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Florida State Lures Thome, Waechter to Block 2026 Draft

7/11/2026

44 8 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Florida State officials will try to enroll Landon Thome and Kaden Waechter instead of letting them enter the 2026 MLB draft.
Kaden Waechter, son of MLB pitcher Doug Waechter, ranked No. 31 in The Athletic’s 2026 draft top 100.
Landon Thome, son of Hall of Famer Jim Thome, ranked No. 33, earned Baseball America’s High School All-America Second Team honors and is praised for 25-home-run power and a possible move to third base.

History

Historical Context

After MLB ended the draft-and-follow option that let teams hold rights until the week before the next draft, the 2005 draft selected 1,500 players and saw 12 % opt for college. Today, Florida officials aim to keep Landon Thome and Kaden Waechter in school, echoing the shift toward collegiate pipelines for high-school talent.

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Story summary

Florida State officials will try to enroll Landon Thome and Kaden Waechter instead of letting them enter the 2026 MLB draft.
Kaden Waechter, son of MLB pitcher Doug Waechter, ranked No. 31 in The Athletic’s 2026 draft top 100.
Landon Thome, son of Hall of Famer Jim Thome, ranked No. 33, earned Baseball America’s High School All-America Second Team honors and is praised for 25-home-run power and a possible move to third base.

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