In ESPN’s latest 2026 MLB mock draft, the board was wide open and unpredictable, with numerous college pitchers available. With multiple arms on the board, Florida Gators right-handed pitcher Liam Peterson was pegged as the No. 11 pick by the Washington Nationals, making him the second pitcher off the draft board behind Jackson Flora from UC Santa Barbara at No. 4.
His deep arsenal of pitches and imposing frame, standing at 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighing in at 225 pounds, make him an intriguing prospect at the next level. The selection of Peterson comes as little surprise, as a former top 100 player coming out of high school.
However, despite earning a spot in the Gators’ rotation as a freshman, the Palm Harbor, Florida, native’s roller coaster play ultimately resulted in him losing the Friday night starter spot to Aidan King midway through the 2026 season. His performance this past spring plateaued compared to last season, showing little improvement according to the traditional stats.
Still, Peterson was a key contributor to the Gators’ rotation in 2026, making 16 starts and logging 84.1 innings pitched against college baseball’s best hitters. Though he posted a very mediocre 4.59 ERA, Peterson’s most impressive statistic came in the strikeout column, recording 111 while averaging upwards of 11 strikeouts per 9 innings pitched.
Peterson had many rough outings in his 2026 campaign, including against Alabama, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, and, maybe most critically, Troy. Though his inefficiency and frequently high pitch counts would hurt the team, he still put up his best performance against Georgia — a team that made it to the College World Series — with seven frames of one-run ball in a game the Gators ultimately lost.
Peterson also posted a whip of 1.42, showing there is still room for improvement. Despite showing flaws, Peterson should still command a high volume of first-round interest in July’s 2026 MLB Draft.
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This article originally appeared on Gators Wire: Florida’s Liam Peterson nears top 10 in ESPN’s 2026 MLB mock draft
Reporting by Michael Trim Jr, Gators Wire / Gators Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Michael Trim Jr, Gators Wire | USA TODAY Network
