# SEC Evening Report: LSU's Draft Parade Hits Six as Tigers Dominate Day 3 of MLB Draft **Published:** 2026-07-12 — **By:** Stacy Stanfield **Category:** daily-roundup — **Type:** daily-roundup **Source:** https://secscouts.com/news/lsu-mlb-draft-parade-six-tigers-day-3-2026 --- ## LEAD STORY: LSU Sends Six From 2026 Roster Into the MLB Draft The 2026 MLB Draft has turned into a Baton Rouge roll call. Right-hander Connor Benge became the sixth player from LSU's 2026 roster to hear his name called when the Miami Marlins selected him at No. 385 overall in the 13th round on Sunday, capping a steady stream of Tigers heading to professional baseball. Benge, who transferred to LSU from DBU ahead of the 2025 season, carved out a matchup role in the Tigers' bullpen. Across two seasons in Baton Rouge, the hard-throwing righty logged 23.0 innings with a 7.43 ERA, striking out 28 against 16 walks with a 3-1 record. His workload shrank to 7.0 innings in 2026, but scouts clearly see a power arm worth developing — particularly if his offspeed stuff takes a step forward in pro ball. Benge's selection followed a busy stretch for LSU arms. Left-hander Santiago Garcia went to the Toronto Blue Jays in the 12th round at No. 372 overall. The Oregon transfer became the Tigers' top lefty option out of the bullpen in 2026, posting 35 strikeouts in 22.2 innings with a 5.96 ERA. A mid-90s fastball from the left side rarely lasts long on draft boards, and Garcia proved no exception. Earlier, the Kansas City Royals grabbed right-hander Grant Fontenot in the 10th round at No. 299 overall. The Lafayette product was one of LSU's most reliable bullpen pieces in 2026, striking out 42 and walking just 16 across 32.1 innings with a 4.18 ERA. Fontenot, Garcia, and Benge join Derek Curiel, Jake Brown, and Deven Sheerin as 2026 Tigers drafted. ## QUICK HITS - **Texas RHP Cody Howard lands with Nationals**: In one of Day 3's surprises, Washington took the Longhorns right-hander at No. 376 overall in the 13th round. The 6'1, 210-pound redshirt senior from The Woodlands went 1-1 with an 8.79 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 14.1 innings in 2026, but delivered 2.2 combined scoreless postseason innings against Holy Cross and Alabama while holding opponents to a .236 average. The Nationals are betting on the power arm, not the stat line. - **Texas lefty Harrison drafted in eighth round**: Per Texas's school site, the left-hander was selected in the eighth round after making 79 appearances across a five-year career in burnt orange — a workhorse résumé that pro teams value in a bullpen arm. - **Blue Jays confirm Garcia at No. 372**: LSU's athletics site also announced Santiago Garcia's selection, underscoring how heavily Toronto and other clubs shopped the SEC's bullpens on Day 3. - **Royals make it official on Fontenot**: LSU's school site confirmed Grant Fontenot's selection at No. 299 overall, the fourth Tiger off the board in this draft before Garcia and Benge followed. - **The 5-for-5 factor**: According to the RSS report on Garcia, there was some thought he could return to Baton Rouge with an extra year of eligibility under the new 5-for-5 rule — but his draft selection shows how hard it is for mid-90s lefties to slip through. ## PORTAL WATCH Quiet night on the transfer front — no new portal activity to report over the last 12 hours. With MLB Draft decisions now landing, expect baseball rosters across the SEC to start clarifying in the coming days as programs learn which draftees sign and which return to campus. ## RECRUITING BUZZ The biggest recruiting story of the week is set for Friday. Five-star wide receiver Monshun Sales of Indianapolis (Ind.) Lawrence North announced he will reveal his commitment on July 17 at 11 a.m. Central on the Pat McAfee Show. The 6'5, 195-pounder — the nation's No. 8 overall prospect and the No. 2 wide receiver in the 247Sports Composite — is choosing between Alabama, Indiana, LSU, Ohio State, and Texas. He took official visits to all five finalists, capping the tour with a June 19 trip to Austin. Texas entered the race late with an early-April offer but has surged into serious contention, though home-state Indiana is regarded as the favorite coming off the Hoosiers' national championship. An SEC flip of this magnitude would be a July fireworks show for Alabama, LSU, or Texas. ## GAMES TO WATCH No games on the SEC slate today. The action stays off the field, with MLB Draft signings and Sales' Friday decision the storylines to track this week. --- *Original article: [SEC Evening Report: LSU's Draft Parade Hits Six as Tigers Dominate Day 3 of MLB Draft](https://secscouts.com/news/lsu-mlb-draft-parade-six-tigers-day-3-2026) — SEC Scouts*