603,100 and retained one pick in each round through the end of the draft. The selections on Day 2 confirm a continued emphasis on developing pitching depth and uncovering college-to-pro projects who can move through the farm system.
| Round | Pick | Player | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 148 | LJ Mercurius | Oklahoma |
| 8 | 236 | Paul Schoenfeld | West Virginia |
| 11 | 326 | Cody Boshell | Bishop Snyder HS |
Arizona's Day 2 work remains unfinished: the draft runs through 20 rounds, and the team still holds selections in later rounds to target high-upside college pitchers and position players who could become future contributors. For Diamondbacks fans, the focus will be watching how these middle-round picks develop within Arizona's player-development system.
