North Carolina State University Athletics
Ty Head and Jacob Dudan Selected on First Day of 2026 MLB Draft
7/12/2026 11:31:00 AM | Baseball
RALEIGH, N.C. - NC State baseball had two selections on the first day of the MLB Draft, as Ty Head went in the second round at pick 46 to the Baltimore Orioles, and Jacob Dudan was selected by the Athletics in the third round at pick 83.
Head is the highest Wolfpack draft pick since Patrick Bailey was selected 13th overall in 2020. Head also becomes the 12th Wolfpack player to be selected by the Baltimore Orioles.
A 2026 Gold Glove outfielder, Head was an All-ACC third-team selection, Head started all 56 Wolfpack games in center field. He did not commit a single error in 2026 and, on 133 chances, recorded 131 putouts and two assists.
Not only was Head an essential part of the Wolfpack's defense in the field, but he also led the Wolfpack offense with 14 home runs and hit .291 on the season, with 55 hits, 8 doubles, 48 RBIs, and 64 runs scored. On the base path, he was 26-29 in stolen bases, becoming the only ACC player to hit 10+ home runs and steal 20+ bases in the regular season.
He moved into second all-time in program history for most walks in a single season, with 57. He had the second most walks in the ACC and ranked sixth in the nation. He struck out only 22 times over the course of the season.
Dudan is just the fifth Wolfpack player to be drafted by the Athletics organization. In 2026, Dudan missed the second half of the season with a torn UCL. Before his injury, the Huntersville, N.C., native made eight starts and went 4-1 with a 3.60 ERA in 50.0 innings pitched in 2026. He had 62 strikeouts to just 12 walks, going 7.0+ innings three times, including a career-best 7.2 innings in his last start of the season, a win over Notre Dame (4/4). Dudan had four games with double-digit strikeouts, including a career-best 11 against Princeton (2/21). Opposing batters hit .229 against him on the year, and he was named to the College Baseball Foundation National Pitcher of the Year Watch List.
Over three seasons with NC State, Dudan held a 4.01 ERA and a 10-5 record with 11 saves in 128.0 innings pitched. Opposing batters hit .230 against him, and Dudan struck out 159 batters in his career with the Wolfpack.
The MLB draft will continue with rounds 5-20 on Sunday, July 12th at 11:30 a.m.
NC State Wolfpack drafted by the Baltimore Orioles
1971- Chris Cammack, 3B
1985- Mick Billmeyer, C
1988- Mark Withers, 3B/OF
1988- Dell Ahalt, 3B
1989 – Gary Shingledecker, 2B
1989- Brian Bark, LHP/OF
1999- Rodney Ormond, RHP
2007- Eryk McConnell, RHP
2015- Brad Stone, LHP
2016- Preston Palmeiro, 1B
2017- Tim Naughton, RHP
NC State Wolfpack drafted by the Athletics
2003- Vern Sterry, RHP
2012- Ryan Mathews, RF
2016- Will Gilbert, LHP
2021- Jonny Butler, OF
