Anderson Chosen By Texas Rangers In Fifth Round Of MLB Draft – Penn State

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State Baseball senior Michael Anderson (5^th spherical, 149^th general, Texas Rangers) and signees Alex Weingartner (6^th spherical, 166^th general, Chicago White Sox) and Dalton Harper (16^th spherical, 472^nd general, Atlanta Braves) have been chosen on Day Two of the 2026 MLB Draft on Sunday.

 

Anderson, a first-team All-American in 2026, turned the primary Nittany Lion to be drafted as a two-way participant. He is the 85^th general participant chosen out of Penn State and the 21^st since 2016.

 

Anderson is Penn State’s highest choice since Matt Wood (4^th Round, 132^nd general) was chosen by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2022.

 

With Anderson’s choice, Penn State has 19 gamers chosen among the many Top 10 rounds and has a Top 10 spherical choice in six of the final eight MLB Drafts.

 

Anderson joins former Nittany Lion Paxton Kling within the Texas Rangers’ group. Kling, a 2025 draftee, is presently taking part in in High-A with the Hub City Spartanburgers.

 

Anderson is the sixth Nittany Lion drafted underneath head coach Mike Gambino.

 

Weingartner, the brother of former Nittany Lion Ryan Weingartner (St. Louis Cardinals group), has hung out as an outfielder and pitcher in highschool however was chosen as an outfielder by the Chicago White Sox. Weingartner was the 2026 New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year.

 

Harper was the 2026 NJCAA Division III Player of the Year as a catcher at SUNY Niagara.

 

If Weingartner and Harper select to attend Penn State, they might change into the 15^th and 16^th Nittany Lions to be chosen within the draft previous to taking part in at Penn State.

 

Weingartner is the primary Penn State signee to be chosen out of highschool within the MLB Draft since Lonnie White (64^th general, Pittsburgh Pirates) in 2021. White signed with the Pirates and didn’t attend Penn State.

 

Penn State entered the draft with 10 former gamers in MLB Organizations: Justin Hagenman (MLB, Mets), Jay Harry (AAA, Blue Jays), Conor Larkin (AAA, Blue Jays), Matt Wood (AA, Brewers), Paxton Kling (High-A, Rangers), C.J. Pittaro (High-A, Athletics), Chase Renner (High-A, Marlins), Ryan DeSanto (Single-A, Guardians), Daniel Ouderkirk (Single-A, Mariners) and Ryan Weingartner (Single-A, Cardinals)