Dodgers Digest Los Angeles Dodgers Baseball Blog
After drafting prep third baseman Bo Lowrance with their first pick of the day, the Dodgers took college right-hander Russell Sandefer with their fourth-round selection. It’s their last of Day 1.
——
Returning to the expected trend line, the Dodgers went with a college arm with their second and final pick on Day 1. After playing his freshman year in the Division II ranks, Sandefer began his Division I college career at UCF in 2025 before transferring to Florida for his draft year. This spring, he totaled 57 innings with a 4.42 ERA, 24% strikeout rate and 9% walk rate.
Sandefer brings a four-pitch mix of fastball, slider, changeup and cutter to the table, although his fastball runs more like a sinker. His heater sat 93 mph out of a low slot while maxing out at 97 with 12.5 inches of induced vertical break and 16.2 inches of arm-side run. It performed fine as a barrel-misser without much whiff, but Sandefer really thrived with his secondaries.
Russell Sandefer was UNREAL against Ole Miss this weekend.
— Over-Slot Baseball (@OverSlot_) April 6, 2026
A scoreless 7 IP with 11 Ks (!!!) for the Florida RHP. His slider is now registering a ridiculous 59% miss rate.
An easy choice for this week's stock watch riser, courtesy of @OBoctor. READ👇pic.twitter.com/3u0euJcGGI
The main breaking ball for the 21-year-old is a low-80s slider with 10 inches of sweep. It sat at almost 2,800 RPMs and generated a 44% whiff rate this spring. Sandefer also avoided hard contact well with the slider when hitters could make contact, forcing a 7% barrel rate and generating plenty of ground balls. It projects as an above-average pitch.
His changeup was his other main secondary, projecting as above-average to plus. It broke with 18 inches of arm-side run while forcing a 40% in-zone whiff rate. It did well as a swing-and-miss pitch against lefties, generating a 24% overall swinging strike rate. Sandefer has decent command of his arsenal, with his fastball landing in-zone at a 51% rate, his changeup at 48% and his slider working as a chase pitch at 40%.
Tremendous start for Russell Sandefer, so much so that HC Kevin O'Sullivan said he could push for a weekend starting role:
— Cam Parker (@camparker25) March 18, 2026
"If he keeps throwing the ball the way he did tonight, he is going to have to force our hand."
More here: https://t.co/yWdMz5grrdpic.twitter.com/XtZwDv2wrU
The Dodgers might try a similar approach with Sandefer that has worked well for Zach Root, their first pitcher selected in last year’s draft. Root was a much different arm in college who Dodgers identified with release characteristics they liked, and after throwing a fringe-average sinker in college, he’s now throwing a plus four-seam fastball. The similarity also stands with Root’s secondaries being his main collegiate calling card, just as Sandefer’s slider and changeup clearly stood out from his arsenal this spring.
Sandefer looks to project with a starter’s repertoire which the Dodgers will look to upgrade to higher-octane. Listed at 6-foot-1, 200 pounds, he could have some room to add velocity, especially if the Dodgers straighten out his fastball instead of sticking with a sinker. Slot value at pick 132 is approximately $575k; this should be an at-slot or possibly slightly below-slot signing, which was expected after the Dodgers swung big with a prep bat at 40th overall.
Rankings:
- MLB Pipeline: 177
- FanGraphs: N/A
- ESPN: N/A
- Perfect Game: 355
——
That does it for day one of the 2026 MLB Draft. Rounds 5-20 will be held tomorrow, with the Dodgers making their first pick in the seventh round and drafting at the end of every round from there. Expect some more college draftees in rounds 7-10 who won’t cost above slot-value, including at least a couple seniors who will sign for the minimum $5,000.
