Published on July 13, 2026 2:30 pm
Last Updated on July 13, 2026 2:33 pm
Josh McDevitt tosses a pitch during his college career at University of Missouri. University. University of Missouri Photo
Josh McDevitt, an Effingham High School graduate and baseball player, was selected on Saturday, the first day of the 2026 Major League Baseball Draft.
McDevitt, a right-handed pitcher was taken in Round 4 by the Arizona Diamondbacks and was the 116th pick. A teammate of his, Kam Durnin, a shortstop, was chosen by the Houston Astros in Round 4, Pick 121. Both players are members of the University of Missouri baseball team.
According to the Mizzou website, the fourth round marked the sixth time in program history that a pair of Tigers were each chosen within the first four rounds. McDevitt and Durnin became the 32nd and 33rd Tigers to be chosen within the top four rounds of the draft.
McDevitt established himself as one of the top pitchers in the SEC, starting 15 games on the mound for the Tigers during a breakout season. He went 3-5 overall, leading the Tigers’ rotation with a 4.42 ERA over a team-high 79.1 innings. He led the squad with 102 strikeouts, good for 11th-most in a single season in program history.
He checked in at No. 54 on D1Baseball’s Top 100 Starting Pitcher rankings on May 7, was ranked sixth nationally and second in the SEC among all pitchers who threw 500-plus fastballs with a 30.8 percent whiff rate, according to D1Baseball’s Synergy Stats.
He limited opponents to four hits or fewer in 10 of his 15 starts … Struck out six-plus in 12 of his 15 starts. Opponents batted just .211 against him (second lowest on team among pitchers with 25-plus innings pitched).
University of Missouri Photo