Tyler Schmitt baseball player at University of Illinois | University of Illinois
Tyler Schmitt baseball player at University of Illinois | University of Illinois
Illinois baseball has seen two of its players, Tyler Schmitt and Julius Sanchez, selected in the 2025 MLB Draft. Both right-handed pitchers were chosen by major league teams, marking a significant milestone in their athletic careers.
Tyler Schmitt was picked by the San Diego Padres in the 17th round as the 520th overall pick. During his debut season with Illinois, Schmitt achieved a record of 5-2 with an ERA of 4.80 over 15 starts. He led the Illini pitching staff with 58 strikeouts and had five quality starts throughout the season. Notably, he delivered an impressive performance against Michigan at the Big Ten Tournament on May 20, striking out nine batters over seven innings.
Julius Sanchez was selected by the Texas Rangers in the 18th round as the 535th overall pick. In his season with Illinois, Sanchez maintained a record of 1-0 with an ERA of 4.50 across three games. He struck out a total of 17 batters while allowing only three walks. His standout performance came on February 15 against Abilene Christian when he struck out ten batters over seven innings.
Both players have contributed significantly to Illinois baseball during their time at Champaign and now look forward to advancing their careers in Major League Baseball.
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