CHAMPAIGN, IL (Chambana Today) – Two standout pitchers from the University of Illinois baseball team are heading to the pros after being selected in the 2025 MLB Draft.
Right-hander Tyler Schmitt was picked in the 17th round (No. 520 overall) by the San Diego Padres, while Julius Sanchez, also a right-hander, went to the Texas Rangers in the 18th round (No. 535 overall).
Schmitt, a Madison, Wisconsin native, made an immediate impact in his debut season with the Illini. He finished the year with a 5-2 record and a 4.80 ERA over 15 starts, leading the pitching staff with 58 strikeouts and 80.2 innings pitched. Schmitt logged five quality starts and 11 appearances with three earned runs or fewer.
His most dominant outing came during the Big Ten Tournament on May 20 against Michigan, where he struck out a season-high nine batters over seven innings, allowing just two runs on six hits.
Sanchez, from LaSalle, Illinois, made the most of limited action in 2025, going 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA over three starts. He struck out 17 batters and walked just three in 16.0 innings. His season debut was a career-best, fanning 10 batters in seven innings against Abilene Christian on Feb. 15.
Over three years in Champaign, Sanchez compiled a 2-5 record and a 6.58 ERA in 29 appearances (14 starts).