MLB Draft: UA signee, CDO standout Francisco Rivero Jr. drafted by Nats, plans to go pro

One was to enroll at the University of Arizona, with whom he signed in November.

The other was to begin his professional baseball career if an MLB team decided to draft him.

The latter scenario happened Sunday. The Washington Nationals picked Rivero in the 15th round of the MLB Draft. He is planning to sign with the Nationals, his father, Francisco Sr., told the Star.

Rivero had two stellar seasons at CDO, batting .467 with 14 home runs and 74 RBIs in 195 at-bats.

A former Sunnyside Little League standout, Rivero had hoped to become eligible for international amateur free agency by spending two years at a baseball academy in his native Venezuela. But MLB ruled that he wasn’t eligible, leading to a move back to Tucson.

With Rivero heading to the Nats, Arizona will enter 2026-27 with three catchers: returning starter Beau Sylvester; rising sophomore Joe Forbes; and Pima Community College transfer Cooper Kruk, who prepped at Catalina Foothills.

The UA also risks losing three of its transfer pitchers: right-handers Garrett Ahern (Grand Canyon), McCarty English (Southern Mississippi) and Collin Cobb (Williston State College). The three were taken in the 16th and 17th rounds.

Another of Arizona’s high school signees, right-hander Jack Byers of Artesia, New Mexico, also was picked in the 17th round.

UA coach Chip Hale said before the draft that the program might have to “re-restock” its pitching staff if the draft broke this way. The hope is that Arizona will be able to keep two of the four pitchers who were selected.

McKinney to Orioles

The transfer portal can create some peculiar situations when it comes to professional drafts.

To wit: Arizona right-hander Collin McKinney entered the portal after this past season and committed to Houston, his hometown team.

But before he ever donned a Cougars uniform, McKinney was selected in the 2026 MLB Draft — representing Arizona.

McKinney became the second UA player to be picked Sunday, following fellow righty Owen Kramkowski. McKinney went to the Baltimore Orioles in the ninth round, No. 260 overall. Kramkowski went to the Tampa Bay Rays in the fifth round, No. 145 overall.

Like Kramkowski, McKinney was drafted more on potential than consistent production. McKinney, who started his college career at Baylor, went 3-7 with a 4.91 ERA in two seasons at Arizona. Used as a starter and reliever, McKinney registered 109 strikeouts in 91⅔ innings. He also issued 53 walks and hit 19 batters.

McKinney flashed his upside in the MLB Draft League, where he had a 2.00 ERA, a 0.89 WHIP and a 16-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio over nine innings.

Inside pitch

– Arizona State had 10 players drafted, most in the Big 12 Conference. Left-hander Cole Carlon went to Toronto with the next-to-last pick of the first round. Additionally, one of ASU’s in-state commits, first baseman Kellan Tom of Tempe Corona del Sol, was picked in the eighth round by the Milwaukee Brewers.

– ASU likely will lose transfer pitcher Chase Meyer, whom the Chicago Cubs drafted in the ninth round. Meyer spent the past three seasons at West Virginia. He missed most of 2026 because of injury.

– Arizona's two draftees matched its lowest total since 2022 (Daniel Susac, Tanner O'Tremba).

– Right-hander Christian Coppola, who spent the 2025 season with Arizona, was selected by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 12th round. Coppola transferred to St. Joseph’s and recorded 69 strikeouts in 37⅓ innings for the Hawks.