Sioux Falls Roosevelt graduate Jack Radel became one of the highest-drafted players in South Dakota history Saturday when the Houston Astros selected the Notre Dame right-hander with the No. 28 overall pick in the first round of the 2026 Major League Baseball Draft.
Radel, a 6-foot-5, 250-pound junior, emerged as one of the nation’s top college pitchers during the 2026 season. He finished 8-4 with a 3.29 ERA over 87 2/3 innings, striking out 116 batters while issuing just 22 walks in 15 starts. He also threw two complete games, including two shutouts.
His standout junior campaign earned first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors along with third-team All-America recognition from D1Baseball and Perfect Game. He was also named to the ABCA/Rawlings Midwest All-Region first team and the ACC Championship All-Tournament Team.
Radel improved each season at Notre Dame after becoming a weekend starter as a freshman. He went 7-4 with a 3.58 ERA as a sophomore before taking another step forward in 2026, adding velocity and expanding his arsenal with a cutter.
According to MLB.com, Radel’s fastball sits between 93-95 mph and reaches 98 mph. Scouts praised his command, competitiveness and ability to attack the strike zone, projecting him as a high-floor starter capable of developing into a reliable middle-of-the-rotation pitcher.
A two-time South Dakota all-state selection at Sioux Falls Roosevelt, Radel also starred in basketball and played in the 2017 Little League World Series before continuing his baseball career at Notre Dame.
The highest-drafted MLB players born in South Dakota are Marcus Phillips, along with Kelvin Torve and Shane Loux, who were both selected in the second round. Phillips, from Sioux Falls Roosevelt, was selected 33rd overall last season to the Boston Red Sox. Torve (a Rapid City native) was the 36th overall pick by the San Francisco Giants in 1981, while Loux (also born in Rapid City) was the 53rd overall pick by the Detroit Tigers in 1997.