There aren’t many left-handed pitchers who make an upper 90s fastball look so routine.
Watching Gio Rojas, the velocity almost becomes secondary. The ease of his delivery, the confidence with which he attacks hitters and the late life on his fastball made him one of the most difficult prep arms to square up in not just South Florida, but the entire country.
Stoneman Douglas pitcher Gio Rojas throws against St. John Neumann on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026.
Saturday marked the culmination of years of development as Rojas was selected with the No. 16 overall pick by the Texas Rangers during MLB All-Star Weekend in Philadelphia. The slot value for the 16th pick is $5.05 million.
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Here’s a look at the Stoneman Douglas standout’s journey from one of South Florida’s most dominant left-handers to professional baseball.
From the Rockies to the Sunshine State
Stoneman Douglas pitcher Gio Rojas throws against St. John Neumann on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026.
Born in the Denver area, Rojas grew up in the suburb of Lakewood, gaining statewide recognition as the top player in Colorado by multiple outlets. After his freshman season with the Tigers, he transferred to national power Stoneman Douglas, in part due to his commitment to the University of Miami on Oct. 29, 2022, before playing an inning of high school baseball.
With Stoneman, Rojas dominated. On the bump, he was 28-1 with a 0.65 ERA, striking out 285 over 162 innings. Opponents hit just .132 against the 6-foot-4 lefty, who had a WHIP of .672 during Stoneman’s run of six consecutive FHSAA state championships, three of which he was a part of.
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With Team USA’s 18U team, he pitched 11 scoreless innings during the WBSC U-18 World Cup, earning All-World Starting Pitcher recognition after a complete game shutout against Korea in the Super Round.
Rojas’ selection would add to what’s starting to become a lengthy list of Stoneman Douglas alumni drafted early on, a list that includes longtime Cubs first basemen Anthony Rizzo, Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony, and Phillies starter Jesus Luzardo, who has mentored Rojas throughout high school.
Follow Sports Reporter Alex Martin on X at @NP_AlexMartin or via email: amartin@usatodayco.com. For additional high school sports coverage, be sure to follow @usatodayhss on Instagram and X.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Gio Rojas selected by Texas Rangers with 16th pick in 2026 MLB Draft
