PHILADELPHIA – Florida Gulf Coast University baseball team’s standout pitcher Evan Dempsey is officially headed to professional baseball. The Detroit Tigers selected the consensus All-American and former John Olerud National Two-Way Player of the Year with the 69th overall pick in the Competitive Balance Round B of the 2026 Major League Baseball Amateur Draft, bringing a close to his three historic seasons with the Eagles.

With his selection at No. 69, Dempsey becomes the second-highest FGCU baseball player ever selected in the MLB Amateur Draft, trailing only modern baseball legend Chris Sale (chosen 13th overall by the Chicago White Sox in 2010). He also marks a milestone moment for the university, becoming the 40th Eagle in program history to be selected in the draft.

“I am super excited to be with the Tigers,” Dempsey told FGCU Athletics after hearing of his selection. “I already know they are a great organization, and I am really fired up to work with them.”

The Detroit Tigers get a major addition to their organization both at the plate and on the mound from the elite two-way weapon, who concluded his incredible FGCU career by cementing his status as the program’s first-ever two-time Unanimous All-American. In June, he became just the second player to win the John Olerud Two-Way Player of the Year Award in back-to-back years.

Listed by Detroit as a right-handed pitcher in the draft, it remains to be seen how the Tigers will utilize him with his two-way potential. While draft analysts know he can generate real left-handed power bat fallback, major league scouts have shown immense excitement regarding his surging upside on the mound.

“Evan Dempsey was a legitimate two-way player in college,” said analyst Carlos Collazo on MLB Network. “Outfielder, right-handed pitcher, hit 20 home runs. But I think they’re more excited about him on the mound … He had a significant jump in velocity. He added almost three ticks to his fastball in 2026. He sits around 92 and he will touch 95.

“I think he does a good job throwing this pitch in the zone. He’s got a great feel to spin the ball as well. He attacks hitters with the mid 70s curveball that has huge two-plane depth spin above the 3000-rpm range, which is an elite mark for spin. He’s got a slider as well. A good athlete, as you would expect. To me, I thought his profile was similar to 2025 two-way player in Royals’ second-rounder Michael Lombardi, so that’s the player I thought of a little bit with him.”

Dempsey joins an impressive early-stage draft haul for Detroit. He links up with the Tigers’ first-round pick, Coastal Carolina pitcher Cameron Flukey (selected No. 22 overall), as well as Detroit’s other second-round selection, shortstop Tyson LeBlanc out of the University of Kansas (picked No. 61 overall).

The rookie draft class arrives as Detroit looks to inject elite young talent into its system. The Tigers currently sit fourth of five teams in the American League Central Division with a record of 44-50, right in the middle of a three-game home series against the Philadelphia Phillies from July 10-12 at Comerica Park.

Dempsey will eventually aim to join a Detroit pitching staff that currently features elite arms Tarik Skubal, Framber Valdez, Casey Mize, Jack Flaherty, and Troy Melton.

The club’s active rotation is already making waves in the current series. Flaherty (3-8) earned the win in the Tigers’ dominant 10-2 victory over the Phillies on Friday, delivering a strong quality start by allowing just two hits and two earned runs, while striking out six, and issuing three walks over six innings of work. Looking ahead at the rest of the weekend series, Mize is scheduled to take the mound to start the second game against Philadelphia on Saturday night, while Tarik Skubal is slated to handle Sunday’s closing matchup.

Having officially been selected to join the organization, Dempsey will most certainly be monitoring the Phillies series more closely now as he watches his future teammates navigate the mid-summer stretch.

After three unforgettable years under FGCU head coach Dave Tollett, the Tampa native now awaits word on when and where he will report to the Tigers system, joining an elite fraternity of Eagles selected early in the draft.