VESTAL, N.Y. - After leading Binghamton baseball to back-to-back America East championships, junior pitchers Conner Griffin and Jackson Mitchell were selected in the 2026 Major League Baseball Draft Sunday afternoon. Griffin was taken in the 10th round by the Cincinnati Reds and Mitchell went to the Florida Marlins in the 19th round. Both will report to their respective organizations to begin their professional careers.

It's the first time the Bearcats have produced two top-20 round draft picks in the same year. The pair give Binghamton 20 draft picks overall, and four in the last three years after Nick Roselli was taken by the New York Mets in the 11^th round in 2024 and Zach Rogacki was picked by Colorado last summer. It's also the third straight year a Bearcat was taken in the top-half of the Draft. The MLB Draft was reduced from 40 rounds to 20 in 2021.  

"What a wonderful day for Conner, Jackson and their families," head coach Tim Sinicki said. "I'm so proud of how hard they've worked to put themselves in this position. I know they will both make the most of this opportunity. The Reds and Marlins are getting outstanding young men with electric stuff and unmatched work ethics."

Griffiin, a Clarks Summit, Pa. native, made 15 starts at the top of the rotation for a 2026 Bearcats team that captured both the America East regular season and tournament titles and advanced to the NCAA Regionals for a second straight season and third time in the last five years. He was a second team all-conference selection who posted a 3.93 ERA against America East foes. Griffin possessed an electric fastball that reached the upper 90s and attracted the attention of MLB scouts all season. He struck out 65 in 60.1 innings and opponents hit just .215 off him. 

In the postseason, Griffin fired 5.0 scoreless innings in Binghamton's America East tournament-opening 3-0 win over UMass Lowell. In his final collegiate start at the NCAA Morgantown Regional, Griffin allowed just three hits to a ninth-ranked West Virginia team that advanced to the College World Series. Binghamton kept the host Mountaineers off the scoreboard for six of eight innings in that season-ending defeat. 

Griffin is Binghamton's second-highest pitching selection, behind only Mike Augliera (5th round in 2012). He becomes the first Bearcat ever taken by Cincinnati.  

Mitchell, a Warwick, N.Y. native made 16 appearances with six starts this spring. He went from bullpen closer to weekend starter mid-season and earned second team America East all-conference accolades. Mitchell, who also was a SUNY Chancellor and America East Scholar-Athlete, posted 3-1 mark with a league-high four saves. He held down a 4.22 ERA and struck out 51 in 49 innings. Opponents hit just .206 off him. Against ninth-ranked West Virginia at the NCAA Morgantown Regional, Mitchell struck out two in 2.0 innings.

In three seasons, Mitchell went 6-1 with nine saves - third-most saves in program history. He recorded 103 strikeouts in 92.2 innings. 

In addition to Roselli and Rogacki, 2019 Draft pick Ben Anderson is still playing professionally with the Texas Rangers' organization. 
 
Binghamton MLB Draft Picks
1990 – Dan Gray, C (Los Angeles Dodgers, 7th Round), Dirk Gorman, OF (Los Angeles Dodgers, 48th Round)
2001 – Jeff Montani, RHP (Baltimore Orioles, 37th Round)
2008 – Jeff Dennis, LHP (Oakland Athletics, 40th Round)
2009 – Murphy Smith, RHP (Oakland Athletics, 13th Round)
2010 – Henry Dunn, OF (Cleveland Indians, 50th Round)
2012 – Mike Augliera, RHP (Boston Red Sox, 5th Round), Lee Sosa, RHP (Oakland Athletics, 26th Round)
2014 – Bill Bereszniewicz, OF (Los Angeles Dodgers, 28th Round)
2015 – Jake Thomas, OF (Toronto Blue Jays, 27th Round)
2016 – Mike Bunal, RHP (Colorado Rockies, 17th Round)
2017 – Justin Yurchak, 3B (Chicago White Sox, 12th Round), Dylan Stock, RHP (Detroit Tigers, 25th Round)
2018 - Nick Wegmann, LHP (Seattle Mariners, 34th Round)
2019 – Ben Anderson, RHP (Texas Rangers, 13th Round)
2024 – Nick Roselli, 2B (New York Mets, 11th Round)
2025 – Zach Rogacki, C (Colorado Rockies, 9th Round)
2026 - Conner Griffin, RHP (Cincinnati Reds, 10th Round), Jackson Mitchell, RHP (Florida Marlins, 19th Round)

Free Agent Signings
1976 – Jerry Gaube, RHP New York Yankees
1981 – Mike Bucko, RHP, Cleveland Indians
1985 – Dan Tauken, RHP, Chicago White Sox
2007 – Scott Diamond, LHP, Atlanta Braves
2016 – Reed Gamache, 2B, New York Mets