07/12/2026
Best of luck to Camden Wicker and Alex Sosa in the MLB Draft! ⚾️ Your hard work and dedication have earned you this opportunity. We’re all cheering you on!
BSN MLB DRAFT: SEVERAL FORMER BREVARD COUNTY STANDOUTS HOPING TO HEAR THEIR NAMES CALLED ON DAY 2 OF THE 2026 MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL DRAFT
By: Alan Zlotorzynski | Brevard Sports Network
The first day of the 2026 Major League Baseball Draft belonged to the game’s elite prospects.
Now comes the portion of the draft where years of development, perseverance and production at both the high school and collegiate levels often pay off.
As Day 2 of the MLB Draft gets underway Sunday, Brevard County could once again be well represented, with several former local standouts hoping to hear their names called.
Brevard County has developed a reputation for producing professional baseball talent, and recent drafts have continued that tradition.
Last year, former Viera standouts Dylan Jordan and Edian Espinal, along with former Bayside standout Brian Walters, all heard their names called.
The year before, it was Alan Espinal from Viera and Andrew Walters from Bayside who realized their lifelong dreams of becoming professional baseball players.
Over the years, Brevard County has also produced professional draft picks such as Eric Adler, Austin Dennis, Jacob Teter, Ian Farrow and many others.
And who could ever forget one of the greatest baseball draft days in recent county history?
In 2018, former Eau Gallie standout Carter Stewart was selected seventh overall by the Atlanta Braves before former Merritt Island ace Mason Denaburg was chosen 27th overall by the Washington Nationals later in the first round.
No matter what their professional careers ultimately become, or have become, nothing can ever take away the excitement, pride and lifelong accomplishment of hearing your name called during the Major League Baseball Draft.
This year, another group of former Brevard County stars hopes to add their names to that impressive list.
Today, BSN highlights five former local standouts as Day 2 of the MLB Draft begins at 11:30 a.m. ET.
Sunday’s action will feature Rounds 4 through 20 of the draft, with every selection available to stream live on MLB.com, MLB.TV and MLB+.
Former Viera stars Alex Sosa and Camden Wicker, former Eau Gallie standouts Riley Jackson and DeAmez Ross, and former Melbourne High standout Michael Petite all enter the draft after outstanding collegiate seasons that significantly elevated their professional stock.
Each player’s journey has been different, but all five share one thing in common, they developed into some of the top collegiate players at their respective positions and now have an opportunity to take the next step by beginning their professional baseball careers.
ALEX SOSA HAS POSITIONED HIMSELF AS ONE OF THE DRAFT’S TOP COLLEGE CATCHERS
Rising Senior, Attended Viera, played at NC State and then transferred to University of Miami: 1 Year of eligibility remaining:
If there is one Brevard County player expected to come off the board first, it is Miami catcher Alex Sosa.
The 2023 BSN Player of the Year completed one of the finest offensive seasons by a catcher in college baseball after transferring to Miami from NC State.
Sosa started all 59 games for the Hurricanes, finishing third on the team batting .338. He led Miami with 18 home runs, 71 RBIs and 16 doubles while posting an outstanding 1.119 OPS.
Those numbers came after an excellent sophomore campaign at NC State, where he hit .291 with 10 home runs, 16 doubles and 40 RBIs in 52 starts.
His rise should come as no surprise to anyone who watched him dominate at Viera High School.
During his prep career, Sosa hit .388 with a remarkable .537 on-base percentage while collecting 92 hits, 69 RBIs, 24 doubles, five triples and five home runs. As a senior, he batted .471 with 33 hits and 26 RBIs while helping lead the Hawks to the 2023 FHSAA State Championship Game.
Professional scouts have taken notice of both his offensive growth and improvements behind the plate.
MLB Pipeline grades Sosa’s tools at 45 hit, 55 power, 40 run, 45 arm and 45 field, noting his significant strides defensively while praising his left-handed power bat and improved ability to hit for average.
Most projections have Sosa coming off the board somewhere between the third and fifth rounds, making him one of the highest-rated college catchers available on Day 2.
While Sosa is projected as a third- to fifth-round selection, he could have an important decision to make if his name is called.
Slot values in the third round generally exceed $1 million, while selections near the end of the fifth round typically carry signing bonuses in the $480,000 to $520,000 range.
Depending on where he is selected and the bonus offered, Sosa will have to weigh the opportunity to begin his professional career immediately or return to Miami for his senior season and potentially further elevate his draft stock in 2027.
DEAMEZ ROSS CAPPED AN OUTSTANDING COLLEGIATE CAREER
Graduated: Attended Eau Gallie, played at FSU and then transferred to UCF: No eligibility remaining
Former Eau Gallie standout and 2022 BSN Player of the Year DeAmez Ross enters the draft after completing one of the most productive careers of any Brevard County player in recent memory.
Ross spent two seasons at Florida State before transferring to UCF, where he became one of the Knights’ most consistent players both offensively and defensively.
As a junior in 2025, Ross led UCF and the Big 12 Conference with 84 hits while batting .359, earning All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors.
He followed that performance with another outstanding senior season, starting 54 games in center field while batting .287 with 62 hits, 38 RBIs, 36 runs scored and a team-leading 16 stolen bases.
Ross finished his collegiate career as one of the conference’s premier defensive center fielders, posting a .982 fielding percentage while earning selection to the prestigious Lou Gehrig Community Impact Team.
His leadership and character became just as respected as his production on the field.
“Nobody’s going to be around DeAmez for more than 30 seconds without wanting to be around him more,” UCF head coach Rich Wallace said. “He’s a guy you want in your building.”
Ross first made his name at Eau Gallie, where he batted .489 as a senior, scored 47 runs and stole 37 bases—still the third-highest single-season total in Brevard County history.
Ross is projected as a middle-to-late round selection, with his speed, defense and ability to consistently put the ball in play making him an attractive organizational prospect.
MICHAEL PETITE’S STOCK CONTINUES TO RISE AFTER BREAKOUT SEASON AT VCU
Rising Senior, Attended Melbourne, played JUCO at Miami Dade and then transferred to Virginia Commonwealth University : 1 Year of eligibility remaining:
Another former Brevard County standout who could hear his name called is former Melbourne Bulldog standout Michael Petite.
After starring at Melbourne, Petite continued his development at Miami Dade College, where he emerged as one of the nation’s top junior college players before transferring to VCU for his junior season.
The athletic outfielder immediately became one of the Rams’ most dynamic offensive players, batting .274 while leading the team with 66 runs scored.
He added 15 doubles, three triples and 14 home runs, which ranked second on the team, while driving in 43 RBIs. Petite also posted a stellar .437 on-base percentage, stole a team-high 22 bases in 24 attempts and helped lead VCU to the 2026 Atlantic 10 Championship.
His breakout season earned him national recognition, including being ranked the No. 92 outfielder by D1Baseball while also appearing among D1Baseball’s Top 250 MLB Draft Prospects.
Professional scouts are intrigued by Petite’s rare combination of speed and power. At 6-foot, 200 pounds, he possesses explosive bat speed, above-average athleticism and the ability to impact the game both at the plate and on the bases. His offensive upside has made him one of the more intriguing small-school position players available in this year’s draft.
Before his collegiate success, Petite put together an outstanding high school career in Brevard County.
Over his final two seasons at Melbourne, he batted .411 with a remarkable .511 on-base percentage, compiling 69 RBIs, 10 doubles, 14 home runs, an impressive 1.334 OPS, and 18 stolen bases.
His success continued at Miami Dade, where over two seasons he slashed .329/.520/.619 with 109 hits, 21 home runs and 42 stolen bases, earning First Team All-FCSAA, First Team All-Citrus Conference, Citrus Conference MVP honors and establishing himself as one of the premier JUCO players in the country.
Petite is generally projected as a late round selection or "over-slot" prospect, though, like many prospects projected in the later rounds, his draft position will ultimately depend on each club’s evaluations and bonus pool strategy.
However, his elite athleticism, power-speed combination and continued offensive development could make him one of the more attractive value picks on Day 2 of the MLB Draft.
Even if he goes undrafted, he is widely expected to receive significant interest as a priority free agent, giving him an excellent opportunity to begin a professional baseball career, one in which I personally think will be successful.
CAMDEN WICKER’S SIZE AND UPSIDE CONTINUE TO ATTRACT SCOUTS
Rising Senior UCF: Attended Viera, played at Wofford and then transferred to UCF: 1 Year of eligibility remaining:
Former Viera flamethrower Camden Wicker has quietly developed into one of the more intriguing college pitching prospects available in this year’s draft.
After transferring from Wofford to UCF, the 6-foot-7 right-hander earned Second Team All-Big 12 honors during his junior season.
Wicker finished 5-3 with a 4.16 ERA over 16 starts while striking out a team-high 62 batters in 75.2 innings. Opponents hit just .211 against him.
His season included a complete-game, two-hit shutout against Utah that earned him Big 12 Pitcher of the Week honors, along with a career-high nine strikeouts against Cincinnati.
While the numbers speak for themselves, scouts remain fascinated by Wicker’s projectable frame.
At 6-foot-7 and 190 pounds, he possesses the type of body professional organizations covet, with many believing additional velocity is still ahead as he continues to mature physically.
His fastball has been clocked consistently in the low-to-mid-90s, and with his projectable frame, many scouts believe additional velocity could come as he continues to mature physically.
That same upside was evident during his days at Viera High School, where he posted a 2.04 ERA, struck out 58 batters and held opponents to a .184 batting average while helping lead the Hawks to multiple district championships and a regional title.
Most draft projections place Wicker somewhere between Rounds 5 and 20, although he still has the option of returning to UCF if he elects not to sign.
RILEY JACKSON’S POWER HAS ELEVATED HIS PROFESSIONAL STOCK
Rising Senior University of Houston: Attended Eau Gallie, played at FSU as freshman then transferred to University of Houston, Has since committed to Kentucky from portal: 1 year of eligibility
Former Eau Gallie standout Riley Jackson has taken one of the more interesting routes to this year’s draft.
After beginning his collegiate career at Florida State where he appeared in nine games and recorded just seven at-bats as a freshman, Jackson transferred to Houston, where he developed into one of the Big 12’s more dangerous power-hitting catchers.
The junior started 49 of Houston’s 52 games this season, batting .269 with 13 doubles, nine home runs and 26 RBIs while slugging .464.
His breakout followed a promising sophomore campaign in which he led Houston with 38 starts behind the plate and finished third on the team with six home runs.
Jackson entered college as one of Florida’s premier catching prospects.
Perfect Game ranked him as the No. 20 overall prospect and the No. 2 catcher in Florida, and he participated in both the prestigious East Coast Pro Showcase and the USA Baseball All-American Game at Dodger Stadium.
At Eau Gallie, Jackson helped lead the Commodores to the FHSAA State Semifinals while earning All-Cape Coast Conference honors during each of his four varsity seasons.
Jackson recently committed to the University of Kentucky after entering the transfer portal, giving him the option of returning to college should he not receive an offer that meets his expectations.
He was considered one of the top players available in the transfer portal in all of college baseball before choosing Kentucky.
Most projections view Jackson as a late round draft selection or priority free agent, with his power potential and strong throwing arm making him an intriguing professional prospect.
BREVARD COUNTY’S BASEBALL TRADITION CONTINUES
From former Major League stars Bruce Bochy, Clint Hurdle, Tim Wakefield and Prince Fielder to recent draft picks such as Dylan Jordan, Edian Espinal, Brian Walters, Alan Espinal and Andrew Walters, Brevard County has long been one of Florida’s premier producers of baseball talent.
For decades, the Space Coast has consistently developed players capable of competing—and succeeding—at every level of the game, from college baseball to the Major Leagues.
On Sunday, that tradition could continue.
Whether it’s Alex Sosa’s powerful left-handed bat, DeAmez Ross’ all-around game and leadership, Michael Petite’s exciting combination of power and speed, Camden Wicker’s tremendous upside on the mound or Riley Jackson’s power behind the plate, each has earned the opportunity to take the next step toward realizing a lifelong dream of playing professional baseball.
By the end of Day 2, several more former Brevard County standouts could officially become professional baseball players, adding another chapter to the area’s long history of producing elite baseball talent.
This post sponsored by THE REAL ESTATE EXPERT Krissy Knows
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Eau Gallie Commodore Baseball
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